Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

29 reviews

mscalls's review

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.5

Powerful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Body horror, Grief, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, and Sexual content

laurareads87's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

5.0

Dear Senthuran is beautifully written, extraordinarily intimate, and covers a lot of ground: spiritedness + spiritual life, gender, mental health, childhood, career, fame, interpersonal relationships, navigating life amidst humanity.  Extraordinary & like nothing I've ever read before (though those who've read Freshwater will certainly find some familiar content here); also a very difficult read - I'm sure I've forgotten some relevant content warnings.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia

Moderate: Racism, Blood, Violence, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

savvylit's review

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

Dear Senthuran's epistolary format allows readers an incredibly personal glimpse into Emezi's relationships and fascinating life. Letter after letter, one thing quickly becomes clear: Emezi is unabashedly talented, passionate, joyful, and in love with their chosen family. They do also suffer, though, and this memoir intimately explores their past depression and suicidal ideation. That juxtaposition between the lowest lows and their joys is what really demonstrates Emezi's resiliency and dedication to living their life authentically.

Furthermore, beyond the powerful subject matter of Dear Senthuran, this memoir is absolutely brimming with unforgettable sentences. My own words can't do their words justice. Thus, here are a few quotes from Dear Senthuran:

"If just this terrified you - the tip of a feather - how am I supposed to open up entire wings?"

"What is love if not a shield thrown up around you when you are too injured to throw it up yourself?"

"People can do such spectacular things if you forget to tell them it's impossible. I want them to try."

"Part of bending the world we want into existence is that we get to choose who we want to be in it with, and I choose you."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Transphobia

readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

This is the most unique, compelling memoir I've read in many years. Through letters to their close friends and family, Akwaeke Emezi discusses their experience of being trans and getting surgery, their mental health, writing, chronic pain, the publishing industry, their identity as a god or ogbanje, and their spiritual connection with this world and with death. This is a fascinating read and one that introduced me to so many new concepts and ideas. Emezi really is a transcendent writer.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, and Medical content

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Homophobia, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Infidelity

reneethebookbird's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

becauseidontknow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

city_girl_writer's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Self harm

hogsandwich's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

Theyre definitely a genius. Theyre also, I suspect, very difficult to be around.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Self harm

dre721's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Dysphoria

ominous_teapot's review

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Death, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt