Reviews

The Gifts of the Body by Rebecca Brown

moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition

emotional reflective

4.5

This is told in 11 short chapters, snapshots in the narrator's experience as a nurse's aid for people with AIDS in the early 90's, each focused on a particular motif. We revisit each character from the first half of the book in the second half in different ways, giving the book a bit of continuity and a symetry. 

The writing style has simple descriptions, yet the emotion still comes right through. It very much mirrored the feeling in that sort of situation; when you're trying to distance your emotions to get what needs to be done, to not feel the overwhelm. 

This sort of literature is incredibly important. I think today, despite so much information being at our fingertips, there is a separation from history. The AIDS epidemic isn't really taught about, but it is so important to understand a lot of what is happening now. 

I will say, obviously this has medical content and death, but there is also some ableism. Some of it is passive word choice, but also mostly from the narrator's reflection (and most of these thoughts are also critiqued by the narrator in-text).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Medical content, Ableism, Death, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Vomit, Homophobia, and Dementia

Discussion of assisted suicide

milliecorkery's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this was beautiful and such an interesting interrogation of what makes care ‘good’

natsumiburde's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

whitecat5000's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

This shit wrecked me.  

mpal's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

mytileneve's review against another edition

5.0

beautiful but devastating

pleasereadittome's review against another edition

5.0

I have never read a book written so simply but with so much emotional heft. It’s raw and unfiltered and accessible. There are so many stories about this subject but none are quite like this - it almost defies description.

This was a tough book to track down, but I’m glad I did. You will be too. Bring the tissues.

isobelthewizard's review against another edition

5.0

This book made me cry until there were no tears left, just sounds. I feel raw and ragged. This is an incredibly important book about a period of history that we can not afford to forget.

toofondofbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

foofymcgriddle's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

genuinely left tear stains in my book