I'm thorn because I really liked the first few chapters and it was perhaps my fault for expecting something other than what the book is. Most of the reflections are around art and artists, mostly men, mostly gay or queer. It is an interesting reflection but since I am not versed in most of their works it was an exercise in taking everything at face value -not enough time/interest right now on my part to go and search every work and name that was mentioned.
I didn't like the contradiction between arguing against the pathologization of loneliness, explicitly in the text, but then taking only examples of people who themselves suffered some illness or trauma that made them "outcasts" to society. Her final thesis being that loneliness IS an illness, but a community one makes sense but it was unsatisfying to me. It left me a bit back on square one, this time with even less answers as to how to deal with loneliness in a community that has decided to shun you and cast you to the fringes.
It was nice that she didn't take a judgmental stance, it made me feel a lot of empathy towards them too. It often takes the easy way out though, almost arguing that every good deed was an individual victory over loneliness, and every bad or disturbing action (such as in Hopper or Darger's case) was just a product of them being subject to loneliness. Schrodinger's agency but.
Honestly it was a well woven and written essay, often calling back to things said prior in a way that made sense and felt like coming full circle. I came out curious about some artists and the pop art movement in general, and there were several quotes I really liked and think will help me when I explore my own "home" in this lonely city. I just wouldn't recommend it to everyone, and especially not if you're already in a complicated mental state.