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chris_reads's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia, Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
khiramoore1's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
wowaubrie's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment
katlouisee's review against another edition
2.5
There's no doubt that Machado is a skilled writer, and her words were carefully selected in this memoir, but I can't help feeling like I didn't get to know her other than in the context of her extremely toxic relationship. It felt a little too well-crafted, almost as though it was trying to make itself a seminal text (especially when it brought up the ocxasional queer theorist or stat). Not saying it isn't, but to me, the style sometimes obscured the subject matter seemingly for the sake of being artsy. I really hope I'm not diminishing Machado's story here - I'm fortunate enough not to have shared her experience, so can only assume how disorientating, dehumanising, and hurtful this relationship was for her. I'm not sure how much her stylistic choices were trying to emulate being broken down by a loved one or how much of it was the product of studying an MFA, though.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment
jang's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
hannahbanana98's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
fayemomodu's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
lpogo16's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, and Dementia
klsreads's review against another edition
5.0
I've never read anything quite like this - I loved the vignette narrative structure. The book moved quickly because most sections were short. A couple of the tropes dragged on for me/didn't hit 100%, but I was enthralled and could hardly put it down. A few standouts for me - "Dream House as Deja Vu" (x3), "Dream House as Queer Villainy" (!!!), "Dream House as Bluebeard", "Dream House as the River Lethe", "Dream House as Choose Your Own Adventure" ...... ok, I have to stop or I'm going to quote half of this work.
Even more wild: I was in Iowa City as an undergrad during the events of this book. Did I see Carmen and the Woman from the Dream House at a coffee shop, at Obama's speech, in a bookstore? It makes me shiver, the ways people suffer out of view.
Brilliant. Carmen Maria Machado is an absolute force and a genius of prose and innovative structure. I HIGHLY recommend this book, but mind the CW's. Machado doesn't shy away from the gore at the heart of her story.
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Gun violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
cow_png's review against another edition
5.0
The narrative lens were such an interesting way to write!! and I loved seeing how the way of writing would changed with it!
Definitely look at the content warning before reading if you are a sensitive person (Such as I)
Amazing book, so happy that I read it!!
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment