missoliviareadsbooks's review
4.0
Hugely powerful read that takes you on a full rollercoasterof emotions, not shying away from the real life horrors faced by the author.
sanmeow's review
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
i'm autistic myself and this is relatable. i do think someone who's not autistic or someone who is autistic but likes this kind of book more than i do would for sure get more out of it. i didn't love the style personal taste wise, however i think it makes the material easy to understand for allistic people. and that is good. wouldn't reread but it's a valuable piece for sure!
ghostie669's review against another edition
5.0
This book was incredible for me to read, I read three quarters of it in one sitting and didn't finish it there and then because I fell asleep. It's raw and powerful and it is the first book I read that made me feel not alone as an autistic person. It's a very intense read sometimes, and I cried more than once (am crying now) but I think that just serves to show what an incredible book it is.
foggy_rosamund's review
2.0
Everything the author says about autism in this book is factually correct, but the book doesn't express the information about autism in a clear way. However, it would be fine to include in a list of books about autism and written by autistic people: some people might find it helpful. For me, it doesn't really work as a description of being autistic because the author jumps around the topic too much, and it's grasp what they're saying. As well as that, it doesn't work well as a memoir, because the author doesn't seem to have really processed what they're talking about emotionally: they qualify everything they say, and apologise to family members for writing about them in way that makes the work feel immature or uncertain. At times, the writing is so raw I feel protective of the author: "Don't put it out there yet!" I wanted to say. "It's clear you're not ready to talk about this!" Overall, I found reading this made me very uncomfortable, but I had a lot of empathy for the author and everything they have been through. My experience being autistic is very different, but I felt a similar level of pain and hurt.
theautisticreads's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Autistic or not, read this book! Broken down into easy digestible chapters, the author takes you through every aspect of what it's like to be Autistic. The poems they include throughout are written with such beautiful, powerful words. A must read.
althea's review
2.0
2.5/5 Stars
There were a lot of good things about this book, and some really relatable parts to it, as an autistic person myself - including the wonderful poem at the start of the book - but there was so much of it that just didn't feel like it fit. All the details about the author vomiting, for example. It's definitely an okay read, but not one that I think I will revisit.
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There were a lot of good things about this book, and some really relatable parts to it, as an autistic person myself - including the wonderful poem at the start of the book - but there was so much of it that just didn't feel like it fit. All the details about the author vomiting, for example. It's definitely an okay read, but not one that I think I will revisit.
Want more queer books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
faehriss's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Named after her Spectrum Art Award-winning video, "How To Be Autistic" is a book that does exactly what it sets out to do. It is a collection of thoughts and experiences, of ideas and challenges. Some may find the writing style of this book cluttered and unfocused - but to me, it is honest, raw and like looking into a mirror of the inside of many of our neurodivergent minds. As a woman who learned of their autism much later in life than frankly should be acceptable, this was an incredibly validating read just for the window into the life of a woman with such similar experiences to my own and I hope that it can bring similar comforts to any other women who have led the kind of life we have.