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rarasreads 's review for:
In the Dream House
by Carmen Maria Machado
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This was a uniquely crafted memoir in both first and second person POVs that literally and metaphorically depicts Machado’s abusive relationship with her ex-gf through different “Dream House” constructs.
“In this way, the dream house was a haunted house. You were the sudden inadvertent occupant of a place where bad things had happened. And then it occurs to you one day, standing in the living room, that you are this house’s ghost: you are the one wandering from room to room with no purpose, gaping at the moving boxes that are never unpacked, never certain what you’re supposed to do. After all, you don’t need to die to leave a mark of psychic pain.”
This book was full of achingly raw moments written in beautiful prose that left me feeling sad, shock, anger, but also hope. Some parts required a reread to help me better grasp Machado’s point within a vignette, but I admired her overall lyricism. I also appreciated the ways in which Machado weaved in social commentary on abuse within the queer community, and how certain, false perceptions fail victims and survivors. It serves as a critical reminder of the nuances of the human and interpersonal experience. This memoir does just that by showcasing that abuse isn’t always physical and the scars aren’t always visible.
Overall, I recommend this book but please keep in mind trigger warnings for emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse; gaslighting; and manipulation.
“In this way, the dream house was a haunted house. You were the sudden inadvertent occupant of a place where bad things had happened. And then it occurs to you one day, standing in the living room, that you are this house’s ghost: you are the one wandering from room to room with no purpose, gaping at the moving boxes that are never unpacked, never certain what you’re supposed to do. After all, you don’t need to die to leave a mark of psychic pain.”
This book was full of achingly raw moments written in beautiful prose that left me feeling sad, shock, anger, but also hope. Some parts required a reread to help me better grasp Machado’s point within a vignette, but I admired her overall lyricism. I also appreciated the ways in which Machado weaved in social commentary on abuse within the queer community, and how certain, false perceptions fail victims and survivors. It serves as a critical reminder of the nuances of the human and interpersonal experience. This memoir does just that by showcasing that abuse isn’t always physical and the scars aren’t always visible.
Overall, I recommend this book but please keep in mind trigger warnings for emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse; gaslighting; and manipulation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting