Reviews with content warning for Medical content - Happening

Part memoir, part social commentary, covering both the misogyny and classism of 1960s France, this is an incredibly powerful book about the author's experience of abortion in her early twenties. Ernaux repeatedly plunges you into her novelistic style of storytelling, only to pull you out again to remind you that she's writing this from memory four decades later. Seeing her experiences from both the perspective of her young self as it happened, and also with hindsight telling us what stayed with her and affected her later life, makes the book all the more compelling.

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suspicious_salmon's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

4.0

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savvylit's review

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dark emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

Though written nearly four decades after her abortion, Ernaux decribes her experience in clear and graphic language. Her despondency and isolation is palpable as she seeks someone - anyone - who can point her in the direction of an abortionist. When she does eventually find someone, the procedure itself is harrowing and horrible.

Ultimately, Happening is a chilling and honest insight into an all too common phenomenon. Annie Ernaux's voice is both sparse and powerful. Happening is an important story that will never lose its relevancy.

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lauradvb's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

5.0

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readersreadingnook's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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