Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

39 reviews

readingpicnic's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective

5.0

Very real and unfiltered account of being a late diagnosed autistic woman, with lots of humor throughout. Fern also points out lots of common autistic traits throughout to the reader, to which I realized that so many things I do are shared experiences in the autistic community that I thought were just applicable to me…very validating to read though. The commentary on autistic women becoming strippers and/or sex workers was so interesting and something I’ve never heard before, but it makes sense with how she laid it out coupled with her own experiences. I loved the audiobook narration.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Ableism, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny

alyshab2005's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I've been a fan of Fern Brady's stand-up for a while now...I love her intelligent and blunt insights. Here she tells her own story of isolation and confusion as an undiagnosed autistic woman. She's incredibly honest about the less social acceptable parts of living with autism (breaking furniture, physical assault, unhealthy relationships). Still, at so many points in the book you feel just intense empathy and worry for her. I love that she doesn't try to tie up the end with a pretty bow, but leaves it still unresolved, a work in progress.  I especially recommend the audio book as she reads it herself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Addiction, Cursing, Violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

jeremy_bearimy's review against another edition

informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Sexism, Self harm, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

mads_jpg's review

challenging dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Really interesting memoir about life as an autistic woman, I'm a big fan of Fern Brady's comedy and knew about her diagnosis, but was surprised to see this was the main focus of the book. Really well written and very funny, tempted to listen to the audiobook too since I spent most of this book trying to read it in her voice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Classism, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Sexual content, Addiction, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Medical trauma, and Misogyny

emmajuned's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I can’t say I enjoyed the book, even though I preordered the paperback through my love of Fern and her openness about her autism in interviews, but it was interesting and informative about autism. I’m self diagnosed (my father was diagnosed late in life and I have a lot in common with him) and this both confirmed my diagnosis and informed me of a wealth of things which I didn’t realise were autistic but I’d been doing all my life: clawing, planning conversations, replaying scenarios, hating being touched, loud noises, over enthusiasm for my passions, etc. I read it as a medical encyclopaedia with an endearing protagonist. She’s lead an eventful life for sure, and I’m glad the book could end on a slightly hopeful, inspiring note but something I’d already concluded myself. It’s nice to have confirmation, especially from someone who seems to have been through more extremes than me to get there.

At times, reading the book was difficult. I felt Fern was being punished a lot and unnecessarily, and how it was described lacked the humorous twists that could have made the book more entertaining, but I think then we wouldn’t have taken it seriously. The gaping hole in society and the medical support available to people with autism, especially adults, especially women, is glaring and ridiculous. The book felt gloomy and depressing in a very personal, private way that will be familiar to other autistics. Strangely, it gave me comfort for that very reason.

I applaud Fern for writing this. Having only discovered her after her appearance on Taskmaster, it’s strangely fitting that the story ends there, like catching up with a new friend. She’s so brave and inspiring, and I want her to know that she has succeeded. I feel better for knowing what she has been through, I feel heard, she has pushed society on to understanding a little bit more (perhaps a big bit).

I wish 8 was better at expressing my feelings for this…. But you know, autistic!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Classism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

While there is a lot of topics to give contents warnings for nothing in the book is described in a way that is distressing, graphic, or unnecessary. Fern is just very honest about her life

laura_keoski's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Ableism, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Ableism, and Suicide attempt

bearystarry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.75

I feel incredibly seen by this memoir. I’m… probably going to reread and annotate this almost immediately.

Just wish there was less fatphobia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Grief, Self harm, Drug use, Death, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Bullying, and Alcohol

Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, and Vomit

Minor: Rape, Racism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

wheelyautistic's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Brilliant memoir from one of my favourite comics. I love how honest and real Fern is about their life and how even now they are still working through their autistic journey of acceptance. This is a great book for anyone but particularly AFAB autistics or those who suspect they may be autistic. It isn't a self help book, far from it, but that's what makes it amazing because it allows a lot of people to relate to the difficult things they have also experienced as Autistic people. Fern inadvertly breaks the stereotypical autistic female mould and shows how being autistic can look outside of the typical white male presenting autistic representation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Ableism, Bullying, Death, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Hate crime, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Sexism, Police brutality, Physical abuse, War, Violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Excrement, and Police brutality

book_me's review

dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Sexual violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

gracesam's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Self harm, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Violence, Drug use, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse