Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Know My Name: The Survivor of the Stanford Sexual Assault Case Tells Her Story

This is a long book. I got through the verdict and sentencing and it seemed like she was talking about how she came to write the book. Didn’t keep me interested. Sorry, that’s harsh.

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gcaruana's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

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rieviolet's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

There isn't much that I can add to what previous reviews have already said. This is a monumental book, raw and heart-wrenching, so masterfully written. I was moved to tears and moved to absolute rage at the pain inflicted, the injustice, the added abuse caused by the judicial system.

I'm so grateful that Chanel Miller was able to make her voice heard and share her truth. I hope that her words can reach anyone in need of strength, validation and understanding.

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alexxxxandra's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

5.0

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bookish_wanderer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

First of all, watch out for trigger warnings. This can be a tough read.

I'm actually not sure if I can to gather my thoughts well enough do this book justice. Let's try.

You might have heard of Chanel in the past but did not know her name. You knew her as the victim in a high-profile sexual assault case in the US, a victim of a "promising swimmer". Now Chanel wants to reclaim her identity and be known for the survivor she is, and oh so much more.

She's such a gifted writer, and the way she conveys her emotions, the anguish, the pain, and everything she and her family went through at the time is brilliantly done. It's raw, intimate and honest. It'll make you scream, cry and sometimes even laugh, as she also shares some lovely memories.

With this memoir we have the opportunity to see what can happen to survivors who try to get justice. It reminds us why so many assaults go unreported, under a system that favours attackers rather than protect their victims, and almost accepts that these acts are just an inevitable fact of life (especially on campus). Where if you're a promising jock or famous, rich white and male, you're often held at a different standard.

What does it say about our society, when people are angrier at a woman for "putting herself in that position" (BIG quotes here), rather than at the attacker for committing the crime? Where alcohol is a reason for leniency for the accused, but more of reason to blame the victim?
Where a promising career in sports is valued more than the sanctity of someone's body and dignity?

Seeing her strength while she fought through it all to come out where she is today is a message of hope, for all survivors out there.

I really recommend this memoir. It is powerful, and it is so important. There is still so much to change.

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ameliasbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

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ioannareadabook's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

I don't even know where to begin with this book. I was so scared it would be didactic, or overly depressing (which it had every right to be) but I honestly only found it captivating, painfully honest and raw, and surprisingly hopeful. It really does make you think in the most natural way possible, and Miller is a genius for addressing her situation in the way she did.

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