A review by ccaitlinranae
Spinning by Tillie Walden

5.0

i'm an ex ballet dancer, not an ex figure skater, but i've never related to a memoir more than this one. it was so cathartic it made me cry like a baby. from growing up lesbian in texas, to hating the sport you're in but staying for the rare adrenaline surge, to being forced out of the closet, to wondering if i even want to go to college, to falling asleep in your athletic clothes to make waking up in the morning easier- it's all so raw and real in a way i've never felt before. i've never been able to put into words how it feels to be in a sport that doesn't love you back unless you betray yourself for it- but Tillie has. Tillie Walden and i have both quit our sport now. i've only taken one full class since quitting just to prove that i can and that i too can still leave.

even if you're not a sad ex performer you should read this memoir. it didn't make me more than two hours. trust me, you'll be thankful.