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pandemonicbaby's review against another edition
5.0
This book is such a marvelous, deeply interesting exploration of the power of education, of the meaning of family, of struggling with abuse and still being able to forge an identity for yourself afterward. Her path towards education is also a path towards being able to think for herself, instead of being told what to think by others. This might be the strongest, most powerful message woven in between the threads of this memoir, an ode to finding yourself through education.
So much nuance, so many tiny little intricacies present in the text show that Tara Westover truly is a historian -- that she's able to see the many different versions of a story and present them to the reader, making them reflect upon the significance and meaning of each unique account. "[...] nothing final can be known", as she quotes John Stuart Mill.
I feel like I'm going to reread this soon, just so I can underline the passages in this book that are so powerful they would make anyone stop reading just to reflect upon them. I shouldn't have been scared of underlining this book, gosh!! I gotta start being more willing to do that, whenever I think it might be important to me.
All in all, wonderful book. Marvelously crafted, beautiful writing, moving and powerful message. I cried reading this. I think it will stay with me forever.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Genocide, Miscarriage, Racism, Vomit, and Mass/school shootings
autisticwhimsydreamgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, and Pregnancy
insideunder's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Classism
snipinfool's review against another edition
4.0
Tara and her family spent their days working with Gene, gathering scrap metal to sell or building barns. It was hard and, at times, dangerous. The children were often injured. The family also helped create tinctures and other concoctions with their mother, Faye, who was an herbalist. Later, Tara helped her mother when she became a midwife. As Tara grew older and the older siblings left the house, she was abused by one of her brothers. She learned how to tread lightly around him, but often, not even that kept him from attacking her. Either her parents did not believe her when she told them what her brother had done or they told her that he was sorry and they were through talking about it.
Her brother, Tyler, decided to leave and go to college. He had borrowed textbooks to teach himself and was able to pass the ACT to get into Brigham Young University. Tara eventually did the same and was able to get into BYU also. She was seventeen when she stepped into a classroom for the first time. This was a whole new world for Tara and one where she did not know the rules. She did not let that stop her and she flourished.
I had a hard time putting this book down. The world Tara came from was so different from the one I was raised in. The hardships she dealt with in her family relationships and those in the outside world would have stopped many from trying to accomplish what they needed to do to be happy. I had a difficult time with how her parents handled the abuse from her brother. I can’t understand why they allowed it to continue. I am glad she had the support of her brother, Tyler, when she was planning to go to college. If she hadn’t, she might have never left.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
somberlittleman's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Cancer
paytonwaddell's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming
_lilyonbooks's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
hcop's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Antisemitism
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
michellec9's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Animal death and Excrement
vanessagrausam's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy