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fkshg8465's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
I really enjoyed the TV series, and of course I was happy to support a fellow Seven Sister (she went Smith and I went to Mount Holyoke). The book was less compelling but enjoyable nonetheless. I’m glad she was able to recognize her privilege and that’s certainly paid off with whatever she earned from the book and the show in income, fame, and other opportunities and benefits.
Maybe because the series diverged and had a lot more to say, the book felt incomplete. I also found myself trying to draw lines between the characters on the pages and on the screen.
I think I would’ve liked to know what was written more than what was. There were a lot of things that felt insufficiently discussed. I’ll have to satisfy those gaps with the show.
Maybe because the series diverged and had a lot more to say, the book felt incomplete. I also found myself trying to draw lines between the characters on the pages and on the screen.
I think I would’ve liked to know what was written more than what was. There were a lot of things that felt insufficiently discussed. I’ll have to satisfy those gaps with the show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism
saracatalyst's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Reading this in 2022 was about what I expected it to be, in some ways. A lot of this book did not age well in ways that have been widely discussed, especially since the show came out. The discussion of Vanessa, who became Laverne Cox’s character, particularly bothered me. Not just because of the transphobia but the voyeuristic surface level of her part in the book. Also, Kerman felt the need to comment on an estimated weight of the fat people she encountered to seemingly no end except to say they’re fat. Also sometimes how unattractive she deemed some people, again, to no effect or real point.
So, I don’t super recommend this. There are a lot of better memoirs and a lot of better books to read to learn about prisons. But I am still a sucker for a memoir, and I recently rewatched the show. It was interesting to see the pieces of this source material and how they showed up in the TV series. The storyline was very different in the show but so many of the details were there, and you could often see the primary inspiration for one of the characters.
I almost DNF’d this half way through. Ultimately I’m glad I didn’t. I was surprised at the amount and depth of reflection that Kerman did, and I did feel somewhat gripped by her story of her transport to Chicago.
So, I don’t super recommend this. There are a lot of better memoirs and a lot of better books to read to learn about prisons. But I am still a sucker for a memoir, and I recently rewatched the show. It was interesting to see the pieces of this source material and how they showed up in the TV series. The storyline was very different in the show but so many of the details were there, and you could often see the primary inspiration for one of the characters.
I almost DNF’d this half way through. Ultimately I’m glad I didn’t. I was surprised at the amount and depth of reflection that Kerman did, and I did feel somewhat gripped by her story of her transport to Chicago.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia