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Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'
Lowborn: Growing Up, Getting Away and Returning to Britain's Poorest Towns by Kerry Hudson
3 reviews
megelizabeth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
3.5
"Outside and inside it seemed I was at odds with everything. The options seemed to be to cry or fight or disappear. I cried, and I fought, and I raged all the time. But at least I didn’t disappear."
I have slightly mixed feelings about this book. As a memoir, it's engaging and powerful and has a lot of great things to say about abuse and trauma and healing, but does feel a bit disjointed and as if a lot of important content and context (i.e. the author's life between age 18 and now) is missing. I also felt it lacked a bit on the side of exploring poverty in any great depth or generalised way; it was definitely more a look just at the author's experiences, which is fine in itself but I did feel it was slightly mis-marketed. I do also want to say that, while the author is a victim of abuse and I appreciate what it would have taken for her to write so candidly about her experiences, and all victims' views of their own experiences are valid, it did feel to me as if child sexual abuse and grooming were at times underplayed and even presented as acceptable in some situations, which of course made for super uncomfortable reading.
I'm still glad I read this as it was still a really interesting and insightful (though at many points difficult - do check content warnings) read, and I particularly loved the beautifully and heartbreakingly tender way Kerry talks about how children should be treated vs how she was. It just sadly didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I have slightly mixed feelings about this book. As a memoir, it's engaging and powerful and has a lot of great things to say about abuse and trauma and healing, but does feel a bit disjointed and as if a lot of important content and context (i.e. the author's life between age 18 and now) is missing. I also felt it lacked a bit on the side of exploring poverty in any great depth or generalised way; it was definitely more a look just at the author's experiences, which is fine in itself but I did feel it was slightly mis-marketed. I do also want to say that, while the author is a victim of abuse and I appreciate what it would have taken for her to write so candidly about her experiences, and all victims' views of their own experiences are valid, it did feel to me as if child sexual abuse and grooming were at times underplayed and even presented as acceptable in some situations, which of course made for super uncomfortable reading.
I'm still glad I read this as it was still a really interesting and insightful (though at many points difficult - do check content warnings) read, and I particularly loved the beautifully and heartbreakingly tender way Kerry talks about how children should be treated vs how she was. It just sadly didn't quite live up to my expectations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Bullying, Sexual violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Child abuse
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Drug abuse
kylegibbens's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Abortion, and Adult/minor relationship
suebarsby's review
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
An excellent, deeply personal account of growing up poor, in a family with huge issues and how the author got away and managed to face down her past. Should be required reading everywhere.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Mental illness
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