Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

Muttermilch by Melissa Broder

63 reviews

rachkait's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a really interesting story of discovering ones sexuality, sense of self, and healing from parental trauma. While it is mildly disturbing at times (there are a few passages that talk about feces while eating and during sex), I thought the main character, Rachel, showed tremendous growth throughout the story. We see her go from very meek and extremely tough on herself as she is unlearning trauma placed from her childhood and her mother to arguing with Miriam's family about their Zionist views. 

One of my favorite scenes is when Rachel cuts all her hair off. Hair has a lot of meaning to many people and traditionally in media the act of one, especially a woman, cutting all their hair off is a visual representation of taking one's body autonomy back. They are starting anew and becoming their own person rather than one that has been shaped by someone else. For someone like Rachel, who has/had a severe eating disorder and is consistently body checked by women in her life, taking back this power is really important to healing herself.  

I am happy that Rachel and Miriam didn't end up together. I think that Rachel needed Miriam at this point in her life to help her work through her disordered eating and the complicated relationship that she has with the want to be mothered versus her sexuality, but that being with Miriam long-term would only make Rachel hate herself more, either through constantly wondering if she was Jewish enough for Miriam's family or due to Miriam's internalized homophobia that was starting to come out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Sexual content, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia and Excrement

garynoplastie's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, and Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Incest

Minor: Biphobia, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Homophobia

ceci_cc's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Difficult to read (especially if you have any sort of eating issues or disorders) but I think well written and captivating throughout 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Eating disorder

Moderate: Dysphoria and Body shaming

lavenderpagess's review against another edition

dark funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but it was mine. Trigger warning central so I would suggest doing your research prior to reading if you are worried about reading certain topics. Very intriguing book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

kylajaynebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

szpetot's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Outing, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Sexual content, Misogyny, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Antisemitism, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Dysphoria, War, and Vomit

lovingest's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexual content, Self harm, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Body shaming

himboluvr's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

really good for someone who likes mean lesbians and insufferable women this book is broken people being broken people and is not happy but it’s good and the ending isn’t what you want or expected but worth it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Outing, Addiction, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Eating disorder

maac's review against another edition

funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

The more I think about this book the less I like it. I enjoyed reading it because I was addicted and I haven’t wanted to read a book so fast in a while but also the way she depicts being fat is so… not it. And like I understand that’s how a disordered brain works and it’s realistic but then her using Miriam as like some pawn or whatever was unsavory 🙄 
Regardless it was addicting to read in the way sally rooney books are addicting to read like u think abt it bc you’re interested in what these shitty characters will do next! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Homophobia and Dysphoria

joelle99's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

3.5

I felt so repulsed by a huge part of this book and I had so many issues with the main character. But I also felt like I enjoyed some parts of it? It was just a very emotionally confusing read for me but, I liked the short chapters. 
One thing I noticed was how rushed the ending was? The whole book was building up to the end to any kind of resolve but it hasn't so that was a bit disappointing. I think I'm just confused on how I feel about this book at the moment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Dysphoria, Body shaming, and Eating disorder