Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

40 reviews

artisticpie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Violence, and Vomit

arkwen452's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Carmen's account of her upbringing and identity even as she is involved in her relationship was raw and unrestricted. I was aware of the contents of this book when I picked it up but there were still things that surprised me. 

I cannot speak on the specifics of domestic abuse history among Queer relationships. In The Dream house is really my first introduction to the subject specifically.

It's an important narrative on the topic and a good book to explore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

kaki4forks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Dementia

hydrareads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

“Would knowing have made you dumber or smarter?”

I pose the above question all the time when I look at my past relationships and decisions in retrospect. This book doesn’t necessarily answer that either but it does make you think.

An incredible autobiographical account on queerness and intimate partner abuse, it is a very eye opening and heartbreaking read. This book is a valiant effort at putting ink to paper and a formal historical entry to topics that are rarely talked about — queerness and abuse. 

The format of this book is not only unique but incredibly enjoyable. I haven’t read anything like this. It takes you through a disheartening and inspiring adventure through a surprisingly fun writing format. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body shaming, Homophobia, and Gaslighting

krmreads2024's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Lesbophobia

enyltiak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

A book review in snippets of thoughts I sent to my friend I was buddy-reading with as I went:

- “!!! genuinely so good. i didn’t realize it was in 2nd person (or, well mostly anyway) and honestly how did i not see that coming. just Works. i don’t think i finished all the stories in her body and other parties but even so, as much as i was enjoying that i feel like this is even better! also noted the way that even chapters focused outside of “her” are still “dream house as…” painting this representation draped over the whole thing of how this relationship has reflected on/effected her whole life reaching backwards”

- “genre defying and unique and yet makes perfect sense. of course [a memoir] should be written this way. why would it be any different? you can see she is SUCH a skilled writer. i can’t wait to see a novel from her. like holy shit, can you imagine?”

- “i get lost in the pov shifts and it’s all one. its me and you and her and wow. also the footnotes !!!!!!! i am not coherent but wow”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

kc_gilbert's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

klsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

In the Dream House is a masterpiece. Told in vignettes structured around literature tropes, this memoir follows the rise and fall of a profoundly abusive relationship. Machado is brave, vulnerable, and unflinchingly honest as she exposes the abuse she suffered across a 2 year relationship with another woman. She asks: if we view queer relationships as utopia divorced from patriarchy and hierarchy, are we being homophobic? Are lesbians not humans - complex, hurting, and capable of inflicting extreme harm? If we flatten a group of people into a monolith, we dehumanize them. This book is a necessary addition to the growing work on the incidence of abuse in queer relationships.

I've never read anything quite like this - I loved the vignette narrative structure. The book moved quickly because most sections were short. A couple of the tropes dragged on for me/didn't hit 100%, but I was enthralled and could hardly put it down. A few standouts for me - "Dream House as Deja Vu" (x3), "Dream House as Queer Villainy" (!!!), "Dream House as Bluebeard", "Dream House as the River Lethe", "Dream House as Choose Your Own Adventure" ...... ok, I have to stop or I'm going to quote half of this work.

Even more wild: I was in Iowa City as an undergrad during the events of this book. Did I see Carmen and the Woman from the Dream House at a coffee shop, at Obama's speech, in a bookstore? It makes me shiver, the ways people suffer out of view.

Brilliant. Carmen Maria Machado is an absolute force and a genius of prose and innovative structure. I HIGHLY recommend this book, but mind the CW's. Machado doesn't shy away from the gore at the heart of her story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Gun violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

iwishihadmoretimetoread's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

Minor: Drug abuse and Dementia

bokryp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.75

Ooph! Heavy and thoughtful and challenging. Amazing writer. Incredibly unique and intriguing writing structure. I was afraid it would be a slog to get through a new theme every couple pages, but it's one arc of a story told through dozens of facets and lenses. Remarkably cohesive, the structure gave a much more full and nuanced representation than a typical memoir structure would have. It's like how I tell stories. A little scattered and sometimes tangential, but it represents the message all the same. Ended up being engrossed by the serial style narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Sexual content