Negative Space by Gillian Linden

"No one is suggesting anyone should react to anything in any particular way."

I think that is the guiding principle of many people who, whether they realize it or not, end up showing tolerance and ambivalence at the same time. And it sums up how I felt about this book.

When I first started listening to this book, I thought the narrator was a teenager. She is timid, insecure, anxious, questioning of every little thing around her. I soon realized she is a teacher at the school, not a student. And listening to her thoughts is so irritating at times, I wasn't surprised when her own daughter commented she wished some random woman was her mother. Just a casual example of how little her own family regards her.

This woman, who isn't even of consequence enough to have a name, seems like the kind of person who walks around with a frown and perpetually furrowed brow. Even her peers treat her like a child in need of  placation. Thankfully, we are only spared to walk in her shoes for a week. And nothing is resolved, but I get the feeling that's the point. She constantly questions and worries about everything while the world goes on around her.  

I'm not sure I get this book. It's a quick read and handles interesting topics, like post-pandemic life, specifically in a school setting. There is also the question of possible inappropriate advances from a teacher to a student. And we have issues with anxiety and what life can be like for someone who suffers from it.

But the story unfolds in such an undramatic way, I was surprised when it ended, but also a little relieved that I didn't have to endure this person's company anymore. While I can't say I regret reading Negative Space, I'm not sure I'd recommend it either.