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podanotherjessi's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
soswitty's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
kayleyhyde's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Vomit
allesartemis's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
opinionsofawolf's review against another edition
3.0
In the Afterword you find out that some of the chapters of this book were previously written as essays for some websites (such as The Hairpin). It made the feel of the book make more sense to know that, so I think others should know that going in.
It's difficult to review a memoir that you didn't like that much. On the one hand, I always appreciate the author's bravery in sharing their story to the public. On the other hand, I can't help it that I just didn't like the book very much. I want to be clear that I wasn't expecting to enjoy it - I knew this was about an abusive relationship so enjoy would absolutely be the wrong word. I suppose the most honest statement would be that I just didn't like the people in the book very much - including the ones I was supposed to empathize with. I'm a bisexual woman too of a similar age to the author, so you might expect that I would find her relatable, but I didn't, and that made me struggle with this one. While this is a memoir and on the one hand personal is expected, I don't want to say anything personal about the author beyond that. It wasn't relatable for me, and I didn't like anyone in it very much.
Graphic: Vomit and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Biphobia, and Alcoholism
This has the potential to be triggering for anyone who has been in a toxic relationship. The tone of the book is very much of a victim mindset. The author claims her bisexuality while simultaneously telling an uncle she's a lesbian and calling her f/f relationship lesbian relationships. These are symptoms of internalized biphobia.leahrosereads's review against another edition
5.0
You tried to tell your story to people who didn't know how to listen. You made a fool of yourself, in more ways than one. I thought you died, but writing this, I'm not sure you did.
In the Dream House is a memoir showing domestic abuse in a queer relationship. The author describes her trauma in poetic prose that is so freaking haunting. Every aspect of her story resonated so deeply with me, and there's a reminder here that being queer doesn't make you good or bad. It just makes you queer, and you're able to fall for the same mistakes that anyone else could - include falling in love with a monster and staying in an abusive relationship.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, and Drug use
frenzyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual violence
booksnailmail's review against another edition
5.0
A book for pandemic soul searchers: I feel like days roll out endlessly in all four cardinal directions, tracing latitudes until they eventually meet again at the bottom of the Earth. Maybe this rock bottom is where “normal life” can restart. I couldn’t have read In the Dream House at a better time, as Machado's narrative echoed my current headspace.
What is the Dream House? As Machado's long distance relationship with the blonde woman gets closer (both relationship and distance), there is a shift: subtle at first, then gaining momentum. The woman brings a rage into the house that is a violation of safety and self-esteem. Machado is in an abusive relationship she can’t let go of. The Dream House, it turns out, is a metaphor for her body and mind.
Machado recounts this tumultuous time period in her life with fervor and purpose. This is NOT your everyday memoir. It breaks boundaries in multiple ways - first, the experimental writing style. In fact, there is even a mindf*ck “choose your own adventure” section. Second, the first of its kind to depict abuse in a queer relationship. This is why I cling to the copy on my shelf. As a queer, latinx, and self-identified large woman, Machado has been proving over and over that she is intelligent and worthy. That she deserves what she has earned. So, if she is so successful and intelligent, then how could this happen? How could a wisp of a woman be her abuser? And haven’t queer people been fighting for the right to love forever? It seems unimaginable go abuse in a relationship thus earned, right?
Tackling these questions head on, Machado is candid with her struggle to want to represent queer relationships with humanity, which means showing the ugliness of humanity. I hate to use the word heartbreaking to describe this. Yes, abuse is heartbreaking, but this memoir is about strength. It is the strength in believing your own story. The strength is moving forward from abuse that society, sometimes even your own community, wants to hide. This book exists at the intersection of protecting queer relationships and protecting domestic abuse survivors. Machado paves the way.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Body shaming