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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
Sarah Polley is my new hero. Fascinating, horrifying and beautifully written stories about life in a vulnerable body. I wish only there were more about her parents as I’m sure their stories would illuminate where some of her pain came from.
I did not expect to relate so much to a book by an actress I used to watch on a beloved Canadian show. I initially thought this book was fiction and then realized it was a memoir about trauma and pushing through.
The title refers to what she was told to do to recover from a years long concussion but applied it to other aspects of her life. What resonated most was her dissection of her sexual assault. People that have not experienced it themselves have the privilege of applying logic and reasoning to the actions of victims. Those that have lived through it realize that in the aftermath, many of us have complicated and contradictory relationships and interactions with those that have hurt us. As she describes, sometimes the same things that make others so sure the victims are lying are what confirm to us that they are telling the truth.
While that is the crux of this brilliant collection of essays, it is not the only highlight. Her struggle with parenting. Her discovery of her own lineage. Her unique perspective on child actors. Her unrelenting matter-of-fact honesty about her ailments and her place in both feminist discourse and Canadian tv folklore set this memoir apart from so many others. She is not a celebrity. She comes across as a human being that happened to work in tv and film and found a way to do it, albeit after many false starts, in a way that wasn’t going to ruin her.
The title refers to what she was told to do to recover from a years long concussion but applied it to other aspects of her life. What resonated most was her dissection of her sexual assault. People that have not experienced it themselves have the privilege of applying logic and reasoning to the actions of victims. Those that have lived through it realize that in the aftermath, many of us have complicated and contradictory relationships and interactions with those that have hurt us. As she describes, sometimes the same things that make others so sure the victims are lying are what confirm to us that they are telling the truth.
While that is the crux of this brilliant collection of essays, it is not the only highlight. Her struggle with parenting. Her discovery of her own lineage. Her unique perspective on child actors. Her unrelenting matter-of-fact honesty about her ailments and her place in both feminist discourse and Canadian tv folklore set this memoir apart from so many others. She is not a celebrity. She comes across as a human being that happened to work in tv and film and found a way to do it, albeit after many false starts, in a way that wasn’t going to ruin her.
2.5 stars.
This memoir containing several essays really didn’t work for me. I didn’t particularly like the writing style; I didn’t know anything about Sarah Polley before reading this book, and her self-absorbed descriptions were not particularly interesting to me - beyond understanding the possible struggles of child actors/actresses. Each essay was too long for my taste.
I found myself jumping forward over large sections just to make my way to the end…I was somewhat rewarded by how she healed her concussion. THAT was interesting - hence the title of the book.
I do wish her all the best.
This memoir containing several essays really didn’t work for me. I didn’t particularly like the writing style; I didn’t know anything about Sarah Polley before reading this book, and her self-absorbed descriptions were not particularly interesting to me - beyond understanding the possible struggles of child actors/actresses. Each essay was too long for my taste.
I found myself jumping forward over large sections just to make my way to the end…I was somewhat rewarded by how she healed her concussion. THAT was interesting - hence the title of the book.
I do wish her all the best.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent