Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Dog Flowers: A Memoir by Danielle Geller

6 reviews

maraculous's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual violence

lady_bountiful's review

dark emotional reflective sad

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcohol

hollyd19's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

With sharp, honest writing Geller pieces together a mosaic of her life in the aftermath of her mother's death from alcohol withdrawal. Using her training as an archivist, Geller takes the fragmented records found in an old suitcase kept by her mother's on-again, off-again lover to formulate an account of her mom's history and revise her own memories of her youth.

Raised by alcoholic, often abusive parents and bounced between caregivers, Geller's youth was ragged and disjointed. Abandoned early on by her enigmatic mother, Geller was raised largely by her paternal grandmother -- possibly the only sober adult in her life until college. Knowing anecdotally about her mother's Navajo heritage but with no established connections herself, Geller is confronted with this added grief of lost community when a memorial service brings her back to the reservation where her mother was raised. 

The writing in this memoir reflects the contradictions and tensions Geller felt as a person trying to grow up in a wildly dysfunctional household, attempting to break the cycles but with virtually no support to do so. Her role within her family -- immediate and extended -- is one of mature caregiver, even to those who traditionally should be providing her guidance. Geller's resilience is remarkable, but the memoir does not feel like a victory story, rather an endurance. Her circumstances are devastating, but somehow she maintains enough softness toward the people she loves to continue to be their touchstone even when it seems to be destroying her. This is a memoir of love but also extraordinary tragedy -- both acute and drawn-out. 

I marveled at Geller's ability to write both poetically and phlegmatically, as if her numbness seeped through her pen. Critically, there was no sense of apathy, but rather a sense of unease and resignation. The end of the book was exceptionally poignant: Geller doesn't "triumph" over her circumstances. But she chooses her life and herself, and does so in small, faithful ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Pregnancy

thunderousdandelion's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use

buttermellow's review

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

sophnbooks's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

It’s hard to ever find the words to “review” a memoir. However, this is a challenging story of a Navajo woman grieving her mother after she passes and it’s very well organized. The author, Danielle Geller, even includes photographs and documents that correspond with the passages. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Sexual content, Grief, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, and Mental illness