Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

47 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

lbelow's review against another edition

5.0

Powerful and powerfully relatable memoir. Prior to reading, I was pretty sure I'm not autistic, but so many experiences in this book make me wonder. Maybe that was why I glommed onto this book so hard. Then again, it could just be the engaging and open way Fern Brady writes. This book discusses some heavy topics but, maybe because of the light, casual tone, it didn't feel like a dark book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Body shaming, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Gaslighting, Violence, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Alcohol, Self harm, Ableism, and Child abuse

lauradvb's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

itsbumley's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Description of an act of necrophilia.

lilyreads01's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse and Mental illness

hanne_chummy's review

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Grief, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Violence, Sexual violence, Self harm, Misogyny, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

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

smillas_tales's review against another edition

dark funny reflective fast-paced

As an afab autistic person diagnosed in their twenties, this was an incredible book! I don’t share many traits with Brady, but I still related to some of her views of the world, and it was so reaffirming.

My only issue with this novel is Brady’s fatphobia. I’m sure no ill harm is meant, but the frequent comments regarding size and looks, and how these are used to emphasize the negative character of individual stood out to me and took away from my reading experience.

I’ll have a full review up at some point, when I get the time and energy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Eating disorder, and Ableism

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Biphobia, Abandonment, Infidelity, Police brutality, Misogyny, Classism, and Suicidal thoughts