Reviews

The Other Side of Paradise by Staceyann Chin

sbox's review against another edition

4.0

I love Staceyann Chin's poetry and live performances, so it was exciting to read her work in a different genre. The Other Side of Paradise is a compelling memoir that pulled me in with wonderful writing about Chin's experiences with growing up, loss, joy, love, and self discovery.

iris_ozurumba's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

5.0

I find something new in this book every time I read it. It is vivid and visual and it gives me hope.

keetham's review against another edition

5.0

The books hurts to read. It hurts because it's real and because she was a child and because she's not the only one. Every time I put the book down it felt like the world was a more fucked up place. Yet I kept picking it back up. The honesty of all the parts, the feelings, the confusion and hurt was so raw. I appreciate the sharing of this story, her story. And I'm thrilled she continues to thrive

valchic868's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

almond327's review against another edition

5.0

Powerful and remarkable. I loved this book to point of crying out in sadness and understanding!

paris_olivia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative sad tense slow-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Hate crime, and Pedophilia

Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Animal death

oliviastewart716's review against another edition

challenging dark tense

This is so well-done and interestingly written. It feels like reading fiction. However, it is incredibly brutal to read. The graphic depictions of abuse, assault, and trauma seem endless. Check content warnings! The foreword provides great perspective from the author and how she sees her life after all of this trauma. I think I got a lot more from that and would read a whole book just from her “current” perspective.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Abandonment

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Bullying, and Pedophilia

Minor: Blood and Fire/Fire injury

paperfemme's review against another edition

4.0

Stop reading this review and go get the book. Now. My single complaint is that there wasn't an additional section detailing recent years.
The language is sparkling, her style distinct and the story enthralling (and brutal). An absolute gem.

ehmatthews's review against another edition

4.0

While this is not a book I would have picked up on my own, I'm really glad my book club decided to read it. The beginning was a little hard for me to get into, mainly because I was having a difficult time reading in the dialect; however, as the story progressed I found myself unable to put it down. I was struck with both admiration for Stacyann's perseverance as well as horror for the way people in her life treated her. I found myself drawn to seek out videos of her performance art and was pleasantly surprised to see she starred in Across the Universe. I will be recommending this to my friends.

bookishgyal_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This memoir is truly one of the best I ever read. Staceyann Chin is an incredible storyteller and her voice is full of power/truth/honesty/wisdom. From a little girl until now, she has the voice of a lion and through the telling of her life story, this book has immense strength. I’m forever grateful for stumbling upon her poetry book because it lead me to discovering this memoir. I was hooked from beginning to end!