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It's Not Nothing
"An extraordinary debut from a wildly talented author. Denelle's prose is a marvel of precision. Flashes of unexpected humor light up the darkness, and the arc of her novel is deeply moving."
Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility
Rosemary Candwell's past has exploded into her present.
Down-and-out and deteriorating, she drifts from anonymous beds and bars in Providence, to a homeless shelter hidden among the hedge-rowed avenues of Newport, and through the revolving door of service jobs and quick-fix psychiatric care, always grasping for hope, for a solution. Will she find it?
Desperate to readjust back into a family and a world that has deemed her a crazy bitch living a choice they believe she could simply un-choose at any time, she endures flashbacks and panic attacks, migraines and nightmares. She can't sleep or she sleeps for days; she lashes out at anyone and everyone, especially herself. She abuses over-the-counter cold medicine and guzzles down anything caffeinated just to feel less alone.
What if her family is right?
What if she is truly broken beyond repair?
Drawn from the author's experience of homelessness and trauma recovery, It's Not Nothing is a collage of small moments, biting jokes, intrusive memories, and quiet epiphanies meant to reveal a greater Resilience never looks the way we expect it to look.
"Vulnerable, spiky, and full of black humor, It's Not Nothing is a stunningly beautiful study of the fractured self. Our adroit narrator Rosemary is not as irredeemable as she suspects—she's struggling, but she's also charming and resilient, fighting and poised (in her way) for a brighter, bolder life. Courtney Denelle's prose is whip smart, pressurized, and compressed—a new and wholly unique voice that seems to share lineage with some of my absolute favorites (Hempel, Robison, and Gaitskill come to mind). This debut knocked the wind out of me."
— Kimberly King Parsons, author of the National Book Award nominated- Black Light
Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility
Rosemary Candwell's past has exploded into her present.
Down-and-out and deteriorating, she drifts from anonymous beds and bars in Providence, to a homeless shelter hidden among the hedge-rowed avenues of Newport, and through the revolving door of service jobs and quick-fix psychiatric care, always grasping for hope, for a solution. Will she find it?
Desperate to readjust back into a family and a world that has deemed her a crazy bitch living a choice they believe she could simply un-choose at any time, she endures flashbacks and panic attacks, migraines and nightmares. She can't sleep or she sleeps for days; she lashes out at anyone and everyone, especially herself. She abuses over-the-counter cold medicine and guzzles down anything caffeinated just to feel less alone.
What if her family is right?
What if she is truly broken beyond repair?
Drawn from the author's experience of homelessness and trauma recovery, It's Not Nothing is a collage of small moments, biting jokes, intrusive memories, and quiet epiphanies meant to reveal a greater Resilience never looks the way we expect it to look.
"Vulnerable, spiky, and full of black humor, It's Not Nothing is a stunningly beautiful study of the fractured self. Our adroit narrator Rosemary is not as irredeemable as she suspects—she's struggling, but she's also charming and resilient, fighting and poised (in her way) for a brighter, bolder life. Courtney Denelle's prose is whip smart, pressurized, and compressed—a new and wholly unique voice that seems to share lineage with some of my absolute favorites (Hempel, Robison, and Gaitskill come to mind). This debut knocked the wind out of me."
— Kimberly King Parsons, author of the National Book Award nominated- Black Light
178 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 20, 2022
IT’S NOT NOTHING is more than a book. It’s an act of survival, and in its creation, proof positive that art not only matters, but can be a profound part of becoming whole. In this debut, Courtney Denelle writes like her life depends on it, and I believe her.
July 21, 2022
This is a stunning debut from Courtney. It explores elements of trauma, anxiety, depression and addiction really deeply and honestly. I felt for Rosemary as a person and wanted to see her overcome her past, process her feelings and understand herself, thereby overcoming the addiction that plagues her. At its heart, this is a touching story. I think it is important in its depiction of real-life issues that people csn sometimes completely misunderstand.
January 25, 2023
The stream of consciousness style of this narrative almost put me off as I struggled through the first few pages of this book. But if I had given up on this book, I would have missed a gem of a story. Once I settled into the narrative style, I found this story compelling as the narrator struggles with her suicidal ideations, substance abuse, and homelessness. The more I was drawn into the story, the more the narrative style seemed both appropriate and inevitable, a reflection of the mindset and lifestyle of the narrator. This story provides an intimate look into the obstacles faced by those struggling with these issues, and feels deeply authentic. And while the story ends on a hopeful note, it doesn't provide a complete closure, with all the problems solved and all loose ends tied off. But that happy ending wouldn't reflect reality, and in real life sometimes hope is all we have.
August 30, 2022
It took me a while to get into this story. It is told by a young homeless woman, not really concerned about by her mother, often without a job, and who can be found in and out of hospitals, mental health facilities and homeless shelters. It’s not a pretty read, but it is an effective way of looking in on the life of someone who really has next to nothing. Sad. Moving.
This story is written in an interesting way—all in short, choppy sentences. I guess they reflect the “Nobody cares anyway” attitude of our protagonist Rosemary June Candwell, but sometimes it makes for harder reading. There is no nice flow of words. There is also no nice flow of life as Rosemary lives it each day. I understand. I’m so sorry, but she neither wants nor needs pity.
The story made me curious about what was left unsaid—Rosemary’s childhood, her family, friends growing up, her school experience as a child. Basically what led her to the situation she was in? Maybe that’s fodder for another book as Rosemary is an interesting character and one I’d like to get to know better.
This is a hard-hitting book—short on words, but packed with emotional turmoil. Raw. Visceral. A challenging read on several levels.
In addition, I felt compelled to read this book, a novel, because the back of the book said “drawn from the author’s experience of homelessness and trauma recovery”. That simple statement led me to want to read this book to better understand someone in psychological pain…if only to be more understanding to anyone in a similar situation in real life in the future. This was definitely not an easy read, but I think it was an important one.
In this story, I grew to love Elle, Rosemary’s shrink. She was the utter calm in the midst of a tempest.
I found that the best way to read this story was to not try to understand completely all the little parts of it, but to just let the prose carry me along. At the end of the book, I found it did just that.
This story is written in an interesting way—all in short, choppy sentences. I guess they reflect the “Nobody cares anyway” attitude of our protagonist Rosemary June Candwell, but sometimes it makes for harder reading. There is no nice flow of words. There is also no nice flow of life as Rosemary lives it each day. I understand. I’m so sorry, but she neither wants nor needs pity.
The story made me curious about what was left unsaid—Rosemary’s childhood, her family, friends growing up, her school experience as a child. Basically what led her to the situation she was in? Maybe that’s fodder for another book as Rosemary is an interesting character and one I’d like to get to know better.
This is a hard-hitting book—short on words, but packed with emotional turmoil. Raw. Visceral. A challenging read on several levels.
In addition, I felt compelled to read this book, a novel, because the back of the book said “drawn from the author’s experience of homelessness and trauma recovery”. That simple statement led me to want to read this book to better understand someone in psychological pain…if only to be more understanding to anyone in a similar situation in real life in the future. This was definitely not an easy read, but I think it was an important one.
In this story, I grew to love Elle, Rosemary’s shrink. She was the utter calm in the midst of a tempest.
I found that the best way to read this story was to not try to understand completely all the little parts of it, but to just let the prose carry me along. At the end of the book, I found it did just that.
June 7, 2024
I had no idea that going to a reading for one of my favorite authors the other night would put me in front of the last copy of this book at that bookstore, now one of my most favorite books. Ever.
This morning before leaving my house I happened to read the back cover synopsis, thought, “holy shit, I need to read this immediately,” and did that weird book lover thing that we do: carry it around with me all day in case I get a chance to read it.
I finished this book in one sitting. I could not get over how incredibly similar this book mirrors my own life experiences, from scene to summary, all the feelings in between, so many one-liners, but so much introspection I needed so badly to read in order to heal parts of me that I did not know were still so wounded.
There is a divine sense of belonging that comes from finding yourself within the pages of another writer’s work. That divinity is so profound it has not just bled, but kitsungi-d all the cracks within me.
The incisive inner monologue will cut you open and let the light in — you’ll feel seen in a way you could never imagine. To all the women & girls who have not just felt, but been, invisible, Courtney will see you. Her wisdom is beyond comprehension.
I am so thankful I met this beautiful soul. I will, without hesitation and perpetually, read anything she ever, ever writes. Thank you so much, Courtney, for such an amazing work of all. A million stars for Courtney. 💛🙏🏼
This morning before leaving my house I happened to read the back cover synopsis, thought, “holy shit, I need to read this immediately,” and did that weird book lover thing that we do: carry it around with me all day in case I get a chance to read it.
I finished this book in one sitting. I could not get over how incredibly similar this book mirrors my own life experiences, from scene to summary, all the feelings in between, so many one-liners, but so much introspection I needed so badly to read in order to heal parts of me that I did not know were still so wounded.
There is a divine sense of belonging that comes from finding yourself within the pages of another writer’s work. That divinity is so profound it has not just bled, but kitsungi-d all the cracks within me.
The incisive inner monologue will cut you open and let the light in — you’ll feel seen in a way you could never imagine. To all the women & girls who have not just felt, but been, invisible, Courtney will see you. Her wisdom is beyond comprehension.
I am so thankful I met this beautiful soul. I will, without hesitation and perpetually, read anything she ever, ever writes. Thank you so much, Courtney, for such an amazing work of all. A million stars for Courtney. 💛🙏🏼
April 9, 2025
“I imagine my mind as a huge, round conference table, and seated around the conference table are all the parts of me. Every last iteration of myself that has been on-boarded through the years and tasked with a job. Some of these parts think they're the only ones in the room. Some are unwaveringly convinced of their version of the truth, their full and particular account. Some parts demand the total attention of the group, always grabbing for the mic. Some parts are frightened by the shouting, the young ones that want only to feel safe. All of them around the table have a job to do, whether they realize it or not. And every last one of them thinks they have my best interest at heart.”
Her descriptions of being homeless — and trying to pass as not homeless — will stick with me. Beautifully written, funny, dark, sad.
Her descriptions of being homeless — and trying to pass as not homeless — will stick with me. Beautifully written, funny, dark, sad.
November 2, 2022
Rosemary, Courtney Denelle’s main character in this first novel, is acerbic, intelligent, bitter, deprecating, self-destructive, and painfully self-aware of how far she’s fallen. She is her own worst enemy - and her only saviour. Denelle’s use of stream of consciousness to tell the story makes it intense and heartbreaking as we watch Rosemary take steps and missteps to free herself from a past that haunts her and tentatively grab on to a future she’s not sold on.
This is powerful writing for a first novel. Denelle puts it all on the line – holding nothing back in this personal tale of recovery and truth. Her commentary on life is brave and original, and the voice of Rosemary lingers long after the last page. Looking forward to reading more from this writer!
This is powerful writing for a first novel. Denelle puts it all on the line – holding nothing back in this personal tale of recovery and truth. Her commentary on life is brave and original, and the voice of Rosemary lingers long after the last page. Looking forward to reading more from this writer!
September 29, 2022
I feel like there's so much I want to say about this book. But, unlike its author, I'm not sure how to say it.
What is this book? A thousand anecdote that sum up to a cohesive and powerful whole. It is heartbreaking and hilarious. Often at the same time. It is a story of neglect and abuse and how those things train their victims to see themselves. But it is also a story of rising up from that.
It is a lesson in taking others' pain seriously.
As well as our own.
One thing I know this book is not.
It's not nothing.
What is this book? A thousand anecdote that sum up to a cohesive and powerful whole. It is heartbreaking and hilarious. Often at the same time. It is a story of neglect and abuse and how those things train their victims to see themselves. But it is also a story of rising up from that.
It is a lesson in taking others' pain seriously.
As well as our own.
One thing I know this book is not.
It's not nothing.
September 5, 2022
With this stream of consciousness writing style, we’re there with Rosemary as she finds herself battling with addiction, homelessness in Providence during winter, and past memories that don’t give her a single moment of peace. Unable to put this book down for very long, I found myself feeling like a fly on the wall with these intimate glimpses of what it’s like for someone to try and rebuild their life when everyone around them, family included, believes that they chose this.
November 19, 2022
Only 166 pages but a heavy book. Not quite 4 stars 3.75. The story is about a woman named Rosemary who grew up in an abusive family. As a young adult she struggles with suicidal ideation, addiction, and homelessness. The author does a good job of conveying the isolation Rosemary feels toward a world in which she is struggling to find a way forward. Through seasonal chapters we see Rosemary eventually open up to a therapist named Elle and make changes in her life.
July 6, 2025
This pulled me down into the narrator’s internal darkness, her struggles with mental health and trauma and building connections with anyone, including herself. My heart tendrils climbed towards her again and again, and I felt tenderness especially when other characters reached towards her and guided her quietly towards something like light.
October 14, 2022
Rosemary's journey through homelessness and desperation rings incredibly true. The prose is astringent and funny, which makes this ride through hell very enjoyable. Certain lines have stayed with me for weeks. An unforgettable book.
December 28, 2022
At turns funny, tragic, snarky, and serious, this book was wickedly insightful and heartbreaking in the best way. This marks only the beginning of a bright career for Denelle. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
October 6, 2025
Fearless and ferocious. This book will stay with you for a long time…and it should. Highly recommend this novel.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews