caseys_chapters's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This is going right onto my favorites shelf - What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang.
The heart of this memoir is the author’s relationship with her mother, a physician who immigrated to the United States from India. Maya takes on the role of caregiver when her mother develops Alzheimer’s. Then Maya’s image of her mother radically changes when she learns of long buried secrets.
Between the short chapters and how deeply this latched into my heart, I could NOT put this down.
This memoir poked all of my soft spots. A complicated mother-daughter relationship, caregiving for a loved one, and learning about people beyond our perception of them.
It’s also very much about storytelling. How we present ourselves, what we choose to believe, the personal significance of memories. Maybe it’s not facts that shape us, but stories.
There’s so many resonant layers to What We Carry. I can see myself rereading this later in life and appreciating different parts each time. I’ll certainly carry this with me.
The heart of this memoir is the author’s relationship with her mother, a physician who immigrated to the United States from India. Maya takes on the role of caregiver when her mother develops Alzheimer’s. Then Maya’s image of her mother radically changes when she learns of long buried secrets.
Between the short chapters and how deeply this latched into my heart, I could NOT put this down.
This memoir poked all of my soft spots. A complicated mother-daughter relationship, caregiving for a loved one, and learning about people beyond our perception of them.
It’s also very much about storytelling. How we present ourselves, what we choose to believe, the personal significance of memories. Maybe it’s not facts that shape us, but stories.
There’s so many resonant layers to What We Carry. I can see myself rereading this later in life and appreciating different parts each time. I’ll certainly carry this with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
saadiasreads's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Emotional abuse
stayshomeandreads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
5.0
one of the best crafted memoirs I've ever read. a gutting reflection on the relationship between mothers and daughters throughout life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Grief
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