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booksnacks's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide attempt
ltulisiak's review
5.0
Additionally, the author is originally from Buffalo, NY, and was partially raised in the greater Cleveland, OH, area, so I felt a geographical connection with her, as well.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide attempt
raelin's review
5.0
This book covers so many categories, since each chapter is written almost as a stand alone essay then grouped together to make one book that does tie every chapter together into a cohesive work. It is masterfully done.
All people represented in this work are dimensional humans, with several different facets. Her mother isn’t just a bipolar religious fanatic. Her father isn’t just an alcoholic abuser. They are also caring, loving, supportive parents. This is how real people are, but not often how people are captured in the written word. The beautiful contradictions that fill our relationships with people are so accurately described.
This book is so much more than memoir. It is also history, inspires self reflection (by directly asking the reader to answer hard questions about their perspective), insight into the writing process, commentary on social media, self persecution, and so much more.
A definite must read for everyone that can handle the content warnings.
Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
nicolejlevy's review
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief, Fatphobia, and Hate crime
ohlhauc's review against another edition
Her simple, no-holds-barred style of writing will make you think about topics on colonialism, racism, privilege, media representation, effects of poverty and intergenerational trauma, and more. Definitely look at content warnings as some heavy topics are discussed but if you are in the frame of mind to read about those things, this is a must-read for anyone interested in indigenous issues, intergenerational ideas, media, and memoir.
My favourite essays in the collection were:
-A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
-Weight
-34 Grams Per Dose
-On Forbidden Rooms and Intentional Forgetting
But all of the essays were wonderful and worth the read. A new favourite book! I can't wait for more work to be published by this author.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Sexual content