In The Death of Small Creatures, Cull strives to cope with her hopelessness. She finds comfort in the company of her two pet rabbits until one of them dies as a result of her lethargy. She numbs herself with alcohol. She validates her self-worth by seeking the love of men-any and all men-and three relationships significantly impact her life: her marriage to Leigh, a much older man; her unrequited love for Dr. P, her therapist; and her healthier relationship with Richard, an American she meets through her blog. She tries drugs-Neo Citran, Ativan, Wellbutrin, crack, crystal meth-and after two hospitalizations, she undergoes electroconvulsive therapy.
Haunting and expressive, this immersive memoir explores love in all its facets-needy, obsessive, healthy, self-directed-and plunges the reader headlong into the intense and immediate experience of mental illness.