The Hidden Cost of “Working Harder”: When Doing More Isn’t Enough
A biology professor by training, Gormally integrates research on tonic immobility, emotional invalidation, and the somatic effects of trauma without disrupting the narrative’s intimacy. These scientific references provide context and vocabulary for experiences many readers may instinctively understand but have never formally named. For me, this interplay of academic knowledge and lived experience deepens the book’s impact.
The illustrations reflect the memoir’s careful balance of restraint and emotional honesty. Sparse and expressive, Gormally’s drawings invite readers into the discomfort rather than shielding them from it. Some of the most affecting moments are the quietest. One motif recurs throughout: Gormally’s face appears calm while their hands claw at the edges of the panel or their body curls into itself. These choices make visible the hidden labor of appearing “fine.”
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