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raquelbb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
chelsboooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
There's a quote on the back of this book from Sophie Heawood that says: "The 'how I moved to a field and had a breakdown book' that desperately needed to be written." And I think that describes it well, though it focuses far more on the breakdown than the field. It's honest and personal, and any attempts to smooth it over for editing would lessen it's authenticity. There were some parts that remained a little too abstract however, and for me felt out of place. Initially the jumps between mental health and discussing the next seeds to be sown felt sudden, but I realised that it was just realistic - life doesn't stop because you're struggling.
At first this book was difficult to read, because it was difficult to go through Rebecca's struggles with her. Had the whole book had the tone of the first 50 pages, I couldn't have continued with it. However, Earthed is the journey that both her mental health and smallholding skills went on together, and the difficult beginning evolves as a result. As the book progressed I was more and more invested in this snapshot of her life, and finished it with a far different feeling to how I started it. I will say that I was disappointed by the lack of farming and smallholding - the title and summaries fail to convey just how much of a focus on mental health this book had. Had I known this I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Still, I'm glad I did as I enjoyed it in the end.
It's difficult to explain what this book is, so I've chosen a few favourite quotes in an attempt to let the book explain itself:
"There have been plenty of what looked and felt like good days this month. Everyone is desperate to believe in them and in the steady springtime version of me: smiling, efficient and calm. I have tried to convince myself that she is real and that the woman who exploded was a blip. Except she wasn't. There have been more and more blips and they are getting closer together; their trigger more sensitive."
"My June garden is emerging from December's bog and there's a shimmer of energy around the place too. As the wind ruffles the field maple's bare branches and a carrion crow shouts above, a half silhouette steps into the side of my vision. I close my eyes...."
At first this book was difficult to read, because it was difficult to go through Rebecca's struggles with her. Had the whole book had the tone of the first 50 pages, I couldn't have continued with it. However, Earthed is the journey that both her mental health and smallholding skills went on together, and the difficult beginning evolves as a result. As the book progressed I was more and more invested in this snapshot of her life, and finished it with a far different feeling to how I started it. I will say that I was disappointed by the lack of farming and smallholding - the title and summaries fail to convey just how much of a focus on mental health this book had. Had I known this I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Still, I'm glad I did as I enjoyed it in the end.
It's difficult to explain what this book is, so I've chosen a few favourite quotes in an attempt to let the book explain itself:
"There have been plenty of what looked and felt like good days this month. Everyone is desperate to believe in them and in the steady springtime version of me: smiling, efficient and calm. I have tried to convince myself that she is real and that the woman who exploded was a blip. Except she wasn't. There have been more and more blips and they are getting closer together; their trigger more sensitive."
"My June garden is emerging from December's bog and there's a shimmer of energy around the place too. As the wind ruffles the field maple's bare branches and a carrion crow shouts above, a half silhouette steps into the side of my vision. I close my eyes...."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
purplemuskogee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
I did not realise before starting the book that mental health would be such a big part of it, but I think that made it more interesting and enjoyable. The author, Rebecca Schiller, had moved with her husband and two children to the countryside and is making big plans of planting vegetables and flowers, keeping hens, and living more sustainably - essentially my dream life - but is crippled by anxiety and something else which she is desperate to get a diagnosis for. The memoir is sometimes poorly structured - in theory it is organised by season, but there are many digressions about farming communities, women farmers from past centuries, and at times it can be hard to follow. After finishing the book I wondered if this jumping around with different ideas was maybe a deliberate illustration of the mental health diagnosis she receives at the end of the memoir. Regardless, some of these passages where she imagines the thoughts and lives of women whose names she found in local history books and archives felt unnecessary; but overall this is a well-written book, with interesting comments on privilege, mental health, meaning and nature.
Free ARC received from Netgalley.
Free ARC received from Netgalley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders