Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

White Magic by Elissa Washuta

3 reviews

sarahbythebook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I don't think I've ever enjoyed being as thoroughly confused as this book made me. White Magic is such a strange mix of history, memoir, and spiritualism that it's hard to nail down a review of this book. The sheer personal nature of this highlights, in my opinion, the bravery of the author. Elissa Washuta holds no punches when discussing the men she's dated and the harm they caused her. She makes no apologies for pointing out the terrible effects of white colonization of indigenous lands. White Magic is gut wrenchingly raw throughout and ends with the possibility of growth and happiness. 

I had no idea what to expect going into this book, and to be completely honest, the first third frustrated me so much. Part of that is due to the fact that the audiobook lacks the visual cues that would have been helpful in getting through this book (hello repeating epigraphs, I'm looking at you). The other part, though, is that I am accustomed to linear narrative structures even in my nonfiction reads. However, I listened to what Melissa Blair had to say about native non-linear storytelling, and decided to go with it instead of wanting it to conform to what my understanding of a story should be. By the end, I have to say that I appreciate the constant wrapping around a center point, and in her own way, Washuta does give readers a beginning and an end; the middle is what seems to spin. 

This is not an easy read, and the way that sexual assault and rape are spoken of is very cavalier. Be careful of your own triggers as Washuta's life has given her many, and she lays them out in these pages. If you feel you're in a place where you can read about traumatic events of another person, I would recommend this book for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Abandonment, Body shaming, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder

sarahaf712's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, Abandonment, Stalking, and Grief

Minor: Genocide and Hate crime

betsygrace's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

5.0

Very interesting chapter on Oregon Trail from an Indigenous perspective. I appreciate her thoughts on the term “white passing” and the cognitive dissonance this brings for many indigenous folks. 

I also had some small revelations about why silence in relationships can be triggering for me (because the author is an abusive relationship and her experience sounds somewhat similar to my previous relationship). 

The author also writes beautiful prose about her trauma, mental illness, colonization, and more. Her transparency is something beautiful. 

I also think this was more of a 4ish for me because I didn’t love the darkness the book brought for me personally— BUT. I can still appreciate a good piece of literature when I see one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking