aztlan's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Vomit, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
tyhud's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Addiction, and Terminal illness
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
annabulkowski's review
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Child death, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Grief, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Terminal illness
monochromesong's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Self harm, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cancer
pageafter_paige's review
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Vomit, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
larzhagen's review
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Religious bigotry
Minor: Abandonment and Stalking
brooke1118's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Vomit, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
mariekejee's review against another edition
4.5
I don't read much non-fiction, especially no memoirs, but I am happy I decided to follow the hype for this book. It is heartbreaking to hear about her life growing up. Some topics hit harder for me, especially hearing her talk about the emotional relationship she had with her mom, getting therapy and her disordered eating. It is hard to listen and not want to save her from her situation; it is telling that her OCD is barely mentioned and treated as tangential to her struggles growing up.
The way she decides to tell her story is by talking to us from the perspective of the person she is at that time; you can feel the childish naivety as she talks about her mom taking her to auditions despite her not wanting to act, through her mother teaching her to starve herself so her boobs won't grow at age 11. It's a powerful way to tell the story, and I like her way of writing a lot. It never came across as self-pitying to me, because from an early age it is clear how much she is thrust into a life she would have never chosen for herself.
I listened to the audiobook, which I can wholeheartedly recommend. There are parts where I appreciate her dry and quick intonation, especially later in the book, when she gets sarcastic and finds a more mature voice. Hearing her voice break when she was talking about how the image of her mother was being questioned brought me to tears as well. Sometimes it was a bit too flat and rushed for me, but overall it was a great listen.
It's a powerful, emotionally raw book. I can imagine it being rather triggering for some people, so if in-depth accounts of child abuse or eating disorders is something you know you don't vibe with, I'd give this one a pass. Otherwise, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Vomit
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Drug abuse
readybee's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Vomit, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Cancer
alygoel16's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Addiction, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Cursing, Cancer, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Dysphoria