Euphoric Recall is inspired and based on the author’s life. This is an honest portrayal of a number of traumatic events including sexual abuse and addiction as well as his recovery.
You are drawn into Aiden’s world in the first pages, his writing style is familiar and open, helping to form an immediate connection to the reader. This makes the book enticing, and I was keen to keep reading right to the very end. I think that this is a brilliantly written debut.
The details of the trauma that Aiden experienced are dark and heart wrenching, however there is an element of hope - this book has been written and Aiden is in a position to reflect and tell his story. I admire the strength it’s taken to reflect and share dark moments. I also think that Euphoric Recall includes many moments that any reader would find relatable.
As I was reading the title did confuse me slightly, but upon reflection I think that the ‘euphoria’ comes from the ability to look back, to have come back from trauma and share the whole story. I really enjoyed this book and I think that it would be a good memoir for those who are interested in more gritty life stories.
As a schoolboy already caught up in addiction, Aidan stood outside of a McDonald's waiting for a man he thought was his friend. A friend he met online. It would change his life forever. He was a streetwise kid growing up in a tough housing scheme, but the Internet was a new phenomenon. Euphoric Recall details his recovery from extreme trauma and addiction. As a Scottish working-class lad who grew up in a new town – Livingston – he also survived brutal experiences with suicide, violence and severe mental health issues. One day, he decided to write a memoir about it. He holds nothing back.
