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shanhautman's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars for creativity and some standout chapters (SVU, religious lessons learned, the list). I couldn’t get past some of the more redundant and unfocused chapters. I think the redundancy and unclear rhetorical moves were intentional and they speak to her purpose here.
lapoo99's review against another edition
2.0
Just because something touches deep topics does not mean it’s good. This was very self indulgent, circular and full of free verse writing that was in no way effective or necessary.
tessatea333's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
isayouthere's review against another edition
Ran out of time thus quarter 🥲 my prof gives us a million things to read
brice_mo's review against another edition
1.0
This book is difficult to critique, and I think that's the problem.
We have a cultural impulse to misconstrue pain for depth, and that confusion seems to be the guiding principle of "My Body is a Book of Rules."
There are moments where the book works, such as Washuta's reverse chronology of sexual partners. In this essay, every single line lands like a gut punch, and the structural experimentation serves the content incredibly well. Unfortunately, none of the other experiments really come together, and—rather than reflection—the result is 189 pages of self-serving self-flagellation. This is also a strange "memoir" in that people exist outside Washuta only as objects, and she never really interrogates her own perspective of the world.
It's not really an outsider's place to evaluate whether this is an appropriate means of processing trauma, so I don't really fault Washuta, but it is an editor's place to decide whether it should be published. Quite frankly, I get the impression that the publishing team simply didn't know what to do with the book, so they read it at arm's length with faux-empathy: "We couldn't possibly understand what you've been through, so we won't try."
Pain as depth.
The final result feels deeply irresponsible, and the solipsistic lens of the text—paired with the rough edges around the prose—obscures any merit the book might have had.
We have a cultural impulse to misconstrue pain for depth, and that confusion seems to be the guiding principle of "My Body is a Book of Rules."
There are moments where the book works, such as Washuta's reverse chronology of sexual partners. In this essay, every single line lands like a gut punch, and the structural experimentation serves the content incredibly well. Unfortunately, none of the other experiments really come together, and—rather than reflection—the result is 189 pages of self-serving self-flagellation. This is also a strange "memoir" in that people exist outside Washuta only as objects, and she never really interrogates her own perspective of the world.
It's not really an outsider's place to evaluate whether this is an appropriate means of processing trauma, so I don't really fault Washuta, but it is an editor's place to decide whether it should be published. Quite frankly, I get the impression that the publishing team simply didn't know what to do with the book, so they read it at arm's length with faux-empathy: "We couldn't possibly understand what you've been through, so we won't try."
Pain as depth.
The final result feels deeply irresponsible, and the solipsistic lens of the text—paired with the rough edges around the prose—obscures any merit the book might have had.
jecinwv's review against another edition
5.0
Rarely do I find a truly honest 5 star book. For one, the format of my book was large and held itself open!
Elissa writes in essays, footnotes, historical accounts, and research about her own life and struggles as a native woman with bipolar disorder. Elissa tackles rape, sex, bipolar medications, college, graduate school, writing, men, Catholicism, and native blood in engaging formats.
I took plenty of photos of things that I felt so deeply connected to. I also enjoyed feeling connected to someone through experiences even if nowhere near the same ones. Something inside of me felt these essays. Not to mention I was drawn in by the familiar feeling of the Maryland landscape.
More than anything, Elissa is open, and that is the best quality of a memoir writer. She is real and open and I am here for it. She brings it.
Also, when she talks about being judged for her small quantity of native blood she opens an important conversation, one we must consider. We have to stop thinking about ethnicity and race in percentages. I learned a lot from her voice without it having to be the voice that advocates and speaks for anyone other than Elissa.
I liked that, Elissa didn't tell me how to feel about being bipolar, she didn't speak for all of us, she didn't offer corny advice. She only told her story. In a marvelous format.
And in the written form, she got some type of justice. When there is so little justice in our world. She brings forth the images Catholic girls are raised on. Good catholic girls die before they let someone rape them. Good girls die. Yet, Elissa defies that and she defies the church and I love her for that.
I only hope that if I find myself in Seattle I might meet this amazing human.
Elissa writes in essays, footnotes, historical accounts, and research about her own life and struggles as a native woman with bipolar disorder. Elissa tackles rape, sex, bipolar medications, college, graduate school, writing, men, Catholicism, and native blood in engaging formats.
I took plenty of photos of things that I felt so deeply connected to. I also enjoyed feeling connected to someone through experiences even if nowhere near the same ones. Something inside of me felt these essays. Not to mention I was drawn in by the familiar feeling of the Maryland landscape.
More than anything, Elissa is open, and that is the best quality of a memoir writer. She is real and open and I am here for it. She brings it.
Also, when she talks about being judged for her small quantity of native blood she opens an important conversation, one we must consider. We have to stop thinking about ethnicity and race in percentages. I learned a lot from her voice without it having to be the voice that advocates and speaks for anyone other than Elissa.
I liked that, Elissa didn't tell me how to feel about being bipolar, she didn't speak for all of us, she didn't offer corny advice. She only told her story. In a marvelous format.
And in the written form, she got some type of justice. When there is so little justice in our world. She brings forth the images Catholic girls are raised on. Good catholic girls die before they let someone rape them. Good girls die. Yet, Elissa defies that and she defies the church and I love her for that.
I only hope that if I find myself in Seattle I might meet this amazing human.
stephlo's review against another edition
5.0
This is the type of book I only read once, and it’s simultaneously the type of book I will read over & over. I don’t know how else to describe it.
Generally memoirs center around some specific event, journey, or theme, and I felt like Washuta somehow managed to write a good one that was none of the above. She mostly centered on sexual trauma, bipolar disorder, and indigenous identity in somewhat of a slice of life style, employing provocative metaphors, comparisons, and imagery. Even the layout of this book was very creative and added so much depth to the content itself.
Simply to expand your awareness and connect with another human’s experience is good enough reason to read this book. It was not the kind of read that enabled me to consume it at one time because of its heaviness and slowness. I know I got a lot out of it and yet I can’t verbalize any of it—it’ll just stick with me for a while.
Generally memoirs center around some specific event, journey, or theme, and I felt like Washuta somehow managed to write a good one that was none of the above. She mostly centered on sexual trauma, bipolar disorder, and indigenous identity in somewhat of a slice of life style, employing provocative metaphors, comparisons, and imagery. Even the layout of this book was very creative and added so much depth to the content itself.
Simply to expand your awareness and connect with another human’s experience is good enough reason to read this book. It was not the kind of read that enabled me to consume it at one time because of its heaviness and slowness. I know I got a lot out of it and yet I can’t verbalize any of it—it’ll just stick with me for a while.
cremefracas's review against another edition
5.0
Yes yes yes yes yes! I don't have a lot of words to talk about this book. It is wonderful and perfect and devastating and hopeful.