Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

How to Be Autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe

8 reviews

bailey_the_bookworm's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

2.75

This memoir suffered by comparison to the memoir I read immediately before it, but even on its own, this was…not great? It feels like a series of disconnected ramblings about a variety of topics with only occasional gestures toward a larger point about autism, ableism, bullying, or depression. The poetry is quite good; the rest of the book had a few bright spots but on the whole it was just kind of a mess. 

It feels like the author wasn’t quite ready to write some of it yet—there are references to experiences and topics that the writing then pulls away from or never addresses fully.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

stirlitza's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Eating disorder, Medical trauma, and Dysphoria

questingnotcoasting's review

emotional sad fast-paced

3.5

This was such an interesting memoir. It's quite short and Poe has a very casual writing style which meant I flew through it but it is a very hard read at times. I felt so immersed in their past life experiences, lots of which are traumatic so it's a real emotional rollercoaster. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for a reader who knows nothing about autism, since it's such a personal account, but if you're looking to expand on what you already know this would be a valuable book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

felicityebhaslin's review against another edition

inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Self harm

ankonyx's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

Moderate: Child abuse and Toxic friendship

writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

 How to Be Autistic, by Charlotte Amelia Poe 🪐
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✍🏻 The concept: In this short but impactful memoir, Poe recounts their life with autism. Undiagnosed until they were 21, Poe’s story explores the cruelties and callousness they experienced as a misunderstood child at the hands of educators and doctors, the love and protection they got from their family, and their journey of self-expression, through writing, body modification, and more.
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It’s always difficult trying to review a memoir, especially one that contains so much pain, and from which I learned so much. Poe is so generous in their writing, in the empathy that they extend even to the people who hurt them when they were younger. Their journey to an autism diagnosis comes with trials and tribulations, and so many moments when you despair for this poor child who is not being asked the right questions by people in positions of authority, and who is not getting the support they need. It’s hard to boil this kind of reading experience down into the usual assessments of readability or writing style.
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But, for what it’s worth, I really loved the way this was written. Poe’s voice is frank and friendly, and they explain complex topics really well. There’s an openness in Poe’s writing that is moving and memorable - openness to different ways of thinking, to different ways of being. It’s that openness that I think I’ll remember most from this book and that I want to take forward into my life and my support of the autistic community.
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☄️ I think everyone should read this! But especially if you are a teacher or medical professional, or if you’re anyone really who thinks they don’t know enough about what autism is or what support autistic people need from neurotypical people in the fight for equality.
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🚫 Avoid it if you find it very difficult to read about vomit, as that features heavily, or if you are autistic and are likely to find some of the childhood content triggering - I’d check TWs on the Storygraph before reading in this case! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Bullying and Vomit

demo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Vomit, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical trauma

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

High school form teacher is abusive towards the author - doesn't really fit into any of the above content warning categories

morgan_from_mars's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I'm autistic and I love love this book. So much of our experience is written by non-autistic people and even if it includes us it is the stereotypical socially awkward white boy who loves science/maths. This is a nonbinary asexual person who has friends and enjoys art. I love them and I saw so much of my experience reflected in their memoir. I cannot recommend this enough if you want to know how autistic people actually are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, and Vomit

Moderate: Bullying, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide