This book is a mixture of a memoir, a research paper about imposter syndrome and its symptoms, and a self-help book. The author tells the story of her serious health problems and how this syndrome made her think it wasn't a big deal, so she neglected her well-being for years until it had severe consequences. Through these experiences, she explains several aspects of feeling like an imposter, such as people-pleasing, perfectionism, and self-esteem issues.
What I liked: The book is written clearly, and the author even offers some tips to overcome some of the manifestations of imposter syndrome. Her story is very interesting, I think I would have liked the book more if it was just a memoir. Also, I enjoyed it when the author quoted some studies to explain the psychological roots of these issues.
What I didn't like: This book and I weren't really compatible, so it was hard for me to finish it. I think that the author's story is so extreme that it made me feel that my imposter syndrome isn't as bad, so it didn't motivate me to work on myself. I also felt that many generalizations that she made were applicable to her experience, but not to mine or the experiences of many other people I know. And, it made me uncomfortable that the author assumed all the responsibility in her difficult situations. I mean, I understand that it is useful to embrace the past, to forgive and realize why people acted the way they did, to set boundaries, and to take life into our own hands, but she justified over and over when people neglected her and took advantage of her.
I thank BookSirens and the author because I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.