Reviews

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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drushtii's review against another edition

5.0

This was a very heavy book to read indeed. Firstly, the prose is so beautiful and gorgeous. The writing truly left me in awe. Every line on every page felt like it was written with a quill. Since I listened to it as an audiobook, I remember I was in bed listening to it. The part when she's running around the house away from her abuser and hiding in the bathroom was so emotionally brutal. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes because the way I could feel the fear she felt, the absolute dread, is indescribable. The author's views on domestic abuse in queer relationships were also very heartfelt to read, and it educated me in many ways as well. No one deserves to go through this, and I truly have only love for people who do. The author's narration in the audiobook was also really good. It was an experience for sure reading this book.

bryneo's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

mollyklassen's review against another edition

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5.0

amazing, a masterpiece.

melroe's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

4.75

xtinaji's review against another edition

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4.0

Reading this was an experience. Machado is a clearly gifted writer, and her fragmentary storytelling is a new form of memoir. She reimagined the age-old comparison of memory with archives into the structure of a haunted house, and the exploration of genres, myths, archetypes through the home's limbs and rooms was well done. Part memoir, part musings on the gaps of existing literature when it comes to queer domestic abuse. I think Machado marries these two aspects of the book together in a way that all fits "In the Dream House"