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paukinra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide
Moderate: Racism and Addiction
Minor: Murder
justvaporlock's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
glitterpears's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
pinkhydroflask's review against another edition
2.0
i have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. i did unfortunately, suffer from the main character sympathy syndrome, but i do have to say, i felt that the way atkins described his prison experience just made him some like the privileged, white male that he is.
the actual duration he spends in prison is 2.5 years. during which, he manages to land 'cushy' prison jobs, befriends nice people, and overall manages to hold his own. i will not discount his prison experiences because 1. i have not been incarcerated and 2. his experiences were unique to him and him only.
sometimes the way a bit of a stretch reads like atkins is a tryhard, a self-aggrandising bastard, who somehow got the better end of the stick. maybe he chose to gloss over the (definitely still valid!) uglier aspects of his life in prison and focus on elements that would help his story instead. maybe he had to edit things out for legal reasons. we don't know, and we never will.
it just felt that this novel was not an accurate portrayal of prison because he had a stellar support system, a house to live in after he got released, friends and family who would constantly write to him etc. it makes you wonder about the other people who have no homes, who have no loved ones, who are stuck in the vicious cycle of reoffending simply because they are not capable of pulling themselves out of the rut, and there is nobody to help them. i want to hear their stories, too.
it is definitely an interesting read. i've been on the hunt for first person POV novels about jail/prison experiences after reading the prison doctor by dr amanda brown, and i have zero regrets picking this book up.
the actual duration he spends in prison is 2.5 years. during which, he manages to land 'cushy' prison jobs, befriends nice people, and overall manages to hold his own. i will not discount his prison experiences because 1. i have not been incarcerated and 2. his experiences were unique to him and him only.
sometimes the way a bit of a stretch reads like atkins is a tryhard, a self-aggrandising bastard, who somehow got the better end of the stick. maybe he chose to gloss over the (definitely still valid!) uglier aspects of his life in prison and focus on elements that would help his story instead. maybe he had to edit things out for legal reasons. we don't know, and we never will.
it just felt that this novel was not an accurate portrayal of prison because he had a stellar support system, a house to live in after he got released, friends and family who would constantly write to him etc. it makes you wonder about the other people who have no homes, who have no loved ones, who are stuck in the vicious cycle of reoffending simply because they are not capable of pulling themselves out of the rut, and there is nobody to help them. i want to hear their stories, too.
it is definitely an interesting read. i've been on the hunt for first person POV novels about jail/prison experiences after reading the prison doctor by dr amanda brown, and i have zero regrets picking this book up.
tarmacktarara's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5