A review by epellicci
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

 Strong Female Character is an incredibly uncomfortable read. A “tell-all” biography, Fern Brady unpacks a remarkable amount of trauma into this book, covering her difficult childhood surrounded by friends and family who didn’t understand her, to present day autism diagnosis and learning to support herself. 

 While I got the sense that the book was a therapeutic venture for her, and have no doubt that it will help other autistic women to feel seen, I found Strong Female Character incredibly brutal. Her account of meltdowns, and the way they take over her being was eye-opening. The lived experience she brings to female autism is where this book is most moving and powerful. But what ultimately stood out to me most was the impression that Brady has not been able to process a lot of her trauma, and an intense dislike of other women as a result of often feeling like an outsider in their circles. It made me feel a lot of empathy for her, and I hope she is getting the help she deserves. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Violence, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Fatphobia, Rape, and Misogyny

Minor: Alcohol and Drug use