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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
Amazing story. The first part was really hard to get through the emotional weight, which matched Silvia's experience really well. But I cried a little, was inspired a lot. I think a lot about "I am a body and I have needs. I am not a machine."
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
This is so well written, and I'm in awe of the author, what she's overcome and what she's accomplished. However, I couldn't get past the parts where she describes the abuse she suffered as a child. If she could live it and write about it, it shouldn't be so hard for me to read it, but as a mom of young kids and given what a wonderful writer the author is, I just couldn't do it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Audible version. 2.5
I didn't enjoy the author as narrator. I may have enjoyed the book more if I had read it rather than listened to it. I was also expecting more description of the climb itself
I didn't enjoy the author as narrator. I may have enjoyed the book more if I had read it rather than listened to it. I was also expecting more description of the climb itself
The author’s raw accounts and varied approaches to story sharing, both theirs and others, make this book a heart wrenching journey into the depths of trauma and collapse that proceed self compassion and acceptance of the love you are worth. The brave accounts shared helped to heal my own pain as a women mountaineer with a mosaic of identities and trauma. A must read for those whose passion identity and lived story collide.
Have you ever done a read/listen where you read along while an audiobook is read to you, or alternate between reading and listening the same book? I did a combo of both of those things with this book, and wow, was it ever engaging. The author, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado narrates the audio, which, of course, added to the experience.
Silvia is a survivor in many ways, and she organized a group of fellow female survivors to climb Everest together. This book includes that journey but so much more, as Silvia shares her life story, including her own journey to healing after abuse, assault, alcoholism, and tremendous pain. The narrative goes back and forth from the past to the present climb filled with adventure, danger, and wonder. I enjoyed that progression, and it felt natural.
In the Shadow of the Mountain is inspiring, raw, deeply intimate and honest. I loved all I learned about the cultures of Peru and the Himalayas. It’s an amazing story, and one I think everyone should read or listen.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Silvia is a survivor in many ways, and she organized a group of fellow female survivors to climb Everest together. This book includes that journey but so much more, as Silvia shares her life story, including her own journey to healing after abuse, assault, alcoholism, and tremendous pain. The narrative goes back and forth from the past to the present climb filled with adventure, danger, and wonder. I enjoyed that progression, and it felt natural.
In the Shadow of the Mountain is inspiring, raw, deeply intimate and honest. I loved all I learned about the cultures of Peru and the Himalayas. It’s an amazing story, and one I think everyone should read or listen.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I've decided to give this book no rating as a result of quite a few things. first I find it very hard to assign stars to memoirs. Silvia's story is incredibly painful, healing, and courageous. second I want to say that I deeply appreciate Silvia for her courage and willingness to share her story. she is an incredible survivor, daughter, mountaineer, and first Peruvian woman to summit Mount Everest.
⚠️ TW: sexual abuse, misgendering, trauma
in the chapters of her book where she revisits her childhood, she shares the sexual abusive she endured for multiple years as a child by a family friend. this portion of the book was incredibly graphic and very hard to read. outside of the detailed account is an incredibly beautiful story about perseverance, family, and healing trauma.
however, I do have a few critiques. not of the story itself or how Silvia decided to share it but some of the things that were said. she continuously refers to a group of sexual abuse survivors that she is leading up the mountain as "girls" and "women" even though one of the members is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. she does this multiple times calling them a woman and even at one point deliberately uses the wrong pronoun when it could have been completely omitted.
Silvia is also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and primarily dates women. at one point when describing her jealousies in a relationship it comes off incredibly biphobic. she also blames her cheating on her father and that it was in her "blood" and she couldn't help it.
it was hard to enjoy the book and really connect and feel her story because of things like this. my critiques in no way diminish her trauma or her story I am just sharing things that personally made it hard to connect to the story.
⚠️ TW: sexual abuse, misgendering, trauma
in the chapters of her book where she revisits her childhood, she shares the sexual abusive she endured for multiple years as a child by a family friend. this portion of the book was incredibly graphic and very hard to read. outside of the detailed account is an incredibly beautiful story about perseverance, family, and healing trauma.
however, I do have a few critiques. not of the story itself or how Silvia decided to share it but some of the things that were said. she continuously refers to a group of sexual abuse survivors that she is leading up the mountain as "girls" and "women" even though one of the members is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. she does this multiple times calling them a woman and even at one point deliberately uses the wrong pronoun when it could have been completely omitted.
Silvia is also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and primarily dates women. at one point when describing her jealousies in a relationship it comes off incredibly biphobic. she also blames her cheating on her father and that it was in her "blood" and she couldn't help it.
it was hard to enjoy the book and really connect and feel her story because of things like this. my critiques in no way diminish her trauma or her story I am just sharing things that personally made it hard to connect to the story.
Beautiful memoir. Look forward to hearing the author speak!
This book could have used some (or lots of) editing, but it is worth the read. I wanted more about her courageous girls group and way less of her hard partying stories. Also the back and forth format was tough.