Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

57 reviews

sarahcerdena's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

murrderdith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

This memoir was so beautifully and unsparingly devastating. Machado is unflinching in her account of (as Machado notes herself) all of the "legal" ways a partner can abuse and diminish you while also rooting the narrative within a folkloric framework (she never names the Woman in the Dream House, the only character without one in the way that the villains of those first stories we learn never have names as we recognize them)--returning again and again to the tropes of these ur-texts. Her language moves from ethereal and gauzy to razor-sharp in a way that reinforces the whiplash experience of having a volatile, erratic partner. 

**I would recommend looking at the content warnings from other users before reading this book if you are at all concerned it may be a difficult read for you to work through. I will add some but it is a likely an incomplete list**

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Biphobia, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse

This is a memoir of domestic abuse. It is beautifully written but not necessarily something everyone is in the right place to read. That said, it could also serve as a text the reader recognizes themselves in. I think it can be worth reading painful, recognizable texts for this reason. Proceed with caution.

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Rape

Minor: Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Animal death, Car accident, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Eating disorder, Vomit, Murder, and Medical content

gladystobehere's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

So refreshing to see specific experiences of my community written out in such lovely, real, prose. It wasn’t romanticizing or idealizing, and if it did it was frank about it. I love the use of the medium, employing footnotes and other devices with page-turning was really effective, even on an e-reader. It is full of unhappy and emotionally violent anecdotes, and they never last too long but they are there. 
I definitely really recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

lightliterature's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Alcoholism

lucybmn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring tense fast-paced

5.0

Just amazing. Uniquely and exquisitely written. It was tough to read, yet I couldn't put it down. Probably partially the engaging writing, and partially racing to get to her freedom from the horrific situation the book depicts.

It's so easy to ask "why did they stay?" - but that's one of the most horrifying parts of abuse: just how GOOD abusers are at it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting and Alcoholism

Minor: Vomit

mjtal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual violence

noveltay's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Such an incredible way to write a true story. Hard to read, harder to listen to the audiobook by the author. So sad to hear about but glad she has found as much peace as she can afterwards.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

kds's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Bullying and Alcoholism

Minor: Infidelity and Suicidal thoughts

archaicrobin's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

A beautifully written memoir detailing the author’s personal experiences in a same sex abusive relationship. Interwoven amidst  haunting scenes, is the author’s research into the history of same sex abusive relationships. The mix of personal experience and extensive research was a perfect blend for this addictive memoir. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Drug use, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Misogyny