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hollyrebecca's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
alexijai98's review
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
christina85's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cursing
booksandbesitos's review against another edition
4.75
The symbolism of the dream house was very powerful and I loved how the chapters put the dream house as different things to explain the story. The short chapters made it a little easier to consume the heavy topics.
Every chapter is like fragments to show the big picture. I think that other survivors of abuse can also relate to telling their stories in fragments at first. Until you’ve ready to tell the whole thing.
Due to the nature of the story, the content in the book is very heavy. I encourage everyone to look at the content warnings before reading this.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy
mirandalikesbooks's review
5.0
The thing that sets this book apart is the way it was written. The tone feels like poetry while equally being digestible and readable. The switch between first and second person was such an interesting way to tell a story. The "I" was disconnected from the "you" but still told told a cohesive account of Machado's story. The you chapters invited the reader in to examine the parts of their reality that they are disconnected from too.
This perspective on domestic abuse intersected with queer culture intersected with fat culture and with religious trauma is engaging and terrible and inspiring.
A wonderful read.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Stalking, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Mental illness
iwishihadmoretimetoread's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, Drug use, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Dementia and Drug abuse
vrhayes08's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence, Cursing, Stalking, Alcohol, and Biphobia
Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy
litliz's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Cursing, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual content, Body horror, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Dementia, Pregnancy, Racism, and Gun violence
blackbird300's review
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
inoshiiro's review
5.0
I have often thought about and participated in the discussions surrounding queer representation in media. I've heard two opposing arguments thrown around frequently: "queer representation is too morbid and sad, and portrays us in a negative light" and "queer rep shouldn't just be all sunshine and rainbows, it's not realistic". I feel like this text tackles both of these arguments, even if that might not have been the author's central purpose. Media representation often reflects the 'reality' of those who hold power in society. As Machado notes, this is the same for history. The people in power are the ones writing the narratives. The way this memoir discusses the author's experiences alongside tackling the societal erasure of domestic abuse in queer female relationships is masterful. The format of the chapters were so creatively put together. The way parts of the text was repeated and emphasised was something I had never seen before (then again, I am not a huge nonfiction reader). I particularly adored
The writing was emotive and beautifully composed, keeping my eyes glued to the pages until I physically couldn't keep them open anymore. The short length of the individual parts kept my short attention span captured, and I found myself half-way through the book before I even realised.
I think this book has crawled it's way into my favourites, and I would definitely consider re-reading or looking into more of Machado's works.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Cursing
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Drug use
Minor: Suicidal thoughts