otherwise grossly unremarkable

by Ashleigh Matthews

Otherwise grossly unremarkable is the record of the near total destruction of one woman’s physical and emotional self from misdiagnosis to stage three diagnosis, through treatment after treatment, and onward to recovery and survivorship.   At only 35 years of age, Ashleigh Matthews found a dense mass in her breast that was eventually diagnosed as stage-three, grade-three multifocal invasive mammary breast cancer. This memoir tells the story of a regular woman facing an irregular cellular divergence at a young age. Cancer always sucks, but being in your mid-30s at diagnosis adds an extra layer of garbage thrown on top. There is no silver lining here, rather this book is an honest and raw chronicle of what the human body can endure and from what depths the human spirit can forge a new path home from. Otherwise grossly unremarkable demonstrates that any person that hears the word cancer used to medically describe their body becomes a survivor of cancer at that very same moment.  

272 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2024

Reviews

[Laurie LeGrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This perspective of a young person living through all the gut punches of a life altering diagnosis in such an honest and poignant way while opening a window into a hell no one should have to suffer through is hard to put down. Ashleigh Matthews shines a spotlight on many of the hard things (mentally and physically) a cancer patient and in turn, their loved ones go through navigating the twisty, turny journey of a cancer diagnosis. A brilliantly written memoir involving a difficult subject that also had humour and so much love and compassion while also including so much helpful medical information. Highly recommend.

[Dana Noseworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoirs are often my favourite books; there is something fascinating about reading a memoir of a friend you have known since high school. I cannot give you an unbiased review of this book. I read it in 2 sittings, finished it 30 hours after I picked it up from the publisher (that would have been quicker but sleep, work and family commitments got in the way).
I can tell you that the voice you read in this book? It is Ashleigh. She is a fan of speaking the truth, particularly her truth, and she is not afraid to talk about the things that people shy away from. And that's what makes this book so good, and so important.
This book is for anyone who is on a cancer journey, or has loved someone on their own journey. This book is for health care providers. This book is for young adults - both as a peek behind the curtain of cancer diagnosis, treatment and its lasting effects, and also as a reminder your life can change in an instant. I really just think most folks should read this, as a way of connecting to the human spirit.

[Brian Carrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an eye opening book about the horrible cancer. Ashleigh you are a very brave lady and I have the greatest respect for you, thank you for signing your book. It was very nice to meet you. I wish you all the very best.

BJ Carrigan

[Kristen Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is a testament to strength and resilience in battling a diagnosis head on with a strong support system. Kudos to you Ashleigh for bravely sharing your story so eloquently.

[Rebecca Gladney · Rating 5 out of 5]

otherwise grossly unremarkable starts as a reminder of why advocating for yourself is so very important in every instance, but especially in trusting that you know your body and what it is telling you. This is also a love story - an ode to the power of family, friendship, and self. She perfectly balances fact, heaviness, and humour to find yourself laughing moments after descriptions of absolute agony.

Ashleigh Matthews very clearly and matter of factly moves through her cancer timeline while vulnerably digging into the associated feelings. The strength in her vulnerability is palpable throughout the entire book.

There is a familiarity in these pages for cancer patients and survivors, of course; there is also familiarity for healthcare workers, anyone working through a diagnosis, and those dealing with chronic illness alike.

otherwise grossly unremarkable is a beautiful tale of the human experience

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend.

Going through medical school, I told myself I'd never let myself forget what it's like to be a "medicine outsider" (similar to a Cancer Muggle as Ashleigh describes it in this memoir). As I near the end of my surgery residency, I realize that I'm already starting to forget. Books like this are important for a number of reasons, but for me personally it was an important reminder of this promise to myself.

Overall though, this book is very well-written and does a great job of allowing the reader a window into the life of a cancer patient. I will recommend it to all of my colleagues without hesitation, but also to everyone I know, as I'm sure we all have friends, family, and acquaintances who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis, and a little more understanding of what that means can certainly go a long way.

[Meghan Traverse Careen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What are the F-ing odds. Matthews offers an analytical and comedic narration of her experience as both a statistic and a human. Readers will be filled with both information and feelings. The heroine is both an anomaly and grossly otherwise unremarkable. I see her as as remarkable as a lonesome panoramic view of a snowy apocalypse from an empty hospital atrium. She is relatable in that, readers will each close her book with a sigh, as we all do at the end of each of our own life chapters. Thinking, what are the odds.

[Stefanie Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a about a very sensitive topic but I wholeheartedly feel everyone need to read this book. The author and I are the same age, both with two kids each. She’s a Newfoundlander as well.

The quote on the front says it perfectly, “this book is full of heart, and hope, and just the right dose of humour”. I smiled and chuckled but I also sobbed as I read certain parts.

Once I’ve let my mom read this, I’ll be donating it to my local library so more people can read (and I’m also sure the author would appreciate the gesture)

[Charlotte Courage · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. This book was recommended to me in my annual January search for how to fill my literary year, and it couldn’t be more timely. I have a friend who just finished 5 months of chemo for breast cancer and is awaiting her surgery dates to have a mastectomy and remove her ovaries. This book gave me an insight into what she has experienced as I sit on the sidelines and also what is to come. The book itself is well written and despite the subject matter, a quick read. I stayed up way too late the last 2 nights to finish it. Thank you to the author.

[Dianne Sharpe Vatcher]

Loved this book. Such a brutally honest story of Ashleigh's journey with cancer. As a young woman with children being diagnosed with breast cancer, the author lets us see the highs and lows of her progression through appointments, diagnosis and treatments. Her personal battles and struggles are laid bare and we feel as if we are with her every step of the way.
A very brave memoir and I highly recommend everyone read it.

[Siobhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is so beautifully written and hard to put down. It's an honest recounting of the highs and lows of going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment, written in such a way that everyone can gain a better understanding of what the cancer world entails. It's heartfelt, unflinching, and made me laugh and cry. I cannot recommend it enough.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly courageous beautiful, complex, nuanced, and entirely un-put-down-able book! From the moment that I opened the cover, I was drawn into Ashleigh’s thoughtful storytelling. This is an incredibly painful and tough topic, but she writes with such thought and care that you can’t help but be uplifted!

[Crystal Chafe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for everyone, not just those directly impacted by cancer. A remarkable story, incredibly written. It's a beautiful memoir without any sugar coating and with plenty of heart. I could not put it down!

[Meaghan Burridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an inspiring and humorous, but harrowing account of a young mother battling the beast of breast cancer. Informative and absorbing this book leads the reader through each stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment and ends ultimately in a place of hope and peace. A beautiful read.

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent roadmap for anyone newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

[Nico · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had trouble walking away from this memoir. Each chapter was concise and left me not wanting to put it down. I cried, I laughed, I internally cheered and I learned many things about Cancer and Cancer treatment. Highly recommend!