Book Club Review: The Opposite Of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

Here's the latest review from the Student Edge Book Club! Read a member's take on Marina Keegan's The Opposite of Loneliness and share your thoughts below.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Marina Keegan, who died at the age of 22 in a car accident, but from the moment I picked up her memoir The Opposite of Loneliness, I felt like she was my friend.

That girl on the cover, arms hung limp by her sides in humble embarrassment, a knowing half-smile on her youthful face, shirtsleeves protruding shamelessly from underneath her coat… she could be me. She could be any of us.

This is the connection with Keegan I felt at first glance, and it was only strengthened as I made my way through this funny, inspirational and deeply moving collection of essays and short stories.

What becomes instantly clear is Keegan's startling emotional insight. She had the uncanny ability to get to the psychological core of every situation, in a way that others may be able to sense, but never articulate so well.

These powers are at their peak in her short stories revolving around characters of her own age, particularly "Winter Break" and "Ingenue". Both are simple, subtle tales of innocence and childhood lost. In "Winter Break", a student reflects on everything she left behind when she departed home for college, while "Ingenue" shows how one fleeting, infinitesimal moment can irreversibly alter your perception of somebody you thought you knew.

Yet, while Keegan's emotional maturity seemed beyond her years, she never tried to write like anything but her age. This gives her stories a sense of realism and honesty that lingers long after they have finished.

Roughly half of this memoir is devoted to non-fiction essays written by Keegan throughout her student life. The standouts are "Why We Care About Whales", a touching exploration of why humans spend so much effort on the almost hopeless task of caring for beached whales, and "Against The Grain", a good-humoured take on her discovery and acceptance of having Coeliac disease.

These essays stood out to me due to their personal touch; Keegan was at her best when she drew inspiration from her own life and experiences.

The other essays felt a little too professional and impersonal by comparison, but are a good indication of the exceptional journalist that she could have been. Marina Keegan was taken from this Earth far too young, but in The Opposite of Loneliness, her work lives on and will continue to inspire and astound her generation and many others beyond.

4/5

Congratulations to Mona for writing last month's winning Book Club review. Mona scores a $200 Simon & Schuster book bundle for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest Book Club selection. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!