wavyamputee's review
4.0
Very heartbreaking but hopeful. It has been a while since I read it and I wouldn't mind rereading it.
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
1.0
Awful. Just awful.
I love reading memoirs; they are a guilty pleasure. I've read many, many types of memoiro; drug addiction, alcoholism, food addiction, sex addiction...you get the idea. Of all of the addictions, it seems that sex addicts as a whole lack the ability to have any level of introspection or accountability for their actions. There are plenty of explanations, ranging from parental neglect to childhood sexual abuse. And while of course these things are terrible and difficult to overcome, they remain excuses. When push comes to shove, it is YOU who is responsible for your actions. Sexual abuse in your past does not mean that you are hopelessly sentenced to being a whore as an adult.
Sadly, Sue Williams Silverman fits the sterotypical sex addict. It's not her fault that she sleeps with each and every man who shows the slightest bit of interest in her. It's not her fault that she is unable to stay faithful to her husband.
The worst part of this book was the complete lack of resolution. Sue simply leaves her treatment facility and goes home. It is unclear what (if anything) she plans to do to remain "sober". There is no discussion about how she plans (or even if she plans) to salvage her marriage.
Also frustrating about this book was the constant jumping around. One minute we are at the treatment facilty. The next minute we are in Boston watching neighbors through their windows. Jumpy, random, and not at all worth reading.
I love reading memoirs; they are a guilty pleasure. I've read many, many types of memoiro; drug addiction, alcoholism, food addiction, sex addiction...you get the idea. Of all of the addictions, it seems that sex addicts as a whole lack the ability to have any level of introspection or accountability for their actions. There are plenty of explanations, ranging from parental neglect to childhood sexual abuse. And while of course these things are terrible and difficult to overcome, they remain excuses. When push comes to shove, it is YOU who is responsible for your actions. Sexual abuse in your past does not mean that you are hopelessly sentenced to being a whore as an adult.
Sadly, Sue Williams Silverman fits the sterotypical sex addict. It's not her fault that she sleeps with each and every man who shows the slightest bit of interest in her. It's not her fault that she is unable to stay faithful to her husband.
The worst part of this book was the complete lack of resolution. Sue simply leaves her treatment facility and goes home. It is unclear what (if anything) she plans to do to remain "sober". There is no discussion about how she plans (or even if she plans) to salvage her marriage.
Also frustrating about this book was the constant jumping around. One minute we are at the treatment facilty. The next minute we are in Boston watching neighbors through their windows. Jumpy, random, and not at all worth reading.
inkletter7's review against another edition
2.0
Messed up memoirs tend to be a guilty pleasure...when done in the vein of Augusten Burroughs, James Frey, or Dave Eggers...but for some reason Silverman's just wore me out. There was nothing likable about her, and while her story is certainly sad, it just didn't gain any inkling of sympathy from me. Love sick is hailed as "lyrical" novel, but there was nothing special about her writing-and to think she has her MFA. It was a boring, blah book that had the potential to be a lot better.
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