Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

65 reviews

thubles's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Murder

mary_wyrd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

In the Dream House you are a prisoner to your own heart; trapped, wanting to leave. But you can't, because the house is part of you now, a house that haunts. A dream that became a nightmare. This memoir is part exorcism part rebellion and a full-throated yell against the tyranny of abuse. Machado's full range of creativity is used in excising this chapter of her life and analysing its impact. The format is inventive. Each section is told in a different genre style or trope. Each section is also short, like a glimpse through the windows of the Dream House, seeing a tense, intense relationship from various angles, before the curtains are drawn. Many chapters are told in second person present tense, placing you in the author's position, living through that relationship.  You are both victim and witness. You are Machado. You are all the women in this position who couldn't get out until they did - fatally or finally free. This is a personal study of abuse with reflections on how society has historically treated both lesbians in love and lesbians in abusive situations; with silence, disgust and distrust.  In the Dream House as personal journey is certain to join the canon of lesbian non-fiction exploring love and loathing within a lesbian context.  In the Dream House as memoir already plays a part in unravelling the lie that women can't abuse other women. They can, and those abused need to be believed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

e_a1's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Gaslighting

violetbooklover's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

sadiaa's review against another edition

3.5

The book was Machado's experience of abuse in a lesbian relationship alternating with mini essays and tangents which I skipped. I was more interested in reading about her relationship.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

chris_reads's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

giasbookhaven's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Carmen's account of her upbringing and identity even as she is involved in her relationship was raw and unrestricted. I was aware of the contents of this book when I picked it up but there were still things that surprised me. 

I cannot speak on the specifics of domestic abuse history among Queer relationships. In The Dream house is really my first introduction to the subject specifically.

It's an important narrative on the topic and a good book to explore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

edamamebean's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

snackattackisback69's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

This book has beautiful prose, thoughtful imagery and a creative structive that gripped me. I also enjoyed the short chapters as they made the book easy to read. While the topic was heavy and it was difficult for me to read certain parts of the novel, I greatly enjoyed it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Murder

maritareads's review

I felt like I had to finish it rather than wanting to finish it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism and Lesbophobia

Minor: Cancer