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heidithebee's review
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed Sanchez's memoir for the most part, but I wish I had read the text rather than listening to it. At times the narration felt very disjointed and it pulled me out of the moment. I appreciate the candor with which Sanchez shares her struggles with mental illness, generational trauma and guilt, search for meaningful romance, and path to motherhood. Her writing is beautiful and real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abortion, Classism, and Colonisation
Minor: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Racism, Misogyny, and Medical trauma
abbie_'s review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I usually prefer memoirs which are written in a narrative style, as opposed to essays, but I did really enjoy this memoir-in-essays! Lots of unflinching depictions of mental illness which I always appreciate, and I thought Sánchez's portrayal of 'an abortion that saved [her] life' was incredible. One thing that stuck out to me from this part was how she says people who support the right to choose often censor themselves when it comes to their own experiences with abortion, especially if they happen to be traumatic because that rhetoric can so easily be taken by pro-lifers and twisted out of context. Sánchez laments how there can be a lack of nuance around abortion, and I'm glad she felt able to tell her story of an abortion which was obviously extremely traumatic for her, but ultimately the right choice given her mental state at the time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Racism
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.25
Thanks to Libro FM for providing me with an advance audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This is a raw, hard-hitting memoir about Erika Sánchez's life as a Mexican American poet and someone with mental health problems. Sánchez candidly discusses her struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, her abortion, her art and poetry, and her diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
I really appreciated the author's open honesty when discussing her mental and physical health, especially when there's still so much stigma around certain MH issues. I think this book has the potential to help a lot of people who have had similar experiences to Sánchez, but might not have ever read about them on-page. Although there are some humorous and light-hearted moments, this book is quite an intense read, so be aware of the content warnings going in.
This is a raw, hard-hitting memoir about Erika Sánchez's life as a Mexican American poet and someone with mental health problems. Sánchez candidly discusses her struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, her abortion, her art and poetry, and her diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
I really appreciated the author's open honesty when discussing her mental and physical health, especially when there's still so much stigma around certain MH issues. I think this book has the potential to help a lot of people who have had similar experiences to Sánchez, but might not have ever read about them on-page. Although there are some humorous and light-hearted moments, this book is quite an intense read, so be aware of the content warnings going in.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Body shaming, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Bullying, and Drug use
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