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shawnali's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
3.75
I am not someone who reads a lot of non-fiction, but I wanted to reach out of my comfort zone.
There were portions of this that I felt read more easily than other, particularly the more difficult stories from the writers own childhood. They were difficult topics to tackle, but because I wanted to know what happened, it was easy to get through in a way.
The topics dealt with in this are heavy because they're real.
There were portions of this that I felt read more easily than other, particularly the more difficult stories from the writers own childhood. They were difficult topics to tackle, but because I wanted to know what happened, it was easy to get through in a way.
The topics dealt with in this are heavy because they're real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
alexdr's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Levy memoir works occupy a strange place in my heart. Strung between lovers but also notable to my roommate as epitomical of my apparently feminine reading taste.
Dad says that comments that package themselves as benign but touch the subconscious always stick with you. I lack something requisite for accessing the depth of Levy’s work at the moment but both my roommates comment, past lovers and the book itself have touched something blatantly subconscious.
Things I don’t want to know above all reminded me of the entrails of my interiority I had left in a rarely vacuumed hallway on Napier St. When I first met Dash he told me he admired my taste. Not for similarity or association with some value set but for its particularity. Ironically my taste in art has always born a nebulous hazy - occasionally twee - quality that helps me find something about myself. Sometimes I picture the affect as a woman riding a bicycle. The balance of tenderness and severity with which Levy speaks of her own interiority reminds me both of this feeling and where I have lost it in the year past.
I want a little more from this book but I didn’t bring it with me hiking so I expect another reading will have to wait till around my birthday (oh dear).
Dad says that comments that package themselves as benign but touch the subconscious always stick with you. I lack something requisite for accessing the depth of Levy’s work at the moment but both my roommates comment, past lovers and the book itself have touched something blatantly subconscious.
Things I don’t want to know above all reminded me of the entrails of my interiority I had left in a rarely vacuumed hallway on Napier St. When I first met Dash he told me he admired my taste. Not for similarity or association with some value set but for its particularity. Ironically my taste in art has always born a nebulous hazy - occasionally twee - quality that helps me find something about myself. Sometimes I picture the affect as a woman riding a bicycle. The balance of tenderness and severity with which Levy speaks of her own interiority reminds me both of this feeling and where I have lost it in the year past.
I want a little more from this book but I didn’t bring it with me hiking so I expect another reading will have to wait till around my birthday (oh dear).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Xenophobia, and Racism
maarigirl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
3.25
Her writing style is easy to read. Some parts I did not understand how they were relevant to writing but they were still interesting.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
intoblossom's review
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Fatphobia
Minor: Police brutality and Racism
samarakroeger's review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
I haven’t enjoyed reading a book this much in a long time (big slump alert!). Never heard of Deborah Levy before picking this up in the bookstore and seeing it was a short memoir about women and writing (aka perfectly up my alley). I’ve been seeking out writers on writing, consciously or subconsciously, for a little while now.
That being said, this type of book is obviously not for everyone. I thought the book improved as it went and I basically read it twice as I went back in to add some annotations. It was better the second time.
The second part (in South Africa) reminded me of Tove Ditlevsen’s Childhood in narrative tone (a huge plus for me).
I must read more from her.
That being said, this type of book is obviously not for everyone. I thought the book improved as it went and I basically read it twice as I went back in to add some annotations. It was better the second time.
The second part (in South Africa) reminded me of Tove Ditlevsen’s Childhood in narrative tone (a huge plus for me).
I must read more from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Colonisation, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Racism, Kidnapping, and Torture
thewoodlandbookshelf's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Violence
hollsbookshelf's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Child abuse
utuisuus's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Slavery
meremeth's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I was literally sobbing reading this book, not because it was sad! But because it was just what I needed to hear.
Recommend to any women writers or artists.
The opening chapter is one of my favourite openings I have ever read.
"Should I accept my lot? If I was to buy a ticket and travel all the way to acceptance, if I was to greet it and shake its hand, if I was to entwine my fingers with acceptance and walk hand in hand with acceptance every day, what would that feel like? After a while I realised I could not accept my question. A female writer cannot afford to feel her life too clearly. Of she does, she will write in rage when she should write calmly."
Recommend to any women writers or artists.
The opening chapter is one of my favourite openings I have ever read.
"Should I accept my lot? If I was to buy a ticket and travel all the way to acceptance, if I was to greet it and shake its hand, if I was to entwine my fingers with acceptance and walk hand in hand with acceptance every day, what would that feel like? After a while I realised I could not accept my question. A female writer cannot afford to feel her life too clearly. Of she does, she will write in rage when she should write calmly."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, and Slavery
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