Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

54 reviews

cheyennedowls's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Violence

Minor: Lesbophobia

aserna0831's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship

rosemaryandrue's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

Machado tackles the story of her relationship with an emotionally abusive woman, using a series of narrative tropes to approach the complex topic.

I've had this book on my to-read list for a while now, intrigued by the innovative structuring of the memoir. The writing is lush, dark and dreamlike, plunging the reader headfirst into the chaotic whirlpool of Machado's experience. In every section, she pecks at the crystallized past from different angles, and you are really pulled into the difficulty of unravelling something so dense and disjointed and senseless. It made my eyes ache.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

This was one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. 

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

imposter_daisy's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism

7juniormint's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Mental illness

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Alcoholism

tkmunson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

amyhasel's review against another edition

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

4.0

Heartbreaking, informative, and brilliant, with circular narrative that will just keep punching you in the gut. Thank God Carmen Maria Machado is also hilarious, or every reader would be breathless with horror. Not a love story, except maybe with herself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Violence, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, and Toxic friendship

litliz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

toyin_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

It can be tricky for a survivor to read another survivor's experience, laid out like this, and not feel in some sense that it is too much, or too similar. Dream house as choose your adventure is my favourite section of the book, it feels like a closed loop and it is confrontational. When you try to stop the abuse, there's an aside between reader and author that is challenging, the idea you think you can when you can't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship