Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Girlhood by Melissa Febos

27 reviews

julied's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Ableism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

anniefwrites's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Wow. You know a book is good when you want to go back and reread it right away. Melissa Febos's essay collection attributes microscopic attention to her past and finds common threads that weave together internalized misogyny, lack of agency, and stifled exploration of identity and sexuality. She has such a distinct voice and uses such inventive imagery to welcome the reader into her exhibition of vulnerability. For lack of a better word, this book is full of truth-bombs. I highlighted so much, and it's making me reflect on my own experiences as a girl growing up in a patriarchal society. An excellent read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Eating disorder

kay_jax's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

this was a surprisingly fantastic memoir to me! the mix of part research and part autobiography worked perfectly to create an honest and relatable narrative. i connected with the author’s ability to form seven thoughtful essays, each with their own personal subject matter. 

i think girlhood is a great book for uncovering a woman’s journey from adolescence to adulthood through raw and empathetic writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

annanahnah's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Eating disorder

Minor: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Mass/school shootings

readingwithcats's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

hopemathslow's review

reflective medium-paced

5.0

The writing is well-researched and thoughtfully composed, at once brilliant and nuanced. Febos' examination of girlhood and the ways of discovering what that means to yourself and to the world feels a bit like staring for too long at the sunset. It's beautiful but a little painful, too. The halo lingers even after you look away.

"Before I learned about beauty, I delighted in my body. I was a passionate child with calloused feet and lots of words. I talked fast and moved faster."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Drug abuse

Moderate: Sexual content

clarabooksit's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

These essays pack a punch: some are difficult to read, some are hopeful, and all are thoughtful and thought-provoking. (Definitely heed the content warnings and let me know if you’d like further info on them.)

Febos’ writing is vulnerable and engaging. She has a gift for making a personal story a shared experience with the reader—it’s not just words on paper but an invitation to understanding. I particularly loved her discussions around consent, which made me reshape my thinking on the subject. Likewise, what she has to say about feeling unsafe in all sorts of circumstances really resonated with me.

Overall, this book made me feel seen, I loved it, and you should read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts