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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
‘I’m going to be a superstar musician, kill myself and go out in a fake of glory... like Jimi Hendrix’ - Kurt Cobain.
These prophetic words in many ways explain the intrigue surrounding Kurt Cobain and his tragic demise at the age of 27. The Aberdeen-rocker fronted Nirvana through three incredible studio albums as the group captured a generation in the early 1990s.
Cross offers a tirelessly researched account which depicts a compelling portrait of Cobain. The timelines which Cross constructs are brought to life through rich anecdote and a detailed understanding of Cobain’s tumult. His battle with heroin becomes the dominant theme of the biography as Nirvana become enormously successful.
At a young age, Cobain would be apathetic to drinking and smoking, such was his dedication to musical success. This was widely noted by many friends and family during his late teens and early twenties, yet his fate would take a monumental twist for the worst during his marriage to Courtney Love.
On this, I found how Cross tried his hardest to debunk the narrative that Love was not at all toxic hard to read and hugely biased. Indeed, Cobain used heroin before he met Love, but the female rock-star made their relationship with drugs significantly worse. Her media appearances since have been, by-and-large, insufferable, sycophantic and narcissistic. Poor Frances Cobain.
Nevertheless, Cross’s biography is broadly satisfying and is a commendable study into Cobain and Nirvana. Although I would not go as far to say that it is the ‘final word’ on Cobain, Cross approaches the musician’s career with incredible vigour and brings to life a man who, to this day, holds a profound aura within popular culture.
These prophetic words in many ways explain the intrigue surrounding Kurt Cobain and his tragic demise at the age of 27. The Aberdeen-rocker fronted Nirvana through three incredible studio albums as the group captured a generation in the early 1990s.
Cross offers a tirelessly researched account which depicts a compelling portrait of Cobain. The timelines which Cross constructs are brought to life through rich anecdote and a detailed understanding of Cobain’s tumult. His battle with heroin becomes the dominant theme of the biography as Nirvana become enormously successful.
At a young age, Cobain would be apathetic to drinking and smoking, such was his dedication to musical success. This was widely noted by many friends and family during his late teens and early twenties, yet his fate would take a monumental twist for the worst during his marriage to Courtney Love.
On this, I found how Cross tried his hardest to debunk the narrative that Love was not at all toxic hard to read and hugely biased. Indeed, Cobain used heroin before he met Love, but the female rock-star made their relationship with drugs significantly worse. Her media appearances since have been, by-and-large, insufferable, sycophantic and narcissistic. Poor Frances Cobain.
Nevertheless, Cross’s biography is broadly satisfying and is a commendable study into Cobain and Nirvana. Although I would not go as far to say that it is the ‘final word’ on Cobain, Cross approaches the musician’s career with incredible vigour and brings to life a man who, to this day, holds a profound aura within popular culture.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This book is great if you don't know much about Kurt or Nirvana but want to learn more. It's more like reading a fiction story in the sense that it's easy to read, kind of like a magazine article. There's a few inconsistencies and to be honest, moments, where in my head I was thinking, 'you can't say that' as it is very opinion based at times. Great intro to Kurt and Nirvana as a whole though but would recommend reading other books after this that give a more truthful and raw account without giving you the 'story' as a whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Blood, Pregnancy
heavier than heaven is a beautiful story about yet another truly beautiful human being. it’s happy and heartbreaking all at once and it hits you with emotions that you’ve never felt - at least for me. i really have no words at the moment. not because of hate but because of just...love (and questions).
kurt was such an ethereal soul that deserved so so much better. i can only hope he made his peace and is resting now.
god, my heart is shattered.
peace, love and empathy.
love, Isabelle
p.s. the repeated use of the word; empathy, throughout the story [especially] near the end, broke me. i was sitting on my bed crying and there was nothing i could do.
kurt was such an ethereal soul that deserved so so much better. i can only hope he made his peace and is resting now.
god, my heart is shattered.
peace, love and empathy.
love, Isabelle
p.s. the repeated use of the word; empathy, throughout the story [especially] near the end, broke me. i was sitting on my bed crying and there was nothing i could do.
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
So beautiful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Excrement, Grief
The beginning of the biography left me feeling less than no sympathy for Kurt and his actions leading up to Courtney reinforced that belief. Then the book changed for me as he lost control of the habit he chose to partake in and I found the empathy for his situation in the lack of feelings I had developed. If the first 200ish pages were me getting to hate him and his path, then the last 200 were me coming to empathize with where his chosen path ended.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
I like how this was written but I fundamentally don’t agree with some of it.
dark
emotional
funny
informative
slow-paced
It was a good book don't get me wrong, but there were a lot of boring parts.