Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

20 reviews

neverlandpages4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I have not felt this immersed in a book in a long time. This book broke me down and taught me so much at the same time. I felt like I was there with the author because of the intimate use of second person POV. The intense and honest details of the relationship were terrifying to read, knowing that this is biographical. I don’t have the right words to describe what this book made me feel, but I think that it’s one everyone should read because it’s life changing. 

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
• I’ve already raved about this author’s writing but I’m obsessed with her writing!! I was mesmerized by the vivid imagery and the creative and unique metaphors. I could try to describe how good the writing is but I don’t think I would do it justice. And I loved the second person POV and how it addresses the reader.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬
“How do we do right by the wronged people of the past without physical evidence of their suffering?”

• A lot of this book centers around domestic abuse, psychological abuse, and abuse in queer relationships. It talks about how so many people aren’t believed when they speak out about their trauma because it isn’t physical or visible. 

• I went into this expecting a story about an abusive relationship, but it was so much more. There’s a lot about queer history, queer characters, stereotypes, and much, much more. I felt like I learned a lot from this. It immensely changed the way I view so many different things from abusive relationships, to heteronormative relationships, to villains, and a lot of other things I never thought about. 

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭
• This book has the most genius format ever. The author was able to capture how abusive relationships are a never ending cycle through the format of this book and it’s one of the most creative things I’ve ever seen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Rape, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, and Sexual assault

Minor: Racism, Sexism, Gun violence, Vomit, Torture, Murder, and Pregnancy

librarymouse's review

challenging emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0

This book was so easy to consume and so upsetting to digest. Carmen Maria Machado has gorgeous way of defining and then sharing horrifying truths. The sections reflecting on the love of her friends and the people who valued around her was beautiful. I had to take a few breaks while reading this, but I'm glad I did, and I appreciate the shared resources at the end of the book and citations throughout, giving further information and history for queer domestic violence.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Body shaming, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Pregnancy

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

This book deals with an extremely important topic that needs to be voiced and discussed. That said, as a piece of work itself, I liked it so-so. 

I did not get along with the narrative structure, I found the rapid-fire succession of chapters (supposed to show different genres and narrative styles) too much disjointed and confusing. The writing style is a bit too much experimental for me.

I liked much more the chapters that were "essay-like", exploring queer history and theory. However, I think that this mixing of informative chapters together with more literary and elaborately written ones was a bit jarring, it felt like two different books mashed up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Lesbophobia, Body horror, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Gun violence, Medical content, Drug abuse, Torture, Cursing, Car accident, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Bullying, Transphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Dementia

hannibanani29's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual content

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Drug use, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Biphobia, Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Dementia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

jurizprudence's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

“ . . . you can be hurt by people who look just like you. Not only can it happen, it probably will, because the world is full of hurt people who hurt people.”

so beautifully-written, brutal in its honesty, and heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Alcohol, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Minor: Racism, Classism, Bullying, Confinement, Dementia, and Pregnancy

cianarae's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I read this entire book in one sitting and could not put it down. It’s beautiful, tragic, splintered, poetic, visceral, unique. I loved the references to movies and books throughout that really gave context to the author’s thoughts and experiences. I want to share this book with everyone I know!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Dementia, and Infidelity

saintsunshine's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.25

Deeply engaging and often emotionally challenging, Carmen Maria Machado has crafted a wholely unique memoir in In the Dream House. Machado places her story of domestic abuse amid historical and cultural contexts that often ignores queer women. Dream House is as informative as it is personal, and I deeply enjoyed it. Though difficult to get through at times, Machado's poignant memoir will likely become a classic in the genre in years to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, Drug use, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and Fire/Fire injury

mallory10100's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

wow this book was amazing. heartbreaking yet quick. i highly recommend. i really liked the unique format. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Vomit

this book really doesn’t feel like non fiction, but it’s a chilling true story and i highly recommend it

podanotherjessi's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

5.0

I'm not in the habit of giving non-fiction ratings, but in this case, the book deserves credit. Beautifully written and wonderfully research, all so Machado could tell her own story. This was difficult and emotional to read, but really worth it. I just wish I knew who to recommend this to. It's probably the kind of book that if you read the description and reading it scares you a little, give it a shot. But take it slowly, this is a hard read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

anitaxlit's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

I feel infinite gratitude for the existence of this book. It's a powerful piece of writing that weaves snippets of witty analysis of pop culture from a queer lens, insightful commentary on the queer community's history and present reality, and Machado's personal story of domestic abuse.

As a queer woman, reading this memoir was an empowering experience. I felt that it had been written for people like me, in a world where queer women and femme folk don't get to claim many things as their own. If that's how you identify as well, I sincerely hope one day you find yourself reading <i>In the Dream House</i>. It's an important book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Mental illness and Pregnancy