EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD

by Emily R. Austin

Reading this novel is like to bingeing end-to-end episodes of the TV show Fleabag (which I love). Written in an urgent first-person present tense, the narration deeply immerses us in the mind of Gilda, an anxiously neurotic and depressed protagonist who is obsessed with death.

The premise itself is enticing: through a series of slightly unbelievable circumstances, Gilda finds herself as a queer atheist working inside a Catholic church. While this setup ultimately functions more like a one-line joke than a heavily structured plot, the journey is still rewarding. Gilda delivers beautifully sharp humorous observations about Catholicism, the awkward ways straight people navigate queer culture, and the dynamics of her own repressive family. A tender relatable and deeply compassionate ride through the quiet battles of mental health.