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lurieta's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Medical trauma
hannah_and_her_stories's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Drug use, and Self harm
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Minor: Cancer
sophieherr's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Homophobia
henriettaenam's review against another edition
Graphic: Homophobia, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Body shaming
mandathebiblio's review against another edition
I really appreciated reading this, though. I listened to the audiobook and I would give the audio a 5 out of 5 star. It was very well done as Akwaeke Emezi narrated it themselves.
As for the content in this book, there was so much that I feel like I could relate to and so much I know that I would never be able to and that is what made this such a worthwhile audiobook for me. I think that reading this as my first book from this author is going to help me when I read more from them. It was very interesting seeing their journey not only through publishing but through life in general. It definitely opened my eyes to some things that I may not have realized before and it was very helpful to see.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Medical trauma
aishallnot's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Self harm, and Transphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape
laurareads87's review against another edition
5.0
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
criticalgayze's review against another edition
5.0
Even more affecting here for the artist and art-inclined among us, Emezi gives a sense of transparency that is often lacking in the business of the arts that can feel so intimidating, especially to historically marginalized creators. To that end, Emezi weaves in a level of knowledge and advice that is reminiscent of such workbook memoirs as You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero and Minority Leader by Stacey Abrams.
This work also bolsters what I have come to find about my own reading life. What seems to leave the greatest impact on me as a reader are works of memoir, auto-, and experimental fiction by Queer creators. Works that Queer the space of writing while being Queer themselves, and works that peel back the exterior and interior process of creation that help me access that space within myself. (Now to take Emezi's advice and start letting that inspire, instead of intimidate!)
Quotes:
I tell him that my search for somewhere to be is really a search for self, and the only self I feel at home with is one that doesn't exist, not anymore, one that's bee taken apart, whipped into dust. (2)
The magician tells me that other people can't do what I do, and maybe I believe him a little, but that's not the point. People can do such spectacular things if you forget to tell them it's impossible. I want them to try. (22)
Illusions are the best things to burn, I think, but some people consider such fires to be threats, and those who start them even worse. (24)
People would read Freshwater and speculate about what my career would have looked like after starting with a book so bold. I would be less of a threat, they wouldn't hesitate to call the book what it was - not the way they do when you're alive and young, Black and pretty and fucking talented, and you don't pretend like you don't know all of this. (30)
I am, at once, the person most bent on my death and the person most successful at keeping me alive; even the devil won't take me. (44)
So, you could just show a terrible thing and let the showing be the strength of it? I thought it was brilliant. (77)
'I stood at the border, stood at the edge, and claimed it as central,' you said, your voice weighted with intent. 'Claimed it as central and let the rest of the world move over to where I was.' (77)
You should see my centers, Ms. Morrison. They're glorious. They pull with the force of a planet and I'm patient; it's only a matter of time. (80)
The rules are clear, no matter the stakes: when anyone fucks with the work, burn them to the ground. (87)
Everything advances, mutates, we are in new worlds constantly (154)
It gets so ugly, this thing of punishing other for prioritizing their well-being over reassuring insecurities. (206)
It's never too late - that's a human lie of time, there is no late, there is mostly now because now is so flexible, I find. You can change a whole life, a whole world, inside of a now. (213)
'You write when you are most fragile, because you're changing from one form to another. These transformations and transmutations that take place - it has to be painful.' (227)
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Medical content, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, and Cursing
Minor: Excrement
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
4.75
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
amyjo25's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt