A review by burnt_amber89
This Is Not My Life: A Memoir of Love, Prison, and Other Complications by Diane Schoemperlen
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I love reading books about prisons, especially true stories, and found this one really interesting and different. First of all, it was well written and straightforward, and it was always easy to keep track of what is happening and of who is who. However, I did find some of the stylistic choices a little odd at times.
Secondly, the story in itself was enlightening. Some parts may be triggering to a certain audience, since it touches on abuse, gaslighting, stalking and violence. The quick, yet imperceptible (to the author) change in their relationship is explained in a way that makes the reader understand how easy it can be to be stuck in an abusive relationship.
However, the thing that really sets this book apart from the other books about prison I have read is the fact that here , the prison world is seen from the exterior. It really made me realize how prison is not only a punishment for those who are incarcerated, but also to their loved ones. The stigma is pernicious: ranging from the unapproving glare of family and friends, the fact that they sometimes have to travel hundreds of kilometers a day for a visit, several times a week, the lack of intimacy, the long, tedious and stressful procedures before the actual visit, the fact that every aspect of the relationship has to be known by the authorities, and the list goes on... I find this theme to be rarely explored in the literature, yet of utter importance. The author also reflects briefly on the political aspect of prison, and how drastically a change of government can affect thousands of people.
Overall, I would really recommend this book to anyone, especially those who think that hard policies should be implemented. This is a profoundly humane book, one that shows how people actually deal with trauma and being incarcerated for decades.
Secondly, the story in itself was enlightening. Some parts may be triggering to a certain audience, since it touches on abuse, gaslighting, stalking and violence. The quick, yet imperceptible (to the author) change in their relationship is explained in a way that makes the reader understand how easy it can be to be stuck in an abusive relationship.
However, the thing that really sets this book apart from the other books about prison I have read is the fact that here , the prison world is seen from the exterior. It really made me realize how prison is not only a punishment for those who are incarcerated, but also to their loved ones. The stigma is pernicious: ranging from the unapproving glare of family and friends, the fact that they sometimes have to travel hundreds of kilometers a day for a visit, several times a week, the lack of intimacy, the long, tedious and stressful procedures before the actual visit, the fact that every aspect of the relationship has to be known by the authorities, and the list goes on... I find this theme to be rarely explored in the literature, yet of utter importance. The author also reflects briefly on the political aspect of prison, and how drastically a change of government can affect thousands of people.
Overall, I would really recommend this book to anyone, especially those who think that hard policies should be implemented. This is a profoundly humane book, one that shows how people actually deal with trauma and being incarcerated for decades.