Reviews

The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster by Sarah Krasnostein

cdeane61's review against another edition

4.0

Very emotional account of the life of Sandra Pankhurst a trauma cleaner with a story.

Beautifully written, and the final chapters are as much about the author's trauma survival as they are about Sandra.

Nothing but respect here for Sandra's strength and empathy, and for the authors ability to put this life into words.

ksheaffs's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

rachaeldev's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

kaytemi's review against another edition

4.0

This was a pretty incredible read. The life and work of Sandra Pankhurst will take you on a journey from child abuse and prostitution through to a successful transgender businesswoman who is more stubborn than a mountain. Absolutely worth the hype.

A note, I do not agree with many of Sandra’s views and beliefs, but that did not detract hugely from my enjoyment of the book.

lucyhcurtis's review

dark emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

4.25

rjdey's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.0

ninahuynh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

I like the interaction the author has with Sandra Pankurst and the reader. The details of each client and of each event in Sandra's life was written in a captivating manner. There are a few times where Sarah Krasnostein could have pulled back on, like the remarks. It breaks me from the main story. Other than that, a great biography. Wonderful and strong woman, Sandra Pankurst.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Cursing, and Death

Minor: Cancer

kiania's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

emillyrw's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

2.0

I started reading this thinking it would be about the trauma cleaning but it is almost entirely the biography of Sandra who owns a trauma cleaning business with only a few stories of the cleaning interspersed between her life story.

Please read the trigger warnings before diving in to this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Addiction, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Outing, Gore, Murder, Addiction, and Suicide

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Animal death

Death of a pregnant woman

ree333's review

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25