Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

En la casa de los sueños by Carmen Maria Machado

104 reviews

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

In the Dream House felt so reminiscent to me of Children of the Land, in that both memoirs are non-linear and episodic, weaving truth abstractly to allow for a retelling of significant trauma. The use of horror devices - and the eery symbolism of the dream house - underscore the constant suspense and fear Machado experienced within an abusive relationship with her female partner. Her narrative creates new space for accounting trauma within queer relationships, and she incorporates historical discussions of intimate partner abuse in queer relationships and research into its prevalence. 

This narrative structure also helps the reader understand the slow boil of abuse and sheds light on the ways people wield power within relationships. It is a heart wrenching examination of the isolation, emotional manipulation, bullying and gaslighting of emotional abuse in particular. I also really appreciated the reflections on language and pop culture (the origin story of the term gaslighting was new to me and fascinating).

This is a horrifying and beautifully written memoir that will resonate with those who appreciate nonlinear reflections. I particularly loved the use of second person to address her younger self, and the simultaneous distance and intimacy this created for her as she examines this part of her life. 

I would also note that the audiobook is narrated by Machado and I highly recommend this format.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Biphobia, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content

alicia_ann_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I don't typically rate memoirs, but this one was just so good. 

Partly because I could see my own trauma all throughout and it was written in the second person which made it incredibly cathartic; but also because the author interspersed her memoir with information, other stories and events that paralleled or highlighted her, and others experiences and was written in an almost poetic manner.

Just such a phenomenal book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcohol and Drug abuse

nuii's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

I like the vignette-structure of the book, it feels like listening to a friend opening up about the abuse she went through and having an intimate look into her coping/healing journey - somewhat fragmented, but showing growth and realness at the same time. 
There arent necessarilly new, profound ideas/philosophy but I did learn a few things and I appreciate the candor and bravery to tell this story, very well-written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

iwishihadmoretimetoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, Drug use, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Dementia and Drug abuse

vrhayes08's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Violence, Cursing, Stalking, Alcohol, and Biphobia

Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy

lizard800's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

3.75

I did not like her style of reading. I think I would have liked the book more if I had just read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Cursing, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual content, Body horror, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Dementia, Pregnancy, Racism, and Gun violence

toyin_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

It can be tricky for a survivor to read another survivor's experience, laid out like this, and not feel in some sense that it is too much, or too similar. Dream house as choose your adventure is my favourite section of the book, it feels like a closed loop and it is confrontational. When you try to stop the abuse, there's an aside between reader and author that is challenging, the idea you think you can when you can't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

creativerunnings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Physical abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Toxic relationship

breadbummer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

LOTS of literary/cultural references that flew way over my head, mainly in terms of "chapter" titles and, maybe it's because of the ADHD troubles when listening to an audiobook without text, but there were some passages that I was confused about how they related to the story. Otherwise, I'm speechless; horrifying events that were beautifully written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Animal death

Minor: Biphobia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Blood