scmiller's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Biphobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Homophobia
Minor: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Infidelity, and Rape
kendal_reads's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Lesbophobia
miasreadingcorner's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
linopalve's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Lesbophobia
rachelfayreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual violence
sian_angharad's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia
abmochapman's review against another edition
4.0
Abuse in queer relationships is unique and deserving of the time and attention she pays to it in this book, and yet, the pain I experienced in abusive heterosexual relationships seems almost the same. I do not know the specific pain of being betrayed by a same-sex partner, someone who is so similar to me, but I do know what it’s like to doubt my own experiences and even wish there had been physical scars to which I could point as evidence. I understand that sick desire to be hurt enough to be heard.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Infidelity
zoinkie's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
17kmcollins's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
harrimyers's review against another edition
5.0
Spoiler
the academic tone that underlined some of the chapters mixed with machados introspection and detail of her own experiences was a beautiful, haunting, and sensitive choice. the tone remained strong all the way through and the choice to advocate throughout this book was done very well. the metaphors, literary choices, and overall approach were just fantastic. the sources she used, the media that she critiqued and used to tell her own story along side of it were beautifully picked and j now have a list of essays, movies, and topics to go through. the choice to format each chapter in short vignettes centred around one theme, motif or technique was brilliant and i especially loved the use of footnotes to the folklore motif reference book, as reading them following the passage only heightened the point she was trying to make. some of these footnotes were so powerful, even if the reference was only 2 words. one that stood out to me was when she was describing her inability to masturbate, and she likened it to the motif of ‘losing magic power’, alongside the themes of sexual relation and her own acknowledged high sex drive and the power she personally got from sex, was a really insightful choice.the last two lines of thr acknowledgement. were beautiful. and i’m so grateful to have read this book
Graphic: Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship