Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir by Michele Harper

5 reviews

luckyonesoph's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.5

A really solid medical memoir! I really appreciated how Dr. Harper talked through her decision-making, and the dynamics between all the staff members at emergency departments. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Sexual violence

pisces1_1318's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Dr. Michele Harper memoir was so touching and interesting. Her storytelling is unlike any memoirs I have ever read. I often forgot that this was a true story. We need more Dr. Harper's in medicine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Body horror, and Blood

blackcatkai's review

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

CW: death (child & adult), child abuse, ableism, fatphobic & trans-exclusionary vibes (as is common when dealing with the medical/health field as a whole, apparently), sexual assault 

overall i enjoyed reading about Dr Harper & her beginning years in the medical field. mostly the last 1/3rd kind of got under my skin, but that may be a preference thing. a lot of good insight here, though the author is big into forgiveness to grow while I am a firm proponent of you don't owe anyone anything, not even forgiveness. 

you can absolutely grow & flourish without needing to forgive someone who hurt you. but that's just me and that's ok! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Chronic illness, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cancer, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Police brutality, Abortion, Fatphobia, Grief, and Drug use

jourdanicus's review

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

I came to this book after reading a few other medical memoirs and boy was I not prepared for it (in the best way). Dr. Harper recalls stories of patients who have affected her and draws connections between their experiences, the lessons she learned from them, her own experiences as a Black woman/survivor of abuse, and to top it all off brings in discussion of systemic and institutional racism/sexism/violence. Just... incredible. It was both refreshing and challenging (in a growth way) to read a memoir by someone who is so mentally and spiritually well, and has truly done the work to get to that point. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone, I think we all have a lot to learn from it. Much respect and appreciation to Dr. Harper for sharing parts of her life and perspective in the form of this book.

*And yes, there are a lot of potential triggers discussed in this book but Dr. Harper handles each topic with such sensitivity and grace that, while this may be a challenging read for some, it is not carelessly or blatantly triggering. I hope the content warnings don't drive away any potential readers.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Blood, Abortion, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Rape

mkl18's review

inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, and Gore

Moderate: Child abuse, Cancer, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Toxic relationship and Mental illness