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witchofthemountains's review against another edition
5.0
You don't need to know what I think of Ma-Nee Chacaby's life. You need to read her words, understand her experiences, and hear what she has to say. I would recommend this book to everyone, though I recommend it with a heavy trigger warning because Ma-Nee Chacaby has been through hell and back, all with her head held high and her spirit intact, determined to leave the world a better place than she found it.
gillesbianreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is a memoir following the life of Ma-Nee Chacaby, a two-spirit lesbian Ojibwa-Cree elder. This was an amazing read, and a difficult one. I have so much admiration for this incredible woman, who has lived through more hardship than I can comprehend.
She's lived an extraordinary life fostering kids, raising many of her own, mentoring children and youth as well as people recovering from addiction, counselling and aiding single mothers and those who have struggled with addiction like she did. She experienced a tremendous amount of abuse, sexual and physical assault throughout her childhood and adult life that is heart-wrenching. On top of this trauma, she has had to live through many deaths of friends and family, navigate the world as a person losing her sight, and maneuver the extreme systemically racist barriers of Canadian society as a disabled Indigenous woman.
Ma-Nee was raised predominantly by her grandmother-- her kokum-- in her life early childhood. Her kokum cherished her, taught her some of the greatest lessons and skills in life, and saw something special in Ma-Nee from a very young age: that she had two spirits. This was not something Ma-Nee knew or understood at the time, but many years later she grew to understand her sexuality. On top of the abuse, mental health and disability struggles, and racism in her life, she faced a great deal of hardship from strangers and some family members who looked down upon her lesbianism: experiencing hate crimes and assaults on the street because of this.
But she also experienced much joy through coming out: finding community in meeting other lesbians and bisexual women; attending pride celebrations and meetings; and having two different lovers in her life who taught her what healthy relationships and romantic love should feel like, one relationship in which she raised more children. Ma-Nee's life embodies the complexity and richness of family, of all different kinds of love, and of building community.
My heart ached with sadness and hurt while reading this book, but also with love and admiration. Ma-Nee deserved greater protection and support in her life-- she still deserves more support than she currently gets-- but she also is such a strong and resilient individual who accomplished so much and put others before herself. It is clear though that there is a deeply troubling systemic problem in this country, as a result of colonialism which has had continuously devastated Indigenous peoples and communities. The systems in Ma-Nee's life have not only failed her, but were not created to serve her or Indigenous peoples.
I feel so much gratitude, respect and admiration for Ma-Nee and all the people like her who have done so much for so many communities. Reading this book was extremely grounding for me, and I cannot stress how important it is for story's like Ma-Nee's to be told and cherished.
CW: sexual assault, rape, multiple deaths, domestic abuse, parental abuse, incest, violence against Indigenous women, sexual exploitation, fires, lesbophobia/homophobia, familial rejection, HIV/AIDS, SIDS, tuberculosis, blindness, addiction, drugs and alcohol
She's lived an extraordinary life fostering kids, raising many of her own, mentoring children and youth as well as people recovering from addiction, counselling and aiding single mothers and those who have struggled with addiction like she did. She experienced a tremendous amount of abuse, sexual and physical assault throughout her childhood and adult life that is heart-wrenching. On top of this trauma, she has had to live through many deaths of friends and family, navigate the world as a person losing her sight, and maneuver the extreme systemically racist barriers of Canadian society as a disabled Indigenous woman.
Ma-Nee was raised predominantly by her grandmother-- her kokum-- in her life early childhood. Her kokum cherished her, taught her some of the greatest lessons and skills in life, and saw something special in Ma-Nee from a very young age: that she had two spirits. This was not something Ma-Nee knew or understood at the time, but many years later she grew to understand her sexuality. On top of the abuse, mental health and disability struggles, and racism in her life, she faced a great deal of hardship from strangers and some family members who looked down upon her lesbianism: experiencing hate crimes and assaults on the street because of this.
But she also experienced much joy through coming out: finding community in meeting other lesbians and bisexual women; attending pride celebrations and meetings; and having two different lovers in her life who taught her what healthy relationships and romantic love should feel like, one relationship in which she raised more children. Ma-Nee's life embodies the complexity and richness of family, of all different kinds of love, and of building community.
My heart ached with sadness and hurt while reading this book, but also with love and admiration. Ma-Nee deserved greater protection and support in her life-- she still deserves more support than she currently gets-- but she also is such a strong and resilient individual who accomplished so much and put others before herself. It is clear though that there is a deeply troubling systemic problem in this country, as a result of colonialism which has had continuously devastated Indigenous peoples and communities. The systems in Ma-Nee's life have not only failed her, but were not created to serve her or Indigenous peoples.
I feel so much gratitude, respect and admiration for Ma-Nee and all the people like her who have done so much for so many communities. Reading this book was extremely grounding for me, and I cannot stress how important it is for story's like Ma-Nee's to be told and cherished.
CW: sexual assault, rape, multiple deaths, domestic abuse, parental abuse, incest, violence against Indigenous women, sexual exploitation, fires, lesbophobia/homophobia, familial rejection, HIV/AIDS, SIDS, tuberculosis, blindness, addiction, drugs and alcohol
jennazim's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Child death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Racism
literarylarisa's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
courto875's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.75
katiedermody's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very interesting and hard story to read. I appreciate Ma-Nee's honesty in sharing her experienced and from what I skimmed in the afterword I am glad her coauthor took the steps she did to ensure Ma-Nee's story was recorded told in her own words.
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A really well done and engaging memoir retelling a life filled with pain, hardship, and triumph. I highly recommend this read, but it comes with strong content warnings for alcoholism, drug use, child abuse, rape, assault, homophobia, racism, torture, domestic abuse, child death, and other content that may be difficult for some readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Racism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, and Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism
SIDS