Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

31 reviews

mygallaget's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0


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aishallnot's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective tense

4.0


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mscalls's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.5

Powerful. 

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laurareads87's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

5.0

Dear Senthuran is beautifully written, extraordinarily intimate, and covers a lot of ground: spiritedness + spiritual life, gender, mental health, childhood, career, fame, interpersonal relationships, navigating life amidst humanity.  Extraordinary & like nothing I've ever read before (though those who've read Freshwater will certainly find some familiar content here); also a very difficult read - I'm sure I've forgotten some relevant content warnings.  

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savvylit's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

Dear Senthuran's epistolary format allows readers an incredibly personal glimpse into Emezi's relationships and fascinating life. Letter after letter, one thing quickly becomes clear: Emezi is unabashedly talented, passionate, joyful, and in love with their chosen family. They do also suffer, though, and this memoir intimately explores their past depression and suicidal ideation. That juxtaposition between the lowest lows and their joys is what really demonstrates Emezi's resiliency and dedication to living their life authentically.

Furthermore, beyond the powerful subject matter of Dear Senthuran, this memoir is absolutely brimming with unforgettable sentences. My own words can't do their words justice. Thus, here are a few quotes from Dear Senthuran:

"If just this terrified you - the tip of a feather - how am I supposed to open up entire wings?"

"What is love if not a shield thrown up around you when you are too injured to throw it up yourself?"

"People can do such spectacular things if you forget to tell them it's impossible. I want them to try."

"Part of bending the world we want into existence is that we get to choose who we want to be in it with, and I choose you."

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readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

This is the most unique, compelling memoir I've read in many years. Through letters to their close friends and family, Akwaeke Emezi discusses their experience of being trans and getting surgery, their mental health, writing, chronic pain, the publishing industry, their identity as a god or ogbanje, and their spiritual connection with this world and with death. This is a fascinating read and one that introduced me to so many new concepts and ideas. Emezi really is a transcendent writer.   

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reneethebookbird's review

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emotional sad medium-paced

5.0


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becauseidontknow's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5


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city_girl_writer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0


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hogsandwich's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

Theyre definitely a genius. Theyre also, I suspect, very difficult to be around.

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