The author uses her personal experiences to put forth an interesting reflection on infertility and reproductive choices. This is a very British book that threw me a few times with its use of idioms. ( )

The Facts of Life is a graphic memoir of Paula’s attempts to get pregnant and the miscarriages she suffers in that pursuit. The story is divided into three parts: her childhood, her struggle to become pregnant, and her decision not to try any more. While this sounds like a sad story (and parts of it definitely are), it is also a story of hope and healing.
While this is a very personal story, it is also one many can relate to. Polly struggles with whether or not she really wants to be a parent throughout much of the book and she often questions her motives for wanting children. After all, she grew up at a time when it was just *expected* that women would get married and have kids, so is her current desire for children really her own wishes or just falling in line with her childhood conditioning. I’m sure many people, whether they choose to become parents or not, have similar doubts and concerns rolling around in their minds.
Covering a topic that tends to only be discussed behind closed doors, this memoir does the hard work of normalizing difficulties in becoming pregnant, miscarriage, and the choice to not have children. I would recommend it to anyone who is currently struggling through these things or who enjoys heart-felt memoirs. ( )