Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

62 reviews

adriannaserna's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

rosemaryandrue's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

Machado tackles the story of her relationship with an emotionally abusive woman, using a series of narrative tropes to approach the complex topic.

I've had this book on my to-read list for a while now, intrigued by the innovative structuring of the memoir. The writing is lush, dark and dreamlike, plunging the reader headfirst into the chaotic whirlpool of Machado's experience. In every section, she pecks at the crystallized past from different angles, and you are really pulled into the difficulty of unravelling something so dense and disjointed and senseless. It made my eyes ache.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition

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. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

imposter_daisy's review

emotional sad medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism

7juniormint's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Mental illness

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Alcoholism

tkmunson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Gaslighting

amyhasel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Heartbreaking, informative, and brilliant, with circular narrative that will just keep punching you in the gut. Thank God Carmen Maria Machado is also hilarious, or every reader would be breathless with horror. Not a love story, except maybe with herself. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

torturedreadersdept's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Dementia, and Pregnancy

toyin_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

It can be tricky for a survivor to read another survivor's experience, laid out like this, and not feel in some sense that it is too much, or too similar. Dream house as choose your adventure is my favourite section of the book, it feels like a closed loop and it is confrontational. When you try to stop the abuse, there's an aside between reader and author that is challenging, the idea you think you can when you can't. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

breazatoth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content