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Reviews tagging 'Infertility'
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
5 reviews
lmfry's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident and Antisemitism
marpaige's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility and Death of parent
fanchera's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
semeyers's review
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
1.5
Honestly, not sure where to begin with this one. I think it just wasn't the memoir I was expecting and, therefore, didn't really connect with. Most of this novel is the author grappling with finding out that her father - the man who raised her, loved her, and whom she was the closest to of almost anyone in the world - was not her biological father. This is compounded by the fact that when she finds out, both of her parents have long passed, leaving her with no one to go to for answers. Using DNA sites and breadcrumbs her parents left, she is able to eventually track down her biological father and learn the truth of how she came to be.
Through this process, Shapiro is understandably devastated. But, the focus on her self-pitying went a bit far for me, as much as it doesn't feel right to say it. Shapiro learns that both her parents most likely knew her parentage. She grew up incredibly privileged and wealthy - her father worked on Wall Street, the private schools she attended cost over $40k per year - she was doted on, loved, and spoiled endlessly. Her father's family continue to love and support her and consider her her father's daughter. Even the rabbis she consults assure her she is still Jewish. In the end, you learn she has made peace and is moving forward. Yet her talking about being utterly, completely, desperately broken and depressed at the beginning of the process goes on for chapter, after chapter, after chapter. It grew repetitive. It took me out of the memoir and almost caused me to DNF, which is why I took off so many stars. It's a short book though, so I powered through. The last 25% of the book is the strongest portion of it, but not enough to make up for the first half.
If you think you can get through that, then I recommend this book! It was an interesting and informative memoir on DNA testing, what it means to be Jewish, and what it means to be donor-conceived. I learned a lot and it presented some interesting ethical questions.
Through this process, Shapiro is understandably devastated. But, the focus on her self-pitying went a bit far for me, as much as it doesn't feel right to say it. Shapiro learns that both her parents most likely knew her parentage. She grew up incredibly privileged and wealthy - her father worked on Wall Street, the private schools she attended cost over $40k per year - she was doted on, loved, and spoiled endlessly. Her father's family continue to love and support her and consider her her father's daughter. Even the rabbis she consults assure her she is still Jewish. In the end, you learn she has made peace and is moving forward. Yet her talking about being utterly, completely, desperately broken and depressed at the beginning of the process goes on for chapter, after chapter, after chapter. It grew repetitive. It took me out of the memoir and almost caused me to DNF, which is why I took off so many stars. It's a short book though, so I powered through. The last 25% of the book is the strongest portion of it, but not enough to make up for the first half.
If you think you can get through that, then I recommend this book! It was an interesting and informative memoir on DNA testing, what it means to be Jewish, and what it means to be donor-conceived. I learned a lot and it presented some interesting ethical questions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Infertility
lindseycornett's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility
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