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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
This was more or of a 4.5 star read. More thoughts to come.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Natasha Trethewey presents in readers a memoir rooted in beautifully, deep emotions focuses on her mother, and she expresses the haunting sensations of grievance and loss that is carried on in her past, present and future.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Thanks to Ecco Books for the free advance copy of this book.
When she was 19 years old, Natasha Trethewey's former stepfather murdered her mother. MEMORIAL DRIVE is Trethewey's attempt to finally confront her grief, and maybe, 35 years later, find closure.
Natasha Trethewey is the former national poet laureate and a Pulitzer Prize winner, so I knew this book would be a must-read. I did not expect it to be so completely devastating, even knowing it was a story of domestic abuse ending in death. The writing is full of small details snatched from memories as Trethewey tries to untangle prophecy from hindsight, unravel the racism and bigotry she experienced as a mixed race child, and deal with lingering feelings of guilt. Trethewey unearths the story slowly, slowly, until suddenly the moment arrives for the reader just as quickly as it did for her all those years ago.
One can see precisely how trapped her mother was, and how everyone around them knew the entire family was in danger but could not or did not do anything to stop it. Even with assistance, even when they were able to escape temporarily, her mother’s story sadly goes the way of many abused women, and Trethewey shows us the lasting pain this violence inflicted on everyone left behind.
Content warnings: murder, domestic abuse (physical and emotional), threats of suicide, alcoholism, racism, misogyny.
When she was 19 years old, Natasha Trethewey's former stepfather murdered her mother. MEMORIAL DRIVE is Trethewey's attempt to finally confront her grief, and maybe, 35 years later, find closure.
Natasha Trethewey is the former national poet laureate and a Pulitzer Prize winner, so I knew this book would be a must-read. I did not expect it to be so completely devastating, even knowing it was a story of domestic abuse ending in death. The writing is full of small details snatched from memories as Trethewey tries to untangle prophecy from hindsight, unravel the racism and bigotry she experienced as a mixed race child, and deal with lingering feelings of guilt. Trethewey unearths the story slowly, slowly, until suddenly the moment arrives for the reader just as quickly as it did for her all those years ago.
One can see precisely how trapped her mother was, and how everyone around them knew the entire family was in danger but could not or did not do anything to stop it. Even with assistance, even when they were able to escape temporarily, her mother’s story sadly goes the way of many abused women, and Trethewey shows us the lasting pain this violence inflicted on everyone left behind.
Content warnings: murder, domestic abuse (physical and emotional), threats of suicide, alcoholism, racism, misogyny.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Natasha Trethewey gives an extraordinary look into domestic violence in this memoir. She gives the view point of herself as a child and teenager trying to navigate the mine field her abusive stepfather laid out. She also gives the view point of the victim of her mother and the abuser through court proceedings and evidence.
Trethewey’s poetic style shines though in phrasing and descriptions of places, people and events. In one chapter, she skillfully shifts the narration to second person and gives a powerful explanation of why at the end of the chapter, displaying her writing genius.
Those who are admirers of memoirs will appreciate this raw and emotional memoir.
I was given the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
Trethewey’s poetic style shines though in phrasing and descriptions of places, people and events. In one chapter, she skillfully shifts the narration to second person and gives a powerful explanation of why at the end of the chapter, displaying her writing genius.
Those who are admirers of memoirs will appreciate this raw and emotional memoir.
I was given the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Absolutely stunning prose from a former U.S. Poet Laureate. I highlighted and annotated something on nearly every page of this beautiful, heartbreaking memoir.