Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

66 reviews

jujuwithbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

taylorgraves555's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

hbeawill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Domestic abuse

quinnjuliac's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual violence and Suicidal thoughts

124smilehd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

3.5

It's one of those books that you should read due to its informative and cultural significance but it's not something that I particularly enjoyed on its own. 

It did have a massive impact on how I view queer relationships in a social context, especially as a queer person myself. Early in the story I did lowkey think that this was not the best political time to talk about such a dark subject that could be used as evidence as to why queer relationships are inherently not good, but Machado seems to have taken this into account as she constantly talks about how we as minorities tend to glorify and idolize our identity as a form of survival and this inherently opens the door for abuse. It was a hard reality to swallow but I do think she made a valid and very important point, that our biggest resistance as a community is to be allowed to just be human, flaws and all.

I will say though that the writing style threw me off, it was just hard really commit to the micro chapters. The other big flaw was that she depends a lot on footnotes which seems odd for a memoir type of book. It almost felt as if she had to prove her own existence and memory by using other sources, even though by her own admittance there are very few written works on queer abuse? Idk I felt like this weakened her own voice by depending too much on outside validation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting and Fatphobia

kellybobelly96's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5

This book is important to read and at times, difficult to read. I appreciated the representation of a queer relationship that is usually hidden. This book reminded me of something I would read on my Women Gender Studies class in college - something that will stick with me but while reading often felt over my head. I didn't expect the memoir to be driven by literary and cultural analysis, but I recognize there was a poetic significance to everything being said. I would recommend to anyone who is willing to think critically and open yourself to a story that is more common than we would like.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

squidknees's review

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Alcoholism, Self harm, Bullying, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Blood

snowiceblackfruit77's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Violence, Cursing, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Fatphobia

foiblesandfiction's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I agree with other readers that it is difficult, almost impossible, to rate memoirs.

But I will say that this memoir is really damn beautiful.  I read the audiobook narrated by the author, which is one of my absolutely favorite ways to consume non-fiction literature.  It was haunting and informative and tense.  Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Homophobia, Grief, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

heidipolkissa82's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse