Reviews

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay

squidreads12's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

I’m not going to rate this book, even though I usually rate nonfiction and memoirs because I think there is still writing and critical thinking to be had. I’m not rating it because that to me would feel like judging all of these people’s stories, and how they choose to tell them. 
What I will say is that this really felt like a punch in the stomach. There were so many stories, all illustrating that they are only a small fraction of the actual milieu and experience of rape culture everywhere. A very tough, but very important listen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

cydneyyendyc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

maybeamybe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

katscribefever's review against another edition

4.0

I say this as someone who reads unsettling books like it's my job: this book was a terror. An absolutely worthy use of nine hours of your time, these are the slicing experiences that you will never hear from a news source. First-hand experiences like these are among the best defenses the abused have if they're ever going to successfully aid the unabused in conceiving of the hell they've gone through.

chloe_westlake's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

jdgcreates's review

4.0

(4.5) I think this essay collection really should be required reading for humans, especially for men. I don't mean that in a condescending way, but I know "good men" who cannot grasp what I mean when I say I'm scared walking outside in general, for instance, and there's an excellent essay toward the end that illustrates that and more.

The variety of perspectives and experiences were fantastic and with only one or two exceptions, perfect additions to this volume.

Let us continue to "Give vent to our rage. Be bad. Dare to survive." as So Mayer encourages us in the essay "Floccinaucinihilipilification."

ginvael's review

3.0

Some essays are exceptional, powerful and brilliant. However, wasn't impressed as much as I had expected.

massaglia's review

5.0

I read this in preparation for a bookclub project taken on by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team (EDIT). It's a very powerful group of essays that helped me better understand rape culture, sexual violence, recovery, and male privilege. I'll be rereading it because, although the topic is really rough emotionally, the stories are powerful and come from a good place and reflect various ways survivors work through their experiences. I hope to be a better, effective ally.

V

alastar's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense

5.0

novelnotions's review

4.0

Such an impactful book, but I found I couldn’t read too much at once. I would need to take more time in between essay ‘chapters’ than I typically do in order to process and give the stories the space each deserved.