Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness by Catherine Cho

19 reviews

lillianviolinist's review against another edition

4.5

This was an incredibly raw and vulnerable depiction of what it is like to experience postpartum psychosis. The author writes with a clarity about her experience that is to be deeply admires. This was a hard read but well worth it. I think this book accomplished more than Brain on Fire, another book about psychosis I read this year but I recommend them both if you are interested in this topics.

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ratchel_l's review

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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superiour_medium's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Absolutely heartbreaking reflection on abuse, mental health crises, and the stress & often impossible burden of motherhood.

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ehmannky's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

A really raw look at Cho's experience having postpartum psychosis, the depressing state of America's mental health institutions and just how dehumanized patients with psychosis are in the United States, and a look at her life up until her psychosis. It's really good, but Cho really describes her psychosis and it's hard to read. Additionally, she experienced abuse as a child and by a previous partner (her husband as of this book seems like a really great guy), and she describes both pretty thoroughly. A good read, but it is heavy.

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maxthefish's review

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emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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quinnjuliac's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

You know how some memoirs are not good books, they’re just written by someone with a good story to tell? That is not this book. This is an amazing and gripping account of postpartum psychosis, past trauma from physical and emotional abuse, parenthood, and the love between the author and her husband. It was challenging for me to read as someone who has had someone close to me spend time in inpatient mental health facilities.

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f_amiliar_happine_ss's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

Catherine, a new mom, travels with her family shortly after giving birth. Stress builds during their trip, paired with sleep deprivation and deteriorating paranoia, she entered an episode of postpartum psychosis. After a trip to the ER and a transfer to an inpatient facility, Catherine begins her recovery.
During her time in the hospital she would write "truths" of her life to help distinguish reality from delusion, she also drew a family tree- something she was unable to do while psychotic. All in all, she spent twelve days away from her family. Being separated for so long, Catherine had developed postpartum depression and an emotional detachment to her child, but with the guides of therapy and a support system Catherine was able to embrace her identity as a mother.
Very good book but not "amazing." Four stars.

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