lanidacey's review against another edition
4.0
So, I started this book the day after my mother passed. I've been drawn to books about grief, specifically in the context of mothers and daughters. Our situations could not be more dissimilar: I lost my mom to cancer while Trethewey lost her mother to domestic violence. Yet, our shared feelings were so similar: guilt, anger, depression and regret.
I enjoyed her writing, as well. Whenever Trethewey writes about her mother, especially when she describes her mother as she was in old photographs and recordings, she so perfectly captures that veil of bittersweet nostalgia and regret that colors these perceptions. The unseen things you go back and pick up on with your new knowledge of the future. A sadness that may or may not actually be there.
This coloring of history carries on throughout the memoir as she describes her home town, her school experiences and the tragic day when her mother was killed.
Separating myself from her experience, Tretheway describes with chilling detail the danger women face when trying to leave abusive relationships. She does an amazing job showing how dangerous her stepfather was while acknowledging his behavior was the result of severe trauma and mental illness brought on by his participation in the Vietnam War. It's empathic not sympathetic. The police and community resources do take him seriously as a threat; however, all it takes is a minor lapse in oversight in Tretheway's mother's security to end her life.
I may revisit this book in the future when I'm more distant from my own experiences. Perhaps try it in print.
I enjoyed her writing, as well. Whenever Trethewey writes about her mother, especially when she describes her mother as she was in old photographs and recordings, she so perfectly captures that veil of bittersweet nostalgia and regret that colors these perceptions. The unseen things you go back and pick up on with your new knowledge of the future. A sadness that may or may not actually be there.
This coloring of history carries on throughout the memoir as she describes her home town, her school experiences and the tragic day when her mother was killed.
Separating myself from her experience, Tretheway describes with chilling detail the danger women face when trying to leave abusive relationships. She does an amazing job showing how dangerous her stepfather was while acknowledging his behavior was the result of severe trauma and mental illness brought on by his participation in the Vietnam War. It's empathic not sympathetic. The police and community resources do take him seriously as a threat; however, all it takes is a minor lapse in oversight in Tretheway's mother's security to end her life.
I may revisit this book in the future when I'm more distant from my own experiences. Perhaps try it in print.
katieproctorbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This haunting memoir is so beautifully written, and just devastating. She’s an incredible writer.
cheesehead_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Powerful memoir about the murder of the author's mother by her stepfather. She supports the story with transcripts from the last few phone calls between the two as well as a statement her mother wrote when she was trying to leave him.
kristensreadingnook's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking and raw, Natasha tells the story of her mom’s death at the hand of her stepfather, the awful violence she was witness to, and the time she grew up in where most turned a blind eye.
Tears filled my eyes as my heart broke for the little girl who suffered.
Content warnings abound, but the poetic writing is beautiful and she captures so much with her turns of phrases.
Tears filled my eyes as my heart broke for the little girl who suffered.
Content warnings abound, but the poetic writing is beautiful and she captures so much with her turns of phrases.
85tarheel's review against another edition
5.0
“Memorial Drive’ is a wonderful piece of beauty borne out of a horror so deep it is hard to imagine. Reading it made me hurt in many ways but it lifted me up and filled me with grace in ways that matter far more. I am not familiar with Ms. Tretheway’s work as I will freely admit I am not a fan of poetry and I often feel I don’t really “get” it. Her writing is simply gorgeous. It is a short book and many of the chapters are very brief but that comes out of her deftness with prose. She never skimps or leaves anything out, she simply includes everything that is needed and nothing more. As one would expect from an accomplished poet the imagery in the book is subtle and remarkable. I love when you are reading a memoir and you end up feeling like the author is sitting next to you, telling you the story of their life, and that is exactly how I felt reading this. I was surprised by how much of her story of her childhood linked up with moments in my life. She is 4 years younger than me and lived in a very different environment but it is good to remember how much we share. I especially identified with her memories of the library. She talks about trips with her Mom and remembers them being “most often to the public library where the pale blue card with my name printed on it was a currency worth more than gold.” I wish all children would know that joy. Reading is an amazing portal to find the similarities and differences that make us all so interesting. She is honest and open about the story of her mother’s life and death and the honesty makes it all so poignant. In the end I am once again left to wonder why as a society we produce so many men who feel they need to be violent toward women. Why we produce so many people who think guns are a birthright and the solution to all their problems. And why as a society we punish so many people harshly for non-violent crimes but act like beating your wife is not that big of a deal. “Memorial Drive” is a road that leads you though almost every emotion there is, but in the end it made me feel better for having read it and for writers like Natasha Tretheway being in the word.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
5.0
This book is gorgeous and terrible and beautiful.
book_katalog's review against another edition
emotional
4.0
Narrated by author.
Her memoir interweaves historical events. It’s sad and raw.
Her memoir interweaves historical events. It’s sad and raw.