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A review by rikkireads_
When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy
5.0
Wowowowow. This book was kind of hard to read in an all-too-real way but the writing was INCREDIBLE. I'm actually not always a fan of when poets write prose. But this worked for me. Perhaps it is because I feel like I read about violence against women quite a bit, but this felt fresh, honest, engaging and readable. And clever! I mean I literally wanted to laugh at the beginning, the way Kandasamy introduced her mother and how the story ended was strangely humorous and engaging.
But as always I have two issues: 1. I don't know who I should recommend this to. I mean, everyone, sure! But a lot of people I know would not 'enjoy' the confronting nature of this book. (Also, the references to feminists and writers etc. who I was quite familiar with but not everyone would be...that might be something off-putting for others) but 2. on the flipside, there are so many people who SHOULD read this! People who need to understand the problem of victim-blaming in regards to DV. The way power and manipulation goes hand in hand with DV. These issues just need to get wider attention and understanding but I feel like it is usually or often people like me - feminists etc. - who read this powerful stories but they need to be understood by more than that.
But as always I have two issues: 1. I don't know who I should recommend this to. I mean, everyone, sure! But a lot of people I know would not 'enjoy' the confronting nature of this book. (Also, the references to feminists and writers etc. who I was quite familiar with but not everyone would be...that might be something off-putting for others) but 2. on the flipside, there are so many people who SHOULD read this! People who need to understand the problem of victim-blaming in regards to DV. The way power and manipulation goes hand in hand with DV. These issues just need to get wider attention and understanding but I feel like it is usually or often people like me - feminists etc. - who read this powerful stories but they need to be understood by more than that.