Frida Slattery As Herself: A Novel

by Ana Kinsella

A sweeping, witty, and wise novel following an actress and a writer-director—told through the plays they make together and the time they spend apart 

You could probably run cities on the energy generated between directors like him and actresses like her.

When Frida Slattery and John Reddan meet in a Dublin pub in 2006, neither can imagine how they will come to shape and define each other’s lives. Frida is struggling to launch her acting career, while John is already gaining a name for himself as a director. From the first, they see in each other potential and the chance to create work that matters, though the lines between collaboration and exploitation, friendship and desire will prove dangerously slippery.

John decides to cast Frida as the lead in his next play, putting the pair on a path to success, fame, and critical acclaim. With the financial crisis looming, the next fifteen years take them from Dublin to London, New York, and Los Angeles, and through success and disappointment, joy and heartbreak. Careers are built, marriages made and destroyed, but through great distance and time, Frida and John can never quite shake the other. Though their connection is tested and stretched to the point of rupture, something remains that outlasts their work and the social transformations of the period. Tracing the complex, winding path of a relationship, Frida Slattery as Herself is an exhilarating, richly imagined examination of art, authorship, love, betrayal, and finding one’s voice.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Irish Literature, Contemporary, Ireland, Ebooks

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[My.bookish.diaries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Ecco Books for the gifted ARC !

✧༺ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ༻✧
★★★★☆

♡
I really enjoyed this journey of two people who somehow always found their way back to one another, no matter how many years passed between them.

Over the course of sixteen years, we follow a director and an actor as their lives, careers, and relationship evolve. I became so invested in these characters that I would think back to moments from the beginning of the book and realize just how much time had passed and how much they had experienced since then.

✦ This is very much a character driven story, which is something I personally love.

Watching these characters grow over time was one of my favorite parts of the novel. It highlights how the choices we make can shape the paths our lives take, often in ways we never expect.

What I loved most was the companionship between them the kind of bond that doesn't fit neatly into a box. Through the plays and art they create together and apart, we gain insight into their fears, desires, and vulnerabilities.

It also explores the abuse of power within creative industries, particularly how women are often mistreated by powerful men and how these experiences can be dismissed as simply being "part of the industry."

We see toxic work environments where misogyny thrives, and Frida's determination to break free from these systems and create art on her own terms becomes an important thread throughout the story.

Overall, this was a thoughtful, character-focused read about art, ambition, connection, and the people who leave lasting marks on our lives.






✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: 𝘱𝘳𝘦-𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
ARC received ✨

Thank you Ecco Books for the free copy!

Already obsessed with the vibe of this one and I haven’t even started yet 👀📖
Full thoughts coming soon 💫

[Lauren W · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 This book is an artistic rendering of the lives of two artists: Frida, an actor, and John, a playwright and director.

We start off with Frida—she is remarkable. She wants more out of life, wants to be better, and truly wants to be an actor. From there, we watch the day-to-day progression of her career and her relationship with John through the days, weeks, and years.

What I loved:
The writing itself is beautiful, and the character development is lovely—especially Frida's. Plus, a highlight was the audiobook dual narrators' Irish accents!

What didn't work as well:
The story is very quiet and slow. While I actually enjoyed that for the artistic atmosphere, the book just felt a bit too long, and it features a very drawn-out "will they, won't they" relationship that started to wear thin.

Ultimately, it's a solid read with gorgeous prose, it was just a bit too long for my taste!

[Ollie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy shit this might be one of my new favourite books ever ever ever, rendered completely speechless by it. what if I never stop thinking about Frida and John????????????¿

[Madi Himelfarb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance netgalley copy— thank you to the publishers.

3.5/5, but rounding up on here. As someone who grew up acting and surrounding herself w/ (and hating and loving) creatives like both Frida and John, largely I enjoyed this read. Continuously though I wondered what someone outside of these worlds would think.

Loved the beginning and admired the end, but thought it sagged quite a bit in the middle. Respected the ambitious time frame and the amount of character development that was allowed to breathe within it. Lots of great stuff in here, and I’m excited by this author. But overall, I do think it was a bit too interiority-focused for me. And as much as I get that it’s *the whole point*, I was toooooo perplexed by (annoyed by) (unconvinced by?) F/J’s relationship that I .. didn’t care about their fates as much as I should’ve. A good reminder never to date an actor :’)

[Suki J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars.

Frida, a young actress looking for work bumps into John, an up-and-coming playwright in a Dublin pub. John is instantly captivated and ends up writing a part in a play for Frida, leading them on a journey to her becoming his muse.
From the start it is clear that their professional relationship, and what it leads to, is unbalanced., and the book does so well at exploring the complicated feelings that ensue, especially for Frida. Over time they move away and come back together multiple times, with there occasionally being a romantic element, but it is always uneasy.

The character of John made me uncomfortable, and I thought Ana Kinsella wrote him very well. He is a man constantly making excuses for his behaviour, while repeating the same mistakes over and over. The book covers a period of time from 2005 through to 2021 and the me too movement, although never explicitly named, is implicitly implied.

I loved how the book puts a spotlight on actors and Hollywood in all its messiness. This was a fabulous read.

[Lauren Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank You NetGalley for the advance copy!

This is pretty much a 16 year situationship between Frida and John. I have never read a book that’s explored the brutal ness of the acting world in this way. This is definitely a story I will not forget. Thelma and Louise mention!! (one of my favourite movies)

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book met me at a perfect time in my life because what it does particularly well is not the romantic relationship depicted between the main characters, but their individual reckoning with the parallel potential of choices not taken, and what it means to give and take as an artist. although not perfect, slotted perfectly into one of my favourite literary niches ever.

(also did not read this as audio but this is the actual gorgeous cover of my book so i had to switch to this edition)

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was made for me

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this to be the “that’s my emotional support right person wrong time but continued creative muse” type plot (like Deep Cuts) and enjoyed the writing style, but both characters are so non committal that I wasn’t all that invested by the end

[Shazzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Situationship story that stumbles wrt some important things. Could have been much shorter.

I received a review copy from the publisher.

[Elleni Yapanis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

an emotional story combining elements of normal people and la la land - the narration tied it together with a lovely little bow.

[Chris Glynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

love me a tortured artist nevermind two

[one.too.many.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a lovely weekend in the company of Frida and John, the main characters in this story. In typical Irish writer fashion this just immediately pulled me in (how is that just universally the case with Irish literature?). It’s a very well written debut, completely immersive, and I was rooting for these two all the way through.

A story of art, a story of love, a story of life and loss and chances. Given that the book is set across more than a decade there is also mention of a lot of events happening that people lived through and has affected them in some way or other, like Covid, financial crash crisis, Me Too movement, but also more individual relevant births, deaths, break ups etc.

At almost 500 pages this is quite a chunky book. It didn’t really feel that long, it’s easy to read and immersive, but I also wonder if one of my small issues was that it could have been slightly shorter. Maybe. The other might be that I wanted to be a bit more emotionally swept up in it.

This was brilliant on audio, read by two different narrators just like the book is set out, with two separate POV’s.

If you like literary fiction and Irish writers then definitely pick this up! I’d recommend 💙

“Regardless of what happened in reality, which was usually nothing, John thought you could probably run cities on the energy generated between directors like him and actresses like her.”

4.25

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

When aspiring actress Frida Slattery meets rising director John Reddan in a Dublin pub, their lives become deeply intertwined over the next fifteen years. As they navigate ambition, creativity, success, and heartbreak, their relationship continually shifts between friendship, collaboration, and something more complicated.

This was a mixed read for me. The character development was easily the strongest part of the book. Watching Frida and John grow, change, and navigate life's ups and downs over more than a decade felt authentic and well-crafted.

The prose is beautiful and often insightful, but the pacing was inconsistent. While there's plenty of movement early on, some sections dragged and made it difficult to stay fully engaged.

Overall, I appreciated the exploration of art, ambition, and identity, even if the story felt slower than I would have liked at times.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Bit slow in the middle but one that stayed in my mind in the days between reading it

[Tawk Of New Yawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are books that ask whether two people will end up together. Frida Slattery as Herself asks a more interesting question: why do some people never quite leave us, even when we know they probably should?

Ana Kinsella's novel follows actress Frida Slattery and director John Reddan over the course of many years as their lives repeatedly intersect. They date, collaborate, drift apart, reconnect, and disappear from one another's lives, only to find themselves drawn back into each other's orbit. It is, on paper, a familiar story. In execution, it becomes something more reflective and far more interested in the realities of creative ambition than in traditional romance.

What Kinsella captures particularly well is the peculiar dissatisfaction that seems to haunt ambitious artists. Frida and the people around her are constantly pursuing the next project, the next opportunity, the next version of success. Every achievement is immediately replaced by a new goal. Nobody ever seems to arrive anywhere for long. The novel understands what it feels like to spend years chasing something you love while wondering whether reaching it will actually make you happy.

Frida herself is a compelling protagonist because she never feels settled. She moves from project to project and relationship to relationship with a restless energy that feels deeply authentic. Her devotion to her craft is admirable, even when it leaves chaos in its wake. As a creative person, I found much of her experience recognizable. The book's strongest moments aren't necessarily romantic. They're the moments where Frida is trying to build a life around work that is all-consuming and uncertain.

Kinsella also does an excellent job conveying the passage of time. Years slip by almost unnoticed. Careers evolve. Relationships change shape. People become different versions of themselves while somehow remaining exactly who they always were. By the end of the novel, you feel the weight of all those accumulated years.

My biggest reservation is John Reddan. I don't mind flawed characters. I don't mind selfish characters. In fact, some of my favorite literary characters are both. But for someone who occupies such a significant portion of the novel, John remains frustratingly flat. I often understood why he was drawn back to Frida, but I rarely understood why Frida continued returning to him. There simply wasn't enough on the page to explain his gravitational pull.

Perhaps that uncertainty is intentional. John himself often seems unsure of what he wants. Still, the novel asks readers to invest in a connection that spans years, and I never fully believed in his side of the equation.

Oddly enough, some of the supporting characters left a stronger impression. Their bad behavior, creative eccentricities, and professional chaos added texture to the world of the novel and often proved more memorable than John's internal struggles.

As I read, I kept returning to the same questions: Why do we stay? Why do we leave? Why do certain people linger in our lives long after the relationship itself has stopped making sense?

Frida Slattery as Herself doesn't offer neat answers. Instead, it explores the possibility that sometimes we hold onto people not because they are extraordinary, but because they have become attached to a particular chapter of our lives. Sometimes what we're mourning isn't the person. It's the version of ourselves that existed when we loved them.

This book feels like watching two people choose their work over each other again and again while never quite being able to let each other go. It's a thoughtful, bittersweet novel about ambition, nostalgia, and the complicated relationships that refuse to stay in the past.

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a lot of things well, but for me that only made the things it fumbled much more obvious. This is a book about art, about the fuzziness of creative relationships, and about the way MeToo shifted all of these things. It's not easy to do, Kinsella has given herself a really tough project here, but she can't quite deliver.

This type of work is hard for a lot of reasons. Writing about the arts and artists means getting the reader actually invested in this fictional art, and so much of the time that fictional art just doesn't translate on the page into something exciting. But Kinsella comes up with several plays that sound really interesting, where even when you haven't read the play you still feel like you have an understanding of what it is, what it's about, and why it is or isn't good. Hard to do, great work.

Following a relationship over a long period of time is also hard to do. Being able to have your characters really grow and change, create this life for them over decades that makes sense. Have them make mistakes, move forwards and backwards and sideways. This book is mostly very good at that, too. Frida and John's eventual arcs are not ones that are really easy to guess from the beginning. (Ok John's is, because, as this book understands, the path for a male playwright does have a pretty set path all things considered.)

And writing about patriarchy, gender dynamics, in not just artistic relationships but platonic and romantic relationships is really hard. Kinsella almost gets it. She comes really close. But just when I thought we were really going to consider the nuances of John and Frida's relationship, everything just kind of smoothed over and became flat. It was really hard to see all the years of ways they'd been separated by those gender dynamics only to not really reckon with it in a real way.

There is a lot of movement at the beginning of the book, but the pacing can struggle. Some sections really drag. And while taking this long consideration of their relationship does give you the opportunity to do a lot of things, it also leaves the most interesting section as this big turning point... that then never really gets addressed. Is this how life goes? Sure. Do we end up forgiving wrongs against us without ever really having it out with people? Yes. But I want the novelist to do something with that even if it is unsatisfying for the characters. This section--a play Frida imagines that she co-writes with John until he eventually takes it over and turns it into something different and gives himself sole writing credit--is the best part of the book because of this complexity, taking it away and flattening it out deflates so much of what the book worked for.

I did appreciate the way Kinsella has John attempt to reckon with potential power dynamic problems in his past. The way he cannot see the many times he was in a gray area feels very true to me, and I think Kinsella is smart enough to let the reader see what John cannot. But I can't help it. I wanted John to have to deal with it in a more real way!

I will definitely want to see what Kinsella does next. There is a lot here that I really loved.

[Amie Derricott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frida Slattery As Herself follows a young Irish actress trying to kick-start her career when she meets director John in a pub. Set over 16 years, the book is split up into parts, each one a specific time period and titled after the name of the play the characters are working on at that time. The reader mainly follows Frida to begin with, starting when she is still at university and performing small parts in student plays, when she is told to meet director John Reddan in a pub. From here starts an ongoing relationship between the pair, first as actor and director, to writing together, to a sexual relationship that appears to be the end for them both personally and professionally. As time goes by and they go their separate ways, we start to see more of John's life too, and despite attempting to go their separate ways, they seem to be continually drawn back to each other.

The postcard that came with my proof copy says "It's not NOT a love story" and I think this sums it up perfectly. At its heart is the love that Frida and John have for each other, that changes and grows throughout the time period in the book, but heaped upon that are so many other intricate layers. We see the way women are treated as inferior within the entertainment industry, and how it is assumed they will be the ones to put their career on hold for family and children. There is commentary on the way that women are routinely abused by men in perceived power, how it is brushed off that an actress is expected to perform sexually to gain roles or shouldn't shirk the advances of men as it will affect their careers. Misogyny is absolutely rife within the industry that Frida is so determined to break into. Not only do we see these subjects raised, but we also see how Frida, and to some extent John, face these challenges and what they are willing to compromise their morals for. This is an incredibly well written book and often faces these fairly dark topics with carefully placed humor. The characters are very real and this is absolutely no fairytale. They both have to confront their shortcomings and their relationship, both romantic and professional, is fraught with differings of opinion and strife, but also immense amounts of love and and understanding between the two people. Not quite the perfect novel as I did find it dragged a little in some places, particularly during the hiatus', but incredibly readable and would 100% recommend

[Niamh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK.

Working in the arts, I've met dozens of Johns and dozens of Fridas. Maybe it's just my personality type, but I've wanted to shake some common sense into all of them the same way I wanted to shake it into these characters.

I previously read Ana Kinsella's non-fiction book about London 'Look Here' and was a fan of her writing. And there's no denying that she is a good writer. Spanning over a decade, we follow these two creatives as their careers as a writer/director and actor respectively. There were definitely passages of this that hit so close to me they physically hurt - at one point near the beginning, Frida says 'I just want something to happen' and that's a phrase I LITERALLY SAID last week during a panic attack over my own career in the arts. So that was fun.

There are a few reasons I'm only giving this book three stars. For one, it's too long. There is no justification for the book being this long and it's prone to meandering in places, hanging around too long when it needed to move forward. For two, I found no redeeming qualities in these characters. Again, I might be too close to the situation, but one meeting with either John or Frida in real life and I would never have spoken to them again.

I don't have to like characters in literature, but I have to understand why they behave the way they do and I just didn't. They're self-destructive and self-centred, constantly believing themselves to be the monikers of great art. Snobs, some might call them. The actions - particularly of John as we get into the second half and he becomes obsessed with being MeToo'd - of both characters become clumsy in their written execution. They're also very non-committal. I kept waiting for some big moment of passion to happen or a blow-up argument or something, but the author ignored these scenes and kept things on a very even emotional line. Considering the tagline on the book - 'You could run cities on the energy generated between directors and actresses like them' - I felt the entire novel lacked said energy. It was quiet and observant in a way it didn't intend to be.

I felt like I was reading this book forever. So. That should give you an indication of how I felt. The moral of the story is don't get involved with pretentious people in the arts because they will ruin your life.

'Frida Slattery As Herself' is available now.

[Sol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously written exploration of theatre, love, and ambition! Following Frida, an aspiring actress, and John, the director who quickly becomes fascinated by her, Frida Slattery As Herself throws the reader right into the magic that happens when an actor and a director understand each other profoundly – and into the emotional maelstrom that can happen when that understanding is combined with desire and love.
Frida was such a nuanced character that even when she had her selfish or self-sabotaging moments, I still rooted for her. John is a bit more difficult (I think an important underlying question of his journey is whether he wants to allow himself to be happy and make better choices or cling to the idea of himself as an artiste in semi-permanent emotional turmoil), but I absolutely understood why they were so drawn to each other. Ana Kinsella is a fantastic wordsmith, and there were so many lines where she captured the essence of Frida and John perfectly.
Being an Irish novel on a years-long will-they-won't-they, it's easy to see the Sally Rooney comparison coming, and in this case I actually do think it's warranted. I don't think you can separate the novel from its Irishness, for one thing, and for another, it's the kind of book where you want to underline almost everything with a pencil, not necessarily because it's beautiful (although it often is) but because it's so perspicacious about the complexity of human relationships.
I did dock a star for the slow-paced middle – I flew through the beginning and ending chapters, but somewhere in the middle, the book started to come close to losing me. However, I'm really glad to have stuck it out, and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for whatever Kinsella writes next!

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC ◡̈

[Lorren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed FRIDA SLATTERY AS HERSELF, a story that spans the career of actress Frida Slattery and playwright John Reddan. The deals with their lives as artists as well as their relationship, which vacillates between attraction, anger, and obsession.

At times, John’s voice felt more developed than Frida’s, and that was my major issue with the book. She was trying to define herself and her wants, while he always seemed aware of them, which may be intentional or some kind of examination of femininity vs masculinity—Frida was in constant evolution, whereas John was a force at times destructive in achieving his goals. However, I think Frida could have been better defined while still retaining that evolving sense of self. At the same time, being the same age as Frida is at the end of the book, I related to the way her view of the world and of herself shifted throughout the book.

The strongest part of the book for me was in the evolution of their relationship. I love a story that explores a long-term connection, whether romantic or platonic. This book did not stray from the negative aspects of the characters, which often drove them apart, while affirming their attraction and the reasons they kept coming back together. I liked how unflinching the realness of their issues was.

This is a lengthy but fascinating read. I think it will appeal to readers interested in creativity, complex long-term relationships, and midlife coming-of-age stories.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What did he want from her? What could she reasonably give him? The story of their past, he'd suggested originally. But that wasn't interesting enough, was it? It was just a stupid relationship they'd had when they were young."

I'm giving #fridaslatteryasherself four stars not because I enjoyed it so much, but because I was by turns annoyed, amazed and agnostic. I didn't find Frida or JOHNREDDAN very likable (Frida was more than John for sure). Their relationship was confounding, and I'm not even sure they liked each other. At times they each simply were a means to an end for the other. Both struck me as habitual users of others, without giving much back. John creates a family without much thought, and then wants to be free of them almost instantly. Frida only cares about her career and whoever can make success happen for her.

Still, I enjoyed reading about the creative process, and the theatre, and it was easy to see why Frida enjoyed it so much. Until she didn't. I appreciated the world of Ireland and hit TV shows. A compelling read for me, but not a very enjoyable one. Ha ha - overall an apt description might be "navel gazing".

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley and Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to read and review.

[Rebecca Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frida Slattery and John Reddan first meet in a bar in Dublin in 2005. John is a playwright beginning to make a name for himself, while Frida is an aspiring actress. John sees potential in Frida and casts her in a play he is working on and Frida sees this as a the start of her career.

The novel follows their lives both together and apart, from Dublin to London to Los Angeles spanning the years up until 2021. Each part of the book is titled after the play or production that they are working on which I felt was a nice concept. The novel explores real world issues such as life in theatre throughout the COVID pandemic and the Me Too movement.

I love Irish authors, and this is beautifully written. Both John and Frida felt like real people, complete with flaws, their personal and professional lives had ups and down which made me feel genuinely interested in what was happening with them. John, in my opinion, was unlikeable at times and made excuses for some of his behaviours whilst Frida's perspective highlighted some of the challenges that women face in the entertainment industry.

Their relationship shifts between professional and romantic numerous times. There is a sense that they will always be drawn back to each other.

[Kyle Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️. Audiobook, dual narration and I loved both narrators and their perfect accents. I’m so glad a stumbled upon this independent author. This book starts in Ireland and takes place over 15 years and follows Frieda and John and their messy respective journeys in life. I have to say I loved their initial chemistry and ended up with such a soft spot for John as we have the glimpses into his true feelings and an understanding of his character (that Frida never had). With that said, she makes a hard decision that really gutted me. He then went on to really piss me off. As always, these characters are like real people, incredibly flawed, balancing insecurities and vulnerabilities, trying to fit into a mold that is expected while also pursuing what they *think* they want in life… there was a part of me that felt the ending was perfect, and there was another part of me that wanted 50 more pages to make sure the characters arcs did come full circle in the way I wanted. I guess I’ll just have to use my imagination.

[jay ☆౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, I loved this book so much. The best way I can think to describe it is sort of like an Irish ‘La La Land’. The story follows Frida, an actress, and John, a director, as they claw themselves into ambitious careers alongside each other. Frida’s character felt true to the experience of being a woman relentlessly chasing a dream, but losing herself along the way. John was emblematic of a determined craftsman with a specific vision for, and belief in, his art. They’re inexplicably bound but they butt heads consistently and their lives eventually diverge. We follow John and Frida as they age, through the tumult of fame, success, failure and family, until they find their way back to each other. Kinsella’s writing style is exactly what I want when I pick up a book and ‘Frida Slattery As Herself’ quenched a thirst I didn’t know I had. I recommend regardless, but especially if you’re a creative soul with creative ambitions. I felt really seen by it. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

[Amanda Fiorani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible!

Frida Slattery As Herself centres around the lifelong relationship between the title character and John Reddan, that is, between an actress and a director, between two artists, or a director and his muse. The novel is divided into chapters which mark artistic projects in their lives - some that bring them together in charged collaboration, while others drive them apart on their own journeys. The relationship between these two changes in nature many times throughout their adulthood, and it is electrifying. Their chemistry is palpable, and their influence on each other is so clear to them that it might just be the thing to drive them away from each other.

I love this book with a passion. These characters feel so real - they are raw, frustrating, flawed, and addictive. The ending really makes the book come full circle. I would love to see it get adapted to the screen!

Thank you so much to Scribner UK for the proof and for the e-ARC!

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a lovely surprise. I picked it up because I was craving an Irish novel, and was so excited about a story set in the world of theatre and TV between a man and a woman who seemed to be both wonderful for each other, and terrible at the the same. We follow Frida and John over 15 years, from seeing the initial sparks, to watching them create an iconic work of art, to eventually getting together romantically, and the epic fallout from that pretty terrible decision. As Frida moves to America to star in a law procedural show, and John has an ill-advised marriage to someone else, we slowly march towards the Me Too reckoning and Kinsella expertly gives us a fresh perspective of that moment in time from two very different people. I think readers will love this next spring.

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Ecco for the ebook. In Dublin, in 2006, Frida Slattery gets a job in a play. That playwright, John Reddan, knows that he’s found his greatest muse in Frida, but he doesn’t just write challenging parts for her. He takes moments from her personal life and twists them into a play. This leaves Frida flattered, but also emptied out. It’s just a shadow of the story, so it’s her and not her at all. She takes an understudy job in London and John quickly follows and writes them a new play. But instead of doing it, Frida moves to Los Angeles and gets on a tv show. They spend the next ten years apart. When they both end up back in Dublin during the pandemic, they circle around working together with both fear and excitement.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frida Slattery As Herself is such a quietly intense exploration of art, ambition, and the kind of love that’s as inspiring as it is destructive. Following Frida and John across years of collaboration and chaos, it really leans into that messy 'muse v partner' dynamic. And it’s electric.

Both characters are flawed to the point of frustration, but that’s what makes them feel so real (and so hard to look away from). Their chemistry, both creative and romantic, is magnetic even when everything is falling apart.

The pacing dips slightly in the middle, but the writing is sharp, perceptive, and full of those lines you want to underline.

Messy, compelling, and a little bit devastating.