Bookseller Reviews
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A much-needed memoir
To me, this is an example of a perfect memoir: funny, honest, informative, and deeply reflective. Branded as disruptive, manipulative, and a troublemaker f... READ MORE
It needs adding to book groups and discussing.
I think this is one of the finest autobiographies I’ve read. I read it in a single day. I just found it really clipped along and didn't snag you anywhere. ... READ MORE
Seriously Funny
I discovered Fern Brady through watching and loving her on Taskmaster. After following her on Twitter and discovering that she was autistic, I was desperat... READ MORE
The best memoir I’ve read this year!
I could not put this book down! A raw, unapologetically honest, brutally frank, yet heartbreakingly funny page-turner! I picked up my copy on a recent trip... READ MORE
Such a vital memoire
An astounding portrayal of Fern Brady's lived experience as an autistic in an allistic world, highlighting the importance of diagnosis and awareness.
Th... READ MORE
Utterly Brilliant
I've never been much of a non-fic reader but this book was and continues to be utterly brilliant to me. It's a very raw and real memoir and at times that c... READ MORE
One of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read
This is one of the best autobiography’s that I have ever read!
Fern (a Scottish comedian who grew up in Bathgate) shares stories from her childhood, tee... READ MORE
Strong. Female. Funny. Character.
Such an honest and witty writing, it almost feels like a 2am tipsy conversation with a friend. Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, Fern Brady ... READ MORE
Exceptional storytelling with unadulterated honesty
A moving, insightful and at times funny book that takes us through Fern's life lived as a woman with undiagnosed (and then later diagnosed) autism.
I t... READ MORE
'A book filled with feminine rage'
I knew nothing about Fern Brady before starting this memoir and left it with a deep appreciation for what she's written.
It's a book filled with feminine ... READ MORE
A heartbreakingly honest account of Autism
Fern Brady is like many, many people (usually female) who are diagnosed as Autistic when they are adults after a lifetime of struggling to understand and c... READ MORE
Synopsis
'If you've ever been on a night out where you got blackout drunk and have laughed the next day as your friends tell you all the stupid stuff you said, that's what being autistic feels like for me: one long blackout night of drinking, except there's no socially sanctioned excuse for your gaffes and no one is laughing.'
Fern Brady was told she couldn't be autistic because she's had loads of boyfriends and is good at eye contact. This is a story of how being female can get in the way of being autistic and how being autistic gets in the way of being the 'right kind' of woman.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group
- ISBN: 9781914240478
- Number of pages: 288
- Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 26 mm
- Weight: 201g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA book I wish I'd been able to read 10 years ago
As a woman who is awaiting a late diagnosis (on a three and a half year long waiting list), Strong Female Character has had a huge impact on me.
This book... READ MORE
Brilliant
Review & content warnings pasted from my StoryGraph review:
An honest and at times heartbreaking, frustrating and funny memoir from a brilliant comedian... READ MORE
Couldn't put it down
I read this book all in one day as I couldn't put it down. I was left wishing I'd known some of these things earlier in life. It says on the front page tha... READ MORE
An incredibly uncomfortable read...
Strong Female Character is an incredibly uncomfortable read. A “tell-all” biography, Fern Brady unpacks a remarkable amount of trauma into this book, cover... READ MORE
Much needed stark honesty around autism in females
This book is a must-read educational masterclass in how autism may present in females. Written with Fern Brady’s trademark stark honesty and unique sense o... READ MORE
Beyond beautiful
An incredibly compelling and beautifully written memoir. I devoured this in about a day, and related strongly to Fern's experiences on the edge of understa... READ MORE
I feel seen and understood
I cannot tell you how much it means to me that this book is out there. The first four chapters seem almost identical to my early life experiences from navi... READ MORE
Amazing
Read it all in one sitting as i just couldnt get enough! it's written with such skill as it covers a lot of troubling and upsetting moments in Ferns life, ... READ MORE
School of hard knocks
Couldn’t put this wonderful book down, such a honest, raw and emotional ride through Fern’s life. So impressed with how she talks about her condition and m... READ MORE
Fascinating - told with humour and honesty
Thank you to the author and publisher Octopus Books for access to this as an ebook as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. I bought the audiobook ... READ MORE
We don’t think like they do…
Neurodivergence isn’t much talked about in the open. It was brave of Fern Brady to talk about the experiences she went through as an undiagnosed neurodiver... READ MORE
Hilariously relatable
I bought this book after quickly scanning the synopsis and having no idea who Fern Brady is. I have never highlighted a book as much as this one (I’ve alwa... READ MORE
Fantastic!
Males do not have a monopoly on autism spectrum! You are not alone!
This exceptional woman has made her own way while overcoming much more than the usual m... READ MORE
Eye opening
I found this book to be both eye opening and painful to read in parts. Having an autistic son I have read been actively trying to read books by individuals... READ MORE
Brave, brazen and honest
Not being an aficionado of the comedy scene or TV comedy panel shows, I was not aware of Fern Brady, but I certainly am now. She writes bravely, brazenly a... READ MORE
left me laughing and crying !
fern brady shares the ups and downs of her life as an diagnosed neurodivergent woman. this beautiful and honest book is an eye-opening look at the difficul... READ MORE
What Book, Fern Brady Strong Female Character
I would have loved to review this signed copy of Fern Bradys book but unfortunately you emailed me to say there was a problem with my order and you never e... READ MORE
Brave and bold
Strong Female Character was not exactly the read i was expecting, less funny and more bleak than i thought it would be, but that's not a negative at all an... READ MORE
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