Frida Slattery As Herself

by Ana Kinsella

Simon & Schuster has a great audiobook for every listener.

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

Audible Audio

First published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Lauren W -behind! (work)- trying to stay semi-caught up♥︎]

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!

[My.bookish.diaries]

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 💫

[Ollie Martin]

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????????????¿

[Derval]

3.5 stars. This started very strong, but then - and this isn't my usual complaint when I'm enjoying a book- it just got very long! There was far too much of John in the book, considering Frida was the star. She and the author also let him away with some really bad behaviour. It was addressed but sort of brushed aside in a way. I liked Frida, even though she didn't really take control of her own life and story. I also really enjoyed the pair's wanderings around Dublin. Good, but could have used a tighter edit.

[Sophie Roberts]

A delight. Just gorgeous.

[Chris Glynn]

love me a tortured artist nevermind two

[Sarah]

I think this spoke to my soul

[Lauren]

This book was made for me

[Suki J]

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.

[Elleni Yapanis]

3.5🌟

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

[Madi Himelfarb]

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 :’)

[Kelly]

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

[cursedb]

I really loved this book. It explores one of my favorite subjects to read and think about, and I believe anyone with a background in the arts, literature, or the humanities will find something deeply relatable here. If you don’t have that connection, I can understand why the book might feel repetitive or even a little uneventful. I think that’s one of the main reasons it hasn’t worked for everyone. What made it stand out for me was how honest and unfiltered it felt. The writing is straightforward and easy to read, but emotionally it’s incredibly raw and authentic. I found myself relating to the main character again and again, which made the reading experience all the more impactful. This book also pulled me out of a reading slump, so I’m especially glad I picked it up. Stories like this deserve more attention because they explore the emotional realities of pursuing a creative life, something that isn’t talked about nearly enough. The pressures, insecurities, and constant self-doubt that come with artistic work are portrayed with remarkable honesty. I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone, but I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has studied or worked in a creative field, or has ever questioned their place in it. It may not be the most plot-driven read, but if you’re willing to immerse yourself in its reflections, it’s a deeply rewarding one.

[Taylor]

Wait did I really read this in four days?? I felt like it was dragging at first and then I realized it was 500 pages lmao. I love a decades-spanning novel! The idea of reflecting social and cultural movements that have happened over the past twenty years through these two artists was sick. I love Irish people

[Lauren Foster]

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)

[Patrycja Krotowska]

3.5, a podciągam, bo dobrze się czytało, ale trochę mało niuansów i pogłębienia psychologii bohaterów na pełną 4. A, no i nie polubiłam ani Fridy, ani Johna. Ale to akurat nie problem, bo nie czułam, by autorka sugerowała mi, bym musiała ich lubić. W tym kontekście bohaterowie napisami naprawdę dobrze.

[Iris]

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)

[Tawk Of New Yawk]

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.

[Shazzie]

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

I received a review copy from the publisher.

[Priscilla]

Superb

[Abbie Harris]

An extremely strong premise and beginning, but left me so disappointed - I just don’t think a love story works if the man is absolutely irredeemably shitty. Well written and fun but our main characters could never get over themselves and so I’m over them. Ugh

[one.too.many.books]

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

[taleisha ridgway]

4 ⭐️

There’s very few books that can do a slow pacing well, this is one of them. This story follows Frida Slattery & John Reddan’s lives over 16 years. From their tumultuous relationship, Frida’s acting career, John’s directing career, family drama and life drama in general. It’s a story about love, life, finding yourself, art, power, ambition and passion. It’s so captivating, I found myself picking the book up every day because I just wanted to know what they were up to today. Where were they? Are they talking yet? Is Frida still acting? Is John going back to directing? I was so immersed by their day to day lives.

I loved how flawed both of these characters are. Both of them have so many redeeming qualities and by the end you love them both, but you can’t ignore their not-so-good traits. ESPECIALLY JOHN. I hated John for about 80% of this book. In the end I just accepted this is them, this is who they’re. I did really enjoy this book, the writing was quite moving.

I guess my one note is I wish there was a little more chemistry between the two. I mean she was literally his muse but I didn’t really FEEL that. It said it on paper but the feeling just wasn’t thattt strong.

[Courtney]

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.

[Mollyanne]

There was a lot to enjoy about Frida Slattery as Herself, but around the half-way point, I couldn’t reconcile the lovely prose with the direction of the plot.

Less is more, for me, when it comes to these meandering exploration of art and artist. Frida and John’s orbit of one another felt needlessly drawn out. Staring down the another 300+ pages I was overwhelmed with their tediousness, their inability to open their mouthes. Millennials can’t be that avoidant can they?

I’ve already forced myself through one too many books this year and didn’t want to do it again.

[Dasenka kori]

listen, i can’t say this is the most novel story ever, but 500 pages read like butter and i would not have minded if the book was longer. I also enjoyed that both Frida and John, even though famous and potentially rich, remained imperfect, actually often annoying humans like everyone else
take it on the plane, to the beach, to the park

[Freya]

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

[Veronica Czajkowski]

the irish love a decade long miscommunication love trope

[Lindsey Blacher]

3.5/5

Kinda gives Normal People but not enough yearning/heart ache and written in a much more off hand way

[Jade Stepeney]

3.75 rounded up!