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christina85's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cursing
getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition
5.0
Psychological abuse is jarring and very hard to recover from. Machado uses her experience to accurately portray the reality of being stuck in such a relationship. I felt as if we were one in the same at times (even though my abuser was an old friend)
Her personal journey and interwoven anecdotes from outside sources/stories like the movie “Gaslight” worked generously in Machado’s favor. She was able to successfully use these to show how not all abuse is violent. This proves how strong of a writer she is, along with her prose and scene building
Carmen Maria Machado was very brave in telling her story, as it is difficult beyond belief to open up about such a story when not everyone will believe you
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
shmegsreadz's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit
good_names_dont_exist's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
booksandbesitos's review against another edition
4.75
The symbolism of the dream house was very powerful and I loved how the chapters put the dream house as different things to explain the story. The short chapters made it a little easier to consume the heavy topics.
Every chapter is like fragments to show the big picture. I think that other survivors of abuse can also relate to telling their stories in fragments at first. Until you’ve ready to tell the whole thing.
Due to the nature of the story, the content in the book is very heavy. I encourage everyone to look at the content warnings before reading this.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Pregnancy
lo_vana's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual content and Domestic abuse
salemander's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
rosemaryandrue's review against another edition
4.75
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.
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
lydderbox's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
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.
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