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jkenna90's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for a free review copy of this book.
This book was very interesting. It took me a little while to settle into it and to find the rhythm but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I felt like the beginning of the book was where I struggled to connect with the author the most. I felt like the morning routine section was just to long and detailed. I understood where she was going with it but it was so long that I can see a lot of readers losing interest quickly. Once I got through the beginning part of the book and onto the actual commute part I felt like the book really found it's stride. I feel like this is one of those books that you will either love or be bored by. Overall I feel like this is a great book to read (especially if you are a man) to get a different perspective on what it's like to be a woman just existing in this day and age.
This book was very interesting. It took me a little while to settle into it and to find the rhythm but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I felt like the beginning of the book was where I struggled to connect with the author the most. I felt like the morning routine section was just to long and detailed. I understood where she was going with it but it was so long that I can see a lot of readers losing interest quickly. Once I got through the beginning part of the book and onto the actual commute part I felt like the book really found it's stride. I feel like this is one of those books that you will either love or be bored by. Overall I feel like this is a great book to read (especially if you are a man) to get a different perspective on what it's like to be a woman just existing in this day and age.
immanythings's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
This amazing woman , who didn’t value herself and the trauma at 15 didn’t help. I was sad for her, but I loved her reflection of it all, how she owned it,all. Even the bad shit, she owned it all with no shame in the end.
meganndalee's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
This made me feel not alone
queen_sara's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Vomit
pemangsya's review
3.0
graphic memoar with the struggle of a woman to revive from her awful sex experience, alcoholism, and addictiion
stormmanning's review
4.0
This memoir of ‘female shame’ really tore in to my heart with its intimate authenticity. Erin Williams’ story does not bow down to normal conventions of removing banality and hiding the grittier aspects of life. This story is raw with honesty and flays your heart open like a fresh wound ready to take a repeated pounding. Maybe it was just me. Maybe it was the simplistic artistic style that did not aspire to perfection but rather existed as a visual representation of Williams’ message of shining a light on all of the things we try to hide. This story is not an easy read but that makes it all the more worthy of your time.
Pros:
Commute was an incredibly authentic story that lent weight and respect to the gritty and honest themes that were present (and darker in nature than I had anticipated). The impact of sexual abuse, addiction and the constant fight for recovery was evident throughout this book. It was real, scathingly honest and painted a picture that was hard to look away from.
I loved the banal elements in this book. At first I thought they were making an irreverent commentary on the unimportance of everything else in her life. Rather, the story highlighted the small, inconsequential events that we take for granted everyday. It lent a positive light on to the small victories that we almost forget about winning.
The message of being a sexual object or being invisible was one I hadn’t considered before but started to notice everywhere once I knew what to look for. It’s mind bogglingly simple as an idea and yet so complex and intricate in real life.
Cons:
I mean this with all due respect considering the content matter of this book, but it seemed to lacked a consideration for the similar circumstances many men face in their lifetime. They are not exempt from painful experiences of sexual abuse, addiction and recovery. I can see why they would have been painted as the ‘bad guys’ in this novel. I even agree with majority of the stereotypes placed on them as a whole. What I would have liked to have seen however, was some indication of the fact that women are not the only ones who struggle with these issues.
The onus of blame in regards to addiction was a tough one to swallow in this story. There never seems to be a ‘right answer’ or one direct person to blame. You can’t even blame the addict. I loved and yet disliked that this story did not have a clear or simple ending.
Pros:
Commute was an incredibly authentic story that lent weight and respect to the gritty and honest themes that were present (and darker in nature than I had anticipated). The impact of sexual abuse, addiction and the constant fight for recovery was evident throughout this book. It was real, scathingly honest and painted a picture that was hard to look away from.
I loved the banal elements in this book. At first I thought they were making an irreverent commentary on the unimportance of everything else in her life. Rather, the story highlighted the small, inconsequential events that we take for granted everyday. It lent a positive light on to the small victories that we almost forget about winning.
The message of being a sexual object or being invisible was one I hadn’t considered before but started to notice everywhere once I knew what to look for. It’s mind bogglingly simple as an idea and yet so complex and intricate in real life.
Cons:
I mean this with all due respect considering the content matter of this book, but it seemed to lacked a consideration for the similar circumstances many men face in their lifetime. They are not exempt from painful experiences of sexual abuse, addiction and recovery. I can see why they would have been painted as the ‘bad guys’ in this novel. I even agree with majority of the stereotypes placed on them as a whole. What I would have liked to have seen however, was some indication of the fact that women are not the only ones who struggle with these issues.
The onus of blame in regards to addiction was a tough one to swallow in this story. There never seems to be a ‘right answer’ or one direct person to blame. You can’t even blame the addict. I loved and yet disliked that this story did not have a clear or simple ending.