Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

12 reviews

maddy4prezident's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

This was such a fast, informative book and it was so well written. So much so that I found myself recommending it to people before I even finished. Foo's narrative style is at once both rich with information and full of character and personality that makes it a fast, enjoyable read. Her willingness to be vulnerable and admit her own shortcomings while still focusing on a generally positive and hopeful arc made the book an excellent read. It invited reader to relate to Foo while also reflecting on their own experiences and applying the knowledge she imparts into the reader's own life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Self harm

madeleinebay's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Colonisation, Confinement, Deportation, Genocide, Murder, Rape, and War

provo's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Luckily, Stephanie Foo did not just write a memoir - as a journalist, she researches very well and takes the reader on a journey from her childhood to the first real results of her recovery. 
By doing so, she doesn’t try to paint a picture of a miracle healing, but shows, how hard it is to find individual solutions in a dysfunctional medical system where not enough professionals are familiar with this young diagnosis. She elaborates how racism and sexism play a part in c-ptsd and does not shy away from talking about genetics and intergenerational trauma.

At some points in the early chapters the abuse is written quite graphic, so be aware of that, otherwise I’d say it is the perfect book for someone recently diagnosed with c-ptsd or people who are close to someone with this diagnosis. It also has a lot of quotes for follow-up-literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, and Racism

lildawnprince's review

dark emotional hopeful informative sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Colonisation

alayamorning's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Grief, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs

Minor: Genocide, Infidelity, and Chronic illness

carriepond's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A beautiful memoir exploring Foo's childhood trauma and her ongoing relationship with her complex PTSD diagnosis, this book is a gift from Foo to all of us. What a marvel. Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation

smolgalaxybrain's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad

5.0

If I could give this book a 10/5, I would.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, War, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Colonisation

Minor: Racism and Sexual assault

antistic's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

The start of the book where she describes the trauma she went through growing up was difficult for me to get through. But I'm glad I did because reading her journey through her trauma and healing was something I absolutely needed at this time. The book touches on trauma, mostly parental abuse but also touches on generational, racial, and workplace trauma. I like how honest she is on what healing feels like — from the difficulties of finding a good therapist, to trying all kinds of different therapies (some of which work for her and some which don't), to including her therapy transcripts within the book. It makes it feel tangible and real, and she wonderfully weaves in some of the current science and theory about trauma to to make a book that feels both personal and broad. I leave the book feeling glad that her life is looking up and hopeful for my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Rape

starlit_pathways's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Mental illness, Torture, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Racism, War, Hate crime, Car accident, Xenophobia, and Death

Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

hanbecomeshull's review

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Poignant words that are both outrageous and yet relatable to anyone that sustained contributed childhood trauma, and continues to live with the effects of that. 

Felt like therapy reading it, made me feel “seen” / “heard”, and explained a lot of my feelings and behaviours that have bubbled to the surface in my adult life.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Car accident, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Toxic relationship