Scan barcode
rieviolet's review against another edition
I started the book without knowing much about it, except that it's a collection of essays. I enjoyed some chapters more focused on the author's family history, on literature and translation, but a lot of them were just so hard to get through. Some of the topics were just not interesting to me personally (art and psychoanalysis), some others were too much specialized for a layperson like me (philosophy and science), and some were just on subjects that I do not enjoy reading about because they usually end up rubbing me the wrong way (parenthood and pregnancy). I tried my best but I'm not keen to keep on reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Sexism, Racism, Xenophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Islamophobia, Blood, Murder, Mental illness, Transphobia, Medical content, Classism, Antisemitism, and Cannibalism
Minor: Cancer, Slavery, Suicide, Ableism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, War, Excrement, Pedophilia, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Child death, Confinement, and Sexual violence
zotty's review
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Misogyny
siriface's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Racism
cassandrahpenny's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
The essays I did enjoy in this book were absolutely excellent! I only skipped one on Wuthering Heights (which I have not read yet), and I think there were only two or three that I felt not as captivated by. The essays on motherhood, reading and translation were my favourites - Siri Hustvedt is going to be a name I look out for now in essay collections!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
More...