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A review by savvylit
Body Work by Melissa Febos
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I don't know about you, but I find forthright, intimate discussions about the craft of writing to be fascinating. Body Work is just that -- a beautifully written book about the writing process. Technically this was written for writers but it would be just as interesting to anyone who loves to read. (Especially if you're a fan of memoirs).
In Body Work, Febos celebrates the immense power of personal narratives. She explores the ways in which memoir can be healing for the author: the ability to freely express trauma can help to alleviate some of the burden of said trauma. She also delves into the ways that personal narratives can help to heal readers. To read a personal narrative and see your own experience reflected back at you is to feel a lot less alone in the world.
Beyond those healing aspects of memoir, Febos also recounts quite a lot of her writing process for her three prior books. One section focuses on the ways that she included real people in her work and how they reacted. Another section is ostensibly about writing good sex scenes but is also about writers honing their ability to express moments the way happen in reality.
All in all, this is an engaging read and a delightful insight into the mind of a very talented author. Highly recommend!
In Body Work, Febos celebrates the immense power of personal narratives. She explores the ways in which memoir can be healing for the author: the ability to freely express trauma can help to alleviate some of the burden of said trauma. She also delves into the ways that personal narratives can help to heal readers. To read a personal narrative and see your own experience reflected back at you is to feel a lot less alone in the world.
Beyond those healing aspects of memoir, Febos also recounts quite a lot of her writing process for her three prior books. One section focuses on the ways that she included real people in her work and how they reacted. Another section is ostensibly about writing good sex scenes but is also about writers honing their ability to express moments the way happen in reality.
All in all, this is an engaging read and a delightful insight into the mind of a very talented author. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Drug use