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sunbeam_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
This book deals entirely with domestic abuse in sapphic relationships.han__turner's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
2treads's review against another edition
5.0
The creative way in which Machado catalogued, categorized, and exposed her wounds, abuse and experiences is something that I have never encountered and will not soon forget.
There is not much to say to express my time with this book but to say how society has failed abuse victims, specifically persons in queer and same sex relationships
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
travelseatsreads's review against another edition
5.0
Each chapter is short, succinct and perfectly formed. Machado uses many literary devices throughout the book to convey some of the darker moments, such as Bildungsroman, Chekhov's Gun, Schrödinger’s Cat and a comedy of errors. One of the moments which really took my breath away and truly conveyed the hopeless, suffocating nature of their relationship was the Choose Your Own Adventure section. Her writing style, language and pacing makes this book feel suitably claustrophobic and you can feel every single emotion seep from the pages.
Not alone just a breath taking memoir, this books stands out as an ice-breaker, a starting point hopefully to open those conversations about the abuse and violence which occurs within queer relationships and is often swept under the carpet. Just because something isn't widely spoken about does not mean it is not happening daily.
This is an absolute must read for everyone and I know already it will be one of my top reads for 2022. Thank you Carmen Maria Machado for sharing your story.
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
theocbookgirl's review against another edition
5.0
“Did you say that? Really? You can’t remember saying that or even thinking it, and yet she is letting you know that it was said, and you definitely meant it that way.”
Gaslighting and mental mindfuckery are the worst kind of manipulation. My blood was boiling through many parts. I’m so relieved she was able to leave and to share her story.
“A reminder, perhaps, that abusers do not need to be, and rarely are, cackling maniacs. They just need to want something, and not care how they get it.”
From an interview: Are you still working through what happened, or did writing the book give you a sort of closure?
I don’t think that the purpose of writing a book like this is closure. I wanted to write a beautiful piece of art about something that happened to me. I think my own relationship with the material is unfinished, as so much of our lives are.
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
foolishg_irl's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
whentheresteeth's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Animal death, Biphobia, Bullying, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Alcohol, and Classism
embervleo's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, and Car accident
jessiebertram's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
rashi's review against another edition
5.0
Update: this has been moved to a 5 star rating out of sheer will, because I don’t know what else to do with my thoughts about it. Will have to read it again and maybe revise.
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Grief, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting