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A review by dreamingpages
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
As a survivor, this was challenging to get through. I shed a lot of tears reading this and there were many times I needed to put the book down and take a break.
Ultimately, though, the experience was cathartic. Chanel was able to put into words so many of my thoughts and feelings around SA and r**e culture that I've never been able to articulate. Her anger and hopelessness really resonated me, but so did her resilience and determination to carve out an identity beyond simply being a victim. Chanel is inspiring and so brave.
While I understand that the purpose of this book was to reclaim her identity and call out the glaring systemic flaws in the US system for reporting SA, my only critique is that I feel the book could discourage other women from coming forward. Being realistic about the challenges of the legal process is important, but at the end, I was left with the idea that unless ALL the stars align, your case is utterly hopeless and dead in the water. I feel this is counterintuitive to encouraging change. The more women who feel empowered to come forward, the more likely we are to see major change.
Ultimately, though, the experience was cathartic. Chanel was able to put into words so many of my thoughts and feelings around SA and r**e culture that I've never been able to articulate. Her anger and hopelessness really resonated me, but so did her resilience and determination to carve out an identity beyond simply being a victim. Chanel is inspiring and so brave.
While I understand that the purpose of this book was to reclaim her identity and call out the glaring systemic flaws in the US system for reporting SA, my only critique is that I feel the book could discourage other women from coming forward. Being realistic about the challenges of the legal process is important, but at the end, I was left with the idea that unless ALL the stars align, your case is utterly hopeless and dead in the water. I feel this is counterintuitive to encouraging change. The more women who feel empowered to come forward, the more likely we are to see major change.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Medical trauma