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A review by naiapard
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie
4.0
This is not the usual memoir I would go for. I read it for a class and it proved to be quite a well-spent time.
The reason why I gave it 4 stars is that it seemed a bit unfinished –but not in the way it was intended to be unfinished, more like, there was left out a small patch from the blanket that did not let me appreciate it fully.
But, anyways, it is tricky to call about “appreciation” when it comes to memories. After all, this is the story of one`s perspective on one`s life. There is not that much left for me, as a reader, to wiggle around on the topic of choice.
I think this is a skilled writer and it showed, especially in certain passages that were about trauma. His method of easing the reader into the pain is bone-chilling effective. No better place to feel at least a crumb of pain than when it comes to residential schools, for example.
The author is Native American. He talks about his past, in which he includes his experiences with racial stereotypes, generational trauma, and all these heavy to deal with topics, packed in this hard cocktail of living in the USA as a Native.
I do recommend this memoir even to those that do not know how to cope with the loss in their life. I think that the author offers a gentle hand in trying to guide you through some of the more complex emotions.
