Reviews tagging 'Racism'

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

106 reviews

koreanlinda's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

This book was a hard read for me as a survivor of child abuse. I was beaten repeatedly by my mother and teachers when I grew up in South Korea. Although Stephanie Foo is a Malaysian Chinese-American, I was able to see lots of overlapping ideas around domestic violence between her family culture and mine. 

Part 1 (out of five parts) was the hardest to read because it describes all kinds of violence that Stephanie experienced when she was young. However, it gets easier from there, and Part 5, as Stephanie promised at the beginning of the book, has a happy ending. 

Although I felt immense sorrow, I did not cry throughout the book until the pages of Stephanie's life started getting filled with love. The power of happy tears was stronger than other kinds. As I closed the book, I felt hopeful about my own life. I thought, if she can live, I can live, too. Like Stephanie said in Chapter 41, "Maybe this life I've got is going to be spectacular, after all."

I went into the book with lots of fear; however, I am very glad I read it. I felt seen in Stephanie's story, and I learned a lot about C-PTSD. Although the abuse I experienced was not as severe as Stephanie's, I had symptoms that she experienced from C-PTSD. Stressful situations and mistakes pushed me into self-chastism and depression. While I was constantly scared of being punished, I continued to punish myself internally. 

I recommend this book to everyone who has experienced traumatic events or any abuse including a lack of love from a childhood caregiver. You will learn a lot. Not only you will gain knowledge, but you will also get empowered through Stephanie's narrative: Our PTSD is a precious part of ourselves, and it can manifest as our superpower. 

Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in June 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment

Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism

codemasterpi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mental illness

Moderate: Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Racism, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, War, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

meganbrinson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

So so so important. Really helped me understand my intellectualizing tendencies. Foo also does a great job situating trauma in a larger context. “Love begets love” really did it for me <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

rileybq's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Homophobia

cassireads's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book is incredible and a must read for future or current mental health workers. Or honestly anyone navigating trauma and the grief that comes along with it. Stephanie contributes so much to a largely overlooked topic and I am taking lots away from this book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Violence

Minor: Abandonment and Racism

jazzybelle17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Racism, Violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Genocide

alainab113's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

lexi_ag's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This is one of those books that completely reframes the way you think about other books. Every piece of this was heartbreaking inspiring and amazing. The audiobook is so phenomenal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Racism, Child abuse, Xenophobia, and Sexual assault

nat_e_13's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Life changing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Racism, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Car accident, Child abuse, and Gaslighting

roreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic