libellumartinae 's review for:

The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex by Melissa Febos

4.25

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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I have put off the review of this book for long, mostly because fuck, if this book won't be a discussion in therapy. As always Melissa Febos manages to simply strike me in the depth and unearth so much undealt trauma. I felt like it was a lovely balance between memoir and essay of a thematic that I didn't know yet but felt like it is very much needed and should be further discussed and the writer does so brilliantly and expertly to the point of describing so brilliantly and tenderly so many delicate and cruel moments.

I am not sure whether I am convinced of the ending and of the mysticism that was presented although in parts I agree with this, but I can't help but think that overall the more I read of Melissa Febos, the more I'll have to talk in therapy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Classism