This charming little book flips the script on productivity culture, reminding us that lounging on the sofa binge-watching TV or scrolling through social media isn't laziness; it's energy-saving mode, a vital way to recharge in a society obsessed with output.
Drawing from her own battles with depression and lethargy, Dancing Snail offers compassionate insights on topics like loneliness, adulting, overthinking, and those inevitable slumps. What sets this apart from other self-help books is its light touch: short chapters, relatable illustrations, and zero heavy-handed lectures. It's not packed with dense advice, solutions, or facts like many non-fiction titles on anxiety and mental health. Instead, it's a gentle companion, perfect for flipping through on a coffee table when you need a quick pick-me-up. I loved how it feels written by someone who's still in the trenches, not preaching from a place of "I've conquered it all."
Her words hit home, like this one: "As adults, because we know that everyone has their problems, we don't lean on anyone when we need support and instead brave it on our own. When we're not okay, we wear a 'social smile' to hide the fact that we're crying on the inside."
Or another gem: "The only constant in life is change. Just because one thing doesn't go according to plan, it's not the end of the world. Even if we don't know the right answer, sometimes, it's okay to just give something a go."
The illustrations add a whimsical, empathetic vibe, making tough feelings more approachable. It's refreshing to read advice that's unconventional and genuine, like envying the "cheerful innocence" of friends while dealing with "black marks on my heart." And with the year's end approaching, it feels timely.
That said, it's not flawless. There are a few minor editing hiccups: some typos, awkward phrasing that might stem from translation, and spots where the dialogue and captions in illustrations could be formatted better for clarity. Nothing deal-breaking, but it occasionally pulls you out of the flow.