Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead

Gilda, a 27-year-old atheist, takes a job as a receptionist at a Catholic church after responding to a job listing during a moment of crisis. She keeps her non-religious status hidden from her employer while attempting to navigate workplace responsibilities she doesn't understand. The protagonist struggles with severe anxiety and obsessive thoughts about death, which manifest in her daily interactions and personal relationships. Her new role at the church intersects with her investigation into the death of her predecessor, Grace, whose circumstances become a fixation. While managing her mental health challenges, Gilda attempts to maintain a relationship with her girlfriend Eleanor and support her brother who faces his own struggles. Her efforts to appear normal at work lead to increasingly complex situations as she tries to fulfill her duties without revealing her true identity. The narrative explores the tension between institutional religion and personal beliefs, while examining how anxiety and grief can shape human connection and our search for meaning. Through Gilda's perspective, the story confrontates mortality and the ways people cope with existence.

Readers connect with the main character Gilda's intense anxiety and dark humor, with many finding her internal monologue relatable and honest. Multiple reviews note the book captures mental health struggles accurately while maintaining comedic moments. Liked: - Raw portrayal of anxiety and intrusive thoughts - LGBTQ+ representation - Short chapters that maintain momentum - Dark comedy balanced with serious themes Disliked: - Plot feels meandering and repetitive - Some found Gilda's constant overthinking exhausting - Resolution feels rushed - Catholic church storyline underdeveloped Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (34,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (1,900+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.75/5 Common reader quotes: "Like reading my own anxious thoughts" "Funny but emotionally draining" "Too much internal monologue, not enough story" "Perfect balance of humor and mental health representation"

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh A woman's attempt to sleep through life reveals mental health struggles and dark humor through isolation in New York City.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata A neurodivergent woman finds meaning through her work at a convenience store while facing society's expectations to conform.

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier A pregnant pizza delivery driver grapples with grief, sexuality, and identity while forming an obsessive connection with a customer.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman An office worker with social difficulties and trauma navigates life through strict routines and unexpected relationships.

No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood A woman immersed in internet culture faces reality when family tragedy pulls her back into the physical world.

🌟 Emily Austin wrote this debut novel while working as a library circulation clerk, drawing from her own experiences with anxiety and working in a church 🌟 The protagonist, Gilda, shares several traits with the author, including being an atheist lesbian who struggles with death anxiety and panic attacks 🌟 The book's unique premise was inspired by a real-life job posting for a church secretary position that the author encountered 🌟 The novel tackles serious mental health topics while maintaining dark humor, particularly in scenes where Gilda responds to emails intended for her deceased predecessor 🌟 Despite its focus on death and anxiety, the book has been praised for its ultimately life-affirming message and was named a Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Finalist