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A review by elocoel
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
4.0
Machado writes a very poetic, gothic horror-esque memoir of the abuse she went through.
It is very hard to rate and review a survivor's experience because who am I to say they did or did not do justice to their own story. Yet, Machado is a writer, and her memoir is not just a memoir, so I'll try my best to convey what I felt whilst reading her work.
In the Dream House creates a greatly chilling atmosphere that would not stick out in a very well-done psychological horror movie. Combined with Machado's writing style, how the whole book is written in second-person, it plants its root within the reader while also allowing Machado to address her past self.
The book is full of references to folk horror, derives characters and stories from various cultures to create a whole picture of the woman in the Dream House. It also talks about the history of queer women and abuse, something very hushed even today.
While there's a lot to say about this book, it is best read from Machado's own hand.
Now, to explain why this is a 4-star for me instead of a 5-star despite me praising it this much, I have to admit that while the writing style is very poetic and adds a lot to this work of art, I really had a hard time getting used to it. I usually flock towards simpler styles in memoirs because I believe the best way to convey a message is through clarity, and this book is not clear at all until you truly get used to it. Due to this, the first half took me a while to get through; I really had to force myself to read until the second half, which then I finished in one sitting.
Overall, In the Dream House is a very intimate piece of work that opens a new door to go through when talking about the more unlistened parts of wlw relationships. Machado does an excellent job, and I am proud of her and every victim who finds power in themselves to come forward with their stories.
It is very hard to rate and review a survivor's experience because who am I to say they did or did not do justice to their own story. Yet, Machado is a writer, and her memoir is not just a memoir, so I'll try my best to convey what I felt whilst reading her work.
In the Dream House creates a greatly chilling atmosphere that would not stick out in a very well-done psychological horror movie. Combined with Machado's writing style, how the whole book is written in second-person, it plants its root within the reader while also allowing Machado to address her past self.
The book is full of references to folk horror, derives characters and stories from various cultures to create a whole picture of the woman in the Dream House. It also talks about the history of queer women and abuse, something very hushed even today.
While there's a lot to say about this book, it is best read from Machado's own hand.
Now, to explain why this is a 4-star for me instead of a 5-star despite me praising it this much, I have to admit that while the writing style is very poetic and adds a lot to this work of art, I really had a hard time getting used to it. I usually flock towards simpler styles in memoirs because I believe the best way to convey a message is through clarity, and this book is not clear at all until you truly get used to it. Due to this, the first half took me a while to get through; I really had to force myself to read until the second half, which then I finished in one sitting.
Overall, In the Dream House is a very intimate piece of work that opens a new door to go through when talking about the more unlistened parts of wlw relationships. Machado does an excellent job, and I am proud of her and every victim who finds power in themselves to come forward with their stories.