Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Dyscalculia is a hard-hitting, strikingly original little book about a messy breakup amid the author’s lifelong struggle with trauma and mental illness. It’s a very quick read that will definitely make for a strong reread.

For you if: You like memoirs written in vignettes, and/or prose by poets.

FULL REVIEW:

Dyscalculia had so many incredible blurbs on the back (Raven Leilani, Deesha Philyaw, Kiese Laymon!) that I simply had to pick it up. It’s a very quick read — only two hours on audio at 1x — but man, it packs a big punch.

Dyscalculia is a condition caused by trauma that results in an intense struggle with math. This book is a memoir written in vignettes in which Felix uses the poetic nature of math (and her childhood dyscalculia) to ground her experiences with childhood abuse, a lifelong struggle to get an accurate diagnosis of her mental illness, the implosion of a relationship, and making it through to the other side. It’s raw and unapologetic, and it turns on a dime between humor and devastation (to great effect).

“Enjoyed” is a strange word to use with this book because of its heavy nature, but it’s excellent. The audiobook is read by the author and very good, but I recommend listening along as you read on the page; by listening only, you’d lose most of the effect of the vignettes and, by extension, the poetic power of Felix’s prose.

Because this is so short, I read it in one sitting, but it’s definitely one of those books that begs a reread (or two or five).

CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Pedophilia/childhood rape; Self-harm; Suicidal thoughts; Severe mental illness; Infidelity; Abortion (minor)

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