Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - In the Dream House

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

123 reviews

errie's review

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challenging dark

3.0

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ems_book_shelf's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

5.0

This book was a masterpiece. From the start, it was hard to put down. The writing is so lyrical and the way the author writes metaphors for things that can’t be put into explicit words was amazing. There were many parts of this book that dug up past my traumas, put things into words that I have been struggling to myself, and made me reflect on my own thoughts and feelings and remembrances.

Recommending this book a million times over

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carmentxx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

my second reread of this book and it is just impossible to not sit and reflect on the world in tears. machado is just so incredibly talented, you feel her excruciating pain, her debasement, humiliation, the unflinching trauma of a hidden domestic abuse. in the dream house is so good because machado provides a hidden archived memory. she provides us as much of the archived memory and invited us to think about how much is hidden- in this way, a form of un-memory- we are aware of how much memory is missing because we cannot even comprehend the extent of the memory. machado’s memoir is genre breaking, a historical and literary feat because she shows us the potential of how much is missing. there is so much missing.

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salemander's review against another edition

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5.0

one of the most beautiful written and formatted books i’ve ever read. the looming sense of dread throughout as she falls deeper into abuse was heartbreaking, yet she fills the narrative with reminders that she will be free and it will not last forever. a gorgeous memoir.

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mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

This was one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.

The thing that sets this book apart is the way it was written. The tone feels like poetry while equally being digestible and readable. The switch between first and second person was such an interesting way to tell a story. The "I" was disconnected from the "you" but still told told a cohesive account of Machado's story. The you chapters invited the reader in to examine the parts of their reality that they are disconnected from too.

This perspective on domestic abuse intersected with queer culture intersected with fat culture and with religious trauma is engaging and terrible and inspiring.

A wonderful read.

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nuii's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

I like the vignette-structure of the book, it feels like listening to a friend opening up about the abuse she went through and having an intimate look into her coping/healing journey - somewhat fragmented, but showing growth and realness at the same time.
There arent necessarilly new, profound ideas/philosophy but I did learn a few things and I appreciate the candor and bravery to tell this story, very well-written.

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