Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell

38 reviews

elinorrae's review against another edition

5.0

incredibly well written and the story was just so heartbreaking but full of hope

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Medical content

Moderate: Bullying, Infertility, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

samarakroeger's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

phenomenal.  had a feeling this one would be (for sure a mashed potato book).

Maggie O'Farrell reminds me why I love memoirs written by writers.  now I need to finally read her fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

gabilaras's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Violence, Medical content, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infertility and Rape

Minor: Pedophilia

geocul's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

fionag's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

My first Maggie O’Farrell- and what an interesting way to start. A non-linear narrative memoir discussing the times she felt most alive, which was when death brushed far too close by. Each section packed such a punch, and I was left feeling reflective of times I myself had gotten a bit too close to my own mortality. O’Farrell’s writing is gorgeous, though sometimes I found her run-on sentences annoying, and her descriptions are exquisite. I found myself underlining many passages. Death is something I have had to face up to more recently in my life, and now I can see how precious a life can be. It is interesting to get a perspective throughout the years and how death differs from a child’s perspective to an adult one. One thing- Maggie should NOT be allowed near water!! Would like to experience her fiction after learning more about her . 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, and Miscarriage

Minor: Rape

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

gingertea_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative lighthearted tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Infertility, and Miscarriage

emilylikesbread's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

3.75

This is a very unique way to share a life story. The first story in particular was quite chilling. Out of all of them, that will stay with me the longest. It’s insane how many times this woman almost died. Equally unlucky and lucky. I definitely found myself getting a little anxious at times. If you’re sensitive I would suggest reading tw before reading. Great read if you’re up for it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Infertility, and Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, and Murder

massivepizzacrust's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

4.0

I read this book over two days and I just couldn't put it down. It's a really fascinating idea, trying to tell the story of a life through close encounters with death. I found the writing really engrossing and approachable and I enjoyed how we got to understand the author's decisions in the initial anecdotes as the book progressed.

I'm not sure I really understand why the chapters were arranged the way they were. By the end of the book I didn't really have a sense that there was an overall arch to the book (past the connection between her childhood death experiences and her daughter's). I thought some of the stories brought more to the table than others - the stories centering on her pregnancies and her childhood were mostly beautiful, but the story with the mysterious man and the dog was confusing and weirdly half-confessional.

Reading about someone else's preoccupation with death was a relief to me. It's something that's been hard for me to deal with sometimes and this was a really different view on it. I don't think I'll be making any unprepared trips to remote countries any time soon though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

kaylamoran's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

Loved the audiobook, I absolutely loved the narrators voice.  I've recently dipped my toe into memoirs and so far, so good.  Will definitely be looking into Maggie O'Farrell's fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual violence and Stalking