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Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler
29 reviews
skbat's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, War, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Racism, Rape, Violence, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, and Body horror
megnut's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
These essays weave together aspects of identity with specia characteristics of sea creatures.
I really enjoyed these metaphorical journeys... and will definitely listen again.
I really enjoyed these metaphorical journeys... and will definitely listen again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Dysphoria, Alcohol, Homophobia, Racism, and Eating disorder
Minor: Drug use
bookbrig's review against another edition
emotional
informative
fast-paced
I read this thinking it might be a good fit for teen readers, and I do think it could work for teens with some clear content warnings. It's creative and moving, and deals with lots of teen relevant topics - college drinking/hookups, body image, racism, family dynamics, gender, and sexuality, plus there's engaging science and animal stuff. But it doesn't elide details. It's... graphic is the wrong word, but maybe just blunt? Honest. And that makes it both excellent and definitely not something I was in a great place to read right now. Check the content warnings on this one before you go in, because I didn't, and I wish I had. I wasn't really in the right place to read it, though I will happily recommend it to the right readers. The audiobook, read by the author, was excellently done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Body shaming, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Animal death
phathaway's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Man, this book. It's a series of essays on the author's life, correlated with a different sea creature. Author is NB, but socially raised as a woman who definitely experienced comphet and I understand so much of their story as a late-in-life lesbian. Just such a beautiful read and I would definitely recommend it to any late-in-life or questioning queer.
I also love how she really put her struggles about her body out there.
I also love how she really put her struggles about her body out there.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Misogyny, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Grief, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Rape, Racism, Xenophobia, and Fatphobia
dreareads_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
There is so much about this book to love. I love the way Sabrina is so open and honest about their life, identity, and existence. Each essay provides us with a glimpse to their story, a story that is intertwined with a love for sea creatures and science that only Sabrina can blend together. By portraying their life through sea creatures, Sabrina opened the door for strangers to walk in and see a world that is both familiar and strange. Of all the essays I must say that my favorites were definitely "If You Flush A Goldfish" and "We Swarm". Two essays that felt both deeply personal and universal at the same time.
The only reason I do not give this book 5 stars is because there were a couple of essays where the chosen sea creatures and scientific discussions did not easily blend with the story that Sabrina was presenting at the time.
Regardless, I cannot help but love a book where I learn a lot and feel even more.
The only reason I do not give this book 5 stars is because there were a couple of essays where the chosen sea creatures and scientific discussions did not easily blend with the story that Sabrina was presenting at the time.
Regardless, I cannot help but love a book where I learn a lot and feel even more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Sexual content, Blood, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Grief, Racism, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
elmabu118's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Rape
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
4.5 stars
I really loved this collection - it's a blend of nature writing and memoir. The author relates the lives and science behind 10 different creatures to a particular aspect of their life and experiences. For example, their gender explorations, their grandparents' stories in WW2 China, and the eating disorder they experienced as a teen. I appreciated how Imbler made those connections and used metaphor to expand on both sides of the concept - it's not always easy to balance the nature with the personal in an engaging and accurate way.
The writing itself was straightforward and lacking that lyrical, more poetic writing a lot of nature and memoir writing can have and that I tend to prefer (less Braiding Sweetgrass style, if that's a helpful reference). However, the authorial voice and the occasional joke or sarcastic aside worked for me. It's also very much a collection of essay chapters, so there's less of a connecting thread (aside from the high-level concept) across chapters.
In terms of the animals themselves, I either learned a lot about them or got a refresher on ones I’m more familiar with. The sand striker, octopus, cuttlefish, and whales were some of my favourites but honestly all 10 creatures were fascinating in their own way. And the chapter art was so good - it’s hand drawn line art (the artist is listed in the acknowledgments) and compensated for the lack of full colour photo inserts that I wish the book had had a budget for.
Overall, if you like blends of nature and memoir - and especially if you're looking for more queer and/or BIPOC (specifically mixed race Chinese-white) representation in your science/memoir writing - I recommend checking this book out. (Which the author so aptly points out is a hyperfocus of people in the chapter about hybrid animals).
CW: discussions of eating disorders and attempts to lose weight unhealthily as a teen, sexual assault and substance-induced blackout periods of sexual activity where consent cannot be given, brief discussions of war and the Japanese invasion of China in WW2
I really loved this collection - it's a blend of nature writing and memoir. The author relates the lives and science behind 10 different creatures to a particular aspect of their life and experiences. For example, their gender explorations, their grandparents' stories in WW2 China, and the eating disorder they experienced as a teen. I appreciated how Imbler made those connections and used metaphor to expand on both sides of the concept - it's not always easy to balance the nature with the personal in an engaging and accurate way.
The writing itself was straightforward and lacking that lyrical, more poetic writing a lot of nature and memoir writing can have and that I tend to prefer (less Braiding Sweetgrass style, if that's a helpful reference). However, the authorial voice and the occasional joke or sarcastic aside worked for me. It's also very much a collection of essay chapters, so there's less of a connecting thread (aside from the high-level concept) across chapters.
In terms of the animals themselves, I either learned a lot about them or got a refresher on ones I’m more familiar with. The sand striker, octopus, cuttlefish, and whales were some of my favourites but honestly all 10 creatures were fascinating in their own way. And the chapter art was so good - it’s hand drawn line art (the artist is listed in the acknowledgments) and compensated for the lack of full colour photo inserts that I wish the book had had a budget for.
Overall, if you like blends of nature and memoir - and especially if you're looking for more queer and/or BIPOC (specifically mixed race Chinese-white) representation in your science/memoir writing - I recommend checking this book out. (Which the author so aptly points out is a hyperfocus of people in the chapter about hybrid animals).
CW: discussions of eating disorders and attempts to lose weight unhealthily as a teen, sexual assault and substance-induced blackout periods of sexual activity where consent cannot be given, brief discussions of war and the Japanese invasion of China in WW2
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Eating disorder, War, Body shaming, and Sexual assault
Minor: Racial slurs
bronteberry's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault
bavisca's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual assault
killianmgov's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
more to come! different than what I expected but not in a bad way. Will list triggers later because that was my biggest critique (lack of content warning)
—-
this was a book that surprised me in just about every way. i picked it up as I had noted the strong reviews, and I was interested in learning more about sea creatures and the way they are connected to life in general (the broken earth trilogy can be partially to blame,,, it has truly had me thinking about the world differently). broken up into ten different essays, imbler describes the life and conditions for 10 different sea creatures while connecting them back to their own experiences as a trans, queer biracial individual. like many collections, there were highs and lows across the essays. i did not realize quite how much imbler would be focusing on their own life and experiences as opposed to the sea creatures centered in the title of the book and each essay title. i cannot and have not experienced much of imbler's experiences highlighted within the essays, so i don't feel comfortable quantifying how "good" they were at representing them. i do, however, wish that more had been done to let readers know just how much detail would be given for their personal experiences as there was a lot of triggering content for rape, sexual assault, alcohol use, fatphobia, eating disorders, queerphobia, transphobia, and gender dysphoria.
these essays touched me and had and continue to have me coming back to imbler's ability to write with such clarity about connection, community, permeance, and memory. i have so much appreciation and respect for their ability to capture such complex emotions and experiences within short essays, and for that reason I will recommend for others with the caveat that triggers need to be given the moment the rec is made so folks are prepared.
—-
this was a book that surprised me in just about every way. i picked it up as I had noted the strong reviews, and I was interested in learning more about sea creatures and the way they are connected to life in general (the broken earth trilogy can be partially to blame,,, it has truly had me thinking about the world differently). broken up into ten different essays, imbler describes the life and conditions for 10 different sea creatures while connecting them back to their own experiences as a trans, queer biracial individual. like many collections, there were highs and lows across the essays. i did not realize quite how much imbler would be focusing on their own life and experiences as opposed to the sea creatures centered in the title of the book and each essay title. i cannot and have not experienced much of imbler's experiences highlighted within the essays, so i don't feel comfortable quantifying how "good" they were at representing them. i do, however, wish that more had been done to let readers know just how much detail would be given for their personal experiences as there was a lot of triggering content for rape, sexual assault, alcohol use, fatphobia, eating disorders, queerphobia, transphobia, and gender dysphoria.
these essays touched me and had and continue to have me coming back to imbler's ability to write with such clarity about connection, community, permeance, and memory. i have so much appreciation and respect for their ability to capture such complex emotions and experiences within short essays, and for that reason I will recommend for others with the caveat that triggers need to be given the moment the rec is made so folks are prepared.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Transphobia