A review by readingcat1832
Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc

informative reflective

I don't read nonfiction often but I thought this was solid and engaging; Leduc's writing is lovely and fluid and she crafts a strong narrative in the parts of the book that were more memoir-focused. As someone who's already spent a modes (though definitely not extensive) amount of time in disability activism circles and in discussions around representation in media both current and historical, the book didn't necessarily raise too many new ideas for me, but they were still very appreciated, and I think this book could make for a great entry point for someone who doesn't know too much about disability representation but would like to learn more. I still enjoyed the chapters of this book and I also enjoyed learning a little about the history of fairy tales and their real-life writers (mostly the brothers Grimm). The discussion of changeling and faerie myths in connection to disability was especially interesting (and new to me personally!) 

I did find the essays to be a little repetitive and disjointed at times, however, and at some point I noticed they weren't really saying anything new that hadn't been said three chapters ago---just the same talking points raised in reference to different examples. So, I do wish the book had come to a bit more of a conclusion, or been a little broader in its critiques. Still, this was a good and interesting read and I'm glad I picked it up! And also definitely appreciate the extensive bibliography at the end of the book: it's clear Leduc did her research and I would love to explore more from the authors she cites.