Book Review:: If You Love It, Let It Kill You | Hannah Pittard

I was this today years old when I learned what auto-fiction is. A fictional story using elements from the author’s real life. To be honest, I didn’t even catch that’s what this was until I saw every other review mentioning it. Apparently the ending was an actual break in the fourth wall! Now that I am aware of the format I am….confused?

If You Love It, Let It Kill You by Hannah Pittard Book Cover

I liked the concept of this novel: a bit of a mid-life crisis brought on by an ex-husband writing her into his most recent book painted in a bad light. I enjoyed a lot of the storytelling, even forgave some of the more…egregious aspects. Perhaps it is the intention of a novel like this to leave the reader in the uncomfortable space of questioning what exactly about the pages they just read is real and what is devised for literary intrigue. I hope to god the cat is in the later category.

Hmm. I’m flummoxed.

I think you might enjoy this book is you are an enthusiast of strange and unique writing. If you like the complicated, thought provoking, uncomfortable sort of book. But also, maybe, like me, you will rather think of it as a metaphor for some of life’s more devastating emotional blows and the way they affect us.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: If You Love It, Let It Kill You
Author:: Hannah Pittard
Genre:: Auto-Fiction
Publisher:: Henry Holt & Co.
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 7h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Allyson Ryan
Published:: July 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3.5-Stars