Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

14 reviews

yeetith_and_yoinketh's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book was absolutely terrifying to read and it was eye-opening. Carmen Maria Machado threw linear timelines and regular memoirs out the window. Instead of the memoirs I am used to reading, which always feel just a little bit shallow and inauthentic, this one really shows you the very essence of Miss Machado.

Spoiler

With moments before, after, and during the abusive relationship inside the Dream House, along with little memories, studies, and key life experiences, it really feels like we have been given the privilege of wandering around her soul. That being said, I don't want to make light of the fact that she was in an abusive relationship and that she was trapped inside. This book is beautifully haunting to read, but I want to make you understand that this is not something to be romanticized for a book review.

 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug abuse

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

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Rape

Minor: Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Animal death, Car accident, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Eating disorder, Vomit, Murder, and Medical content

lesbianlis's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

This book deals with an extremely important topic that needs to be voiced and discussed. That said, as a piece of work itself, I liked it so-so. 

I did not get along with the narrative structure, I found the rapid-fire succession of chapters (supposed to show different genres and narrative styles) too much disjointed and confusing. The writing style is a bit too much experimental for me.

I liked much more the chapters that were "essay-like", exploring queer history and theory. However, I think that this mixing of informative chapters together with more literary and elaborately written ones was a bit jarring, it felt like two different books mashed up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Lesbophobia, Body horror, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Gun violence, Medical content, Drug abuse, Torture, Cursing, Car accident, Biphobia, Sexual assault, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Bullying, Transphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Dementia

sydneys_neverendingtbr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.5

I initially really didn't know how to rate this. I don't often read nonfiction; I've maybe read two other ones in my life. But there was something so 'whimsical' about this that it really sucked me in. The mix of second/third POV, writing styles, concepts, and real-life examples of queer abuse gave itself so well to the fever dream/fairy tale feel I believe the author was going for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault

cianarae's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I read this entire book in one sitting and could not put it down. It’s beautiful, tragic, splintered, poetic, visceral, unique. I loved the references to movies and books throughout that really gave context to the author’s thoughts and experiences. I want to share this book with everyone I know!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Dementia, and Infidelity

laurenbowes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Rape, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Vomit

missbsbookshelf's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, and Drug abuse

corvidprince's review

challenging reflective sad tense

5.0

I wasn't in an abusive relationship--not one like this anyways, and yet so much of it hits home about my parents and my childhood into my ongoing adulthood. she captures the same feelings I had, still have, in a way I could never put words to. 

this book is bone chilling and real. it's one of the few books that have ever brought me to tears.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Religious bigotry