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stuffsamdoes_'s review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 stars. TW: Suicide, drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, trauma, abuse. I didn't love this book, in fact, I felt like it didn't actually talk about doctors not believing in a woman's pain until the last few chapters. Most of it was about her life and her mother, which I understand how it all tied in and expressing her pain, but I thought this book was going to be much different.
zhzhang's review
3.0
It has a strong beginning. The most candid and raw description of pain that I have ever read.
tomnana's review against another edition
4.0
This book is clearly a bit more than it's title, and for a while I was put off by that. I would say, generously, that at least 50% is memoir unrelated to the author's interactions with medicine. It is just as much a Quest to understand her own health, body, and personal history. In the end, however, I can't deny that it's a powerfully emotive story and I am ultimately glad to have read it.
mccalab's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
elle_thereader's review against another edition
informative
3.0
take a shot every time she says sarah lawrence
hannah_reads_sometimes's review against another edition
5.0
A truly fascinating book. A memoir that’s also a bit of a research paper in parts, it has a conversational tone while dealing with multiple systems failing the author in heartbreaking fashion. Norman has gone through much for someone so young, and her determination to continue and to help others makes for a great read. While much of the book deals with those who have let her down in so many ways, it also highlights the empathy and generosity of some and the great impact kind actions can have on others.
sanmeow's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
very glad to read a book that openly speaks on women's health, it was educational and insightful for sure. enjoyed the memoir-esque parts less than the rest of the book though but that's not much of an issue. what is an issue is the writing, maybe not writing but editing instead. some questionable sentence structures and grammatical + spelling errors. honestly feel baffled because i can't for the life of me understand how the editors didn't notice???
idk_indigo's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.75
I really enjoyed this book! It was very informative, very enlightening. Some of the book’s Amazon reviews are quite negative, primarily because it’s a very self-reflective book. Norman acknowledges that this book is more of a dive into her personal experience & what research she has compiled in an effort to better understand her illness & her pain. Less of a know-all about endometriosis, which we see towards the end of the book when she is in the diagnosis stages of another chronic illness. The book talks about the author’s journey with chronic illness with an implied, “This is how it was for me. Others may relate, but I am not speaking for anyone else.” I appreciated the physician aspect; most physicians are trying their best, but they are also imperfect. It is a very true phenomenon that women’s pain is taken less seriously; this rings especially true for WOC & for disabled/chronically or mentally ill women. I enjoyed this book; definitely not a medical guidebook on endometriosis, but I don’t think it was ever trying to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Ableism, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Eating disorder, Medical content, Sexism, Excrement, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Infertility, Abandonment, and Child abuse