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luciesc's review
One of the few writings on pregnancy and motherhood that I have felt deeply connected to, despite never having been pregnant and not feeling the desire to become a mother. Powerful, personal, and full of lingering images.
lunabbly's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Oh gosh I just felt the desperation in Isabel Zapata's memoir on her IVF pregnancy. Her and her partner's desperation to have this work. And even the desperation in Zapata's writing voice for the doctors to respect her body, autonomy, and care for her like she's a real human being.
What I found the most provocative was this quote:
What I found the most provocative was this quote:
When I was younger, I thought motherhood began when you left the hospital with a baby swaddled in your arms. [...] A baby, which then seemed to me like an origin, now feels more like an end. The beginning isn't the baby, it's the egg. (page 11).
Zapata's words just provided even more nuance and emotion to pregnancy and motherhood than I ever thought I'd be able to understand. There are many great memoirs and books, movies, songs about pregnancy and motherhood and I would highly recommend adding In Vitro to your pile of books to read about this beautiful and emotional process.
I am still thinking about this other quote that answers "why have a child" from Natalie Shapero:
It wasn't for love of having
children that I had a child.
Rather, I simply didn't know how a person
could cross, fully shoeless, a bed of coals
and not burn, and I needed
someone to pass this to
The quote is so passionate. And I think there is definitely more to answer about "why have a child" but this evoked so much passion within me reading it.
elenatejeda's review against another edition
5.0
Tenía muchas ganas de leer la maternidad ante los ojos de Isabel Zapata, me gusta su perspectiva y concuerdo con ella en que la maternidad empieza desde el ovulo.
Gran ensayo.
Gran ensayo.