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klsreads's review against another edition
5.0
I've never read anything quite like this - I loved the vignette narrative structure. The book moved quickly because most sections were short. A couple of the tropes dragged on for me/didn't hit 100%, but I was enthralled and could hardly put it down. A few standouts for me - "Dream House as Deja Vu" (x3), "Dream House as Queer Villainy" (!!!), "Dream House as Bluebeard", "Dream House as the River Lethe", "Dream House as Choose Your Own Adventure" ...... ok, I have to stop or I'm going to quote half of this work.
Even more wild: I was in Iowa City as an undergrad during the events of this book. Did I see Carmen and the Woman from the Dream House at a coffee shop, at Obama's speech, in a bookstore? It makes me shiver, the ways people suffer out of view.
Brilliant. Carmen Maria Machado is an absolute force and a genius of prose and innovative structure. I HIGHLY recommend this book, but mind the CW's. Machado doesn't shy away from the gore at the heart of her story.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Biphobia, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gun violence
_fictionalreality's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Bullying, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
iswearimliterate's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Sexual violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pregnancy
cow_png's review against another edition
5.0
The narrative lens were such an interesting way to write!! and I loved seeing how the way of writing would changed with it!
Definitely look at the content warning before reading if you are a sensitive person (Such as I)
Amazing book, so happy that I read it!!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, and Cursing
ems_book_shelf's review against another edition
5.0
Recommending this book a million times over
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Blood, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
hollyrebecca's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Alcohol
laur_astor's review against another edition
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content and Homophobia
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
alongwithari's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
moonlitemuseum's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Gaslighting, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia