The book you’re holding in your hands is the personal recount of a girl who, due to her autism spectrum disorder, has dealt with numerous obstacles placed in her cradle. Often misunderstood and the recipient of judging looks, she battles with obsessive compulsive disorder, emotional outbursts, sensory processing disorder, anxiety and panic attacks. Take this book as a personal invitation into her inner world, her emotions, thoughts, and interpretation of her surroundings, and find out just how foreign the world can seem through the eyes of a weird girl.
“Ilana is a young woman who keeps on surprising me with her mature thoughts. While I was reading her story, there were two feelings I had: »Oh my goodness, how old are you again?« (I know how old Ilana is, but if I had not known, I would have thought she is older, meant as a compliment and nothing else!), and the second feeling was: »How did you get into my head, dear girl?«
At some points, her writing feels as familiar as it was my own; this revelation was only a bit surprising, since I know Ilana, and I really enjoy talking with her. (It did, however, occur to me while reading, that this feeling may not be mutual, ha-ha.)
Her life story is not only interesting but also complicated. Readers can easily connect to her thoughts, and to some extent even to events she describes so witty and sometimes bitter-sweet.
Dear Ilana, I sincerely wish you all the best. This book is the second proof (after your book of poems) you can achieve great things, regardless of your inner doubts.”
-Dolores Malić