the reader of books

At times, this book was dry (as dust)(ha!)(sorry), but I loved Judith. In the beginning of the book, she is quiet and awkward in most normal social situations, paralyzed by her own shyness and self-consciousness. She is then prone to reflect upon her social interactions with the Fyfes with soul crushing mortification and/or jubilant elation. Basically, me every day. As the story progresses, she spends time with her unintentionally hilarious mother, goes to Cambridge, forms some VERY close friendships, becomes slightly less inhibited, explores the vagaries of the human heart, etc. Inside she is still always FEELING, though she learns to put on an admirably cool front. I wanted to die/sob hysterically when I read the section about Roddy because: (1) it made me literally cringe with embarrassment but also (2) girl, we've all been there.