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sabsey's review against another edition
This such a personal and moving memoir, that it would be impossible to give this a numbered rating without making the author's story redundant. This transformed from what I thought would be a memoir reflecting on the sex work and stripping industry in Australia, to a highly emotional and affecting read of a woman's experience of abuse, trauma, identity, grief, assault and generational depression.
In order to go forward, in order to survive, sometimes we have to write our own stories. We need to reframe what happens to us, we need to get up again and do it all over."
The former is still explored, and the author admirably weaves together anecdotes of her experience in sex work with her interpersonal and individual struggles and how her work contributes and exacerbates them.
The writing itself was very easy to get through - Rita Therese has a succinct and clear style, and my only criticism of it would be that without some kind of dating system in place, it was often at times confusing to place when or what events had happened (as stories or anecdotes were occasionally told to us in a non-linear fashion).
One of the most shocking elements was how unregulated the sex work industry is in Australia, and while the level of assault and abuse shouldn't be surprising, hearing a first hand account was incredibly provoking.
The memoir also builds to an emotional climax that left me feeling bereft and overall horrified of the total sum of pretty awful experiences for someone so relatively young.
Overall, a very insightful but also incredibly heavy read, and you definitely need to go into this in the correct mindset.
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Rape, Abortion, and Misogyny
zoecarlyon's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Abortion, Self harm, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Body shaming
juliettaclose's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Self harm, Infidelity, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, and Drug use
loshells1's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
readwithchar's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Death
emlourin's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
madelonpaige's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicide, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Abortion