Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

215 reviews

harrimyers's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

i am absolutely overcome with emotion. i cant say i’ve read many memoirs but this was maybe one of the most imaginative, deeply feeling and evocative approaches to a memoir i’ve ever come across. every piece of description and dialogue was so heart-wrenchingly personal and impactful.

the academic tone that underlined some of the chapters mixed with machados introspection and detail of her own experiences was a beautiful, haunting, and sensitive choice. the tone remained strong all the way through and the choice to advocate throughout this book was done very well. the metaphors, literary choices, and overall approach were just fantastic. the sources she used, the media that she critiqued and used to tell her own story along side of it were beautifully picked and j now have a list of essays, movies, and topics to go through. the choice to format each chapter in short vignettes centred around one theme, motif or technique was brilliant and i especially loved the use of footnotes to the folklore motif reference book, as reading them following the passage only heightened the point she was trying to make. some of these footnotes were so powerful, even if the reference was only 2 words. one that stood out to me was when she was describing her inability to masturbate, and she likened it to the motif of ‘losing magic power’, alongside the themes of sexual relation and her own acknowledged high sex drive and the power she personally got from sex, was a really insightful choice. 

the last two lines of thr acknowledgement. were beautiful. and i’m so grateful to have read this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

scifi_rat's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Homophobia

Minor: Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Biphobia, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Grief, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Torture

fi_nikki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

tinyjude's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

A memoir filled with beautiful metaphors, analogies and cross-boundaries genres and experimentation. Despite being a brief read, the contents of the book makes it harder to consume it in one sitting. The book mainly deals and details an abusive relationship between two queer women, how it starts, develops, how it destroys her but is unable to bolt, and the long-lasting effects of trauma due to said abuse. It is horrifying but highly important as, stated by the author in the book, there aren't many sources that discuss this topic and show light in how, no matter which type of relationship you are (poly, monogamous, same-sex, opposite-sex, etc), abuse is abuse and can happen and has happened. I am glad we are at a time in which we can discuss these topics among the community.

The gaslighting, the jealousy, controlling behaviour, abusive patterns, "happy" moments to overcompensate, the physicial, emotional and sexual harrassment, the consequences... they are all difficult themes to tackle and read, but Carmen María Machado does a marvelous job.

My only complaint is that i'm not the biggest fan of the second person pov in books. Nonetheless, a harrowing, necessary read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Biphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

alonnawright's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

mindfullybritt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Vomit, and Sexual assault

salon3ly's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

brilliant. ebbing and flowing with so much beautiful prose that seamlessly transforms from informative to gut wrenching. i’m so glad i got to read this now.


listened to goodbye, mr blue while reading - father john misty

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

sapphotoni's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Domestic abuse

amyjo25's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

catsloverain's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault