Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

30 reviews

jazhandz's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

3.5

I picked up this book because the marketing and blurb makes it sound like science nonfiction. It is not. It is a collection of personal essays that use marine as a metaphor. They’re beautiful essays, they’re very striking, but I was just intensely frustrated the whole time because of the marketing failure. I wanted the sea creatures to be the point of the book, and it didn’t feel like they were. Maybe I would rate this higher if I’d gone in knowing that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal death, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Sexual content, and War

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Racial slurs

takarakei's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

I really enjoyed how Sabrina uses stories or information about sea life to relate back to human existence, especially as a queer POC.

Be sure to check content warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Racism and Dysphoria

silvern's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Ten stunning, poignant essays about a life - an existence - outlined via parallels drawn to creatures and communities of the sea. I am floored. I am wrung apart. I care about this book deeply. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Dysphoria

marstone's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Dysphoria

Minor: War and Colonisation

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Dysphoria, Alcohol, Homophobia, Racism, and Eating disorder

Minor: Drug use

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.

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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. 

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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

madelinegl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Sexual assault, and Homophobia

fellowshipofthebroom's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Racism, and Xenophobia

quil's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Racism