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wakejyles's review against another edition
5.0
I thought about giving this book 4 stars when I finished, but then realized I ripped through the whole thing in one day. Sirens is a raw, intimate look at a man’s struggles with addiction, relapse, and recovery, and how all of those experiences shape him as a father and husband. Mohr manages to both revel in his debauchery without glorifying it, and shamelessly illuminate the depths that his addiction took him to. His writing is pulpy without being over the top or cheesy, but also lyrical and beautiful and poetic all at once. It would have been easy for him to write another plain ol memoir about someone who had a hard time with drugs and alcohol and “oh boo hoo it was horrible but I’m ok now”. Instead, he manages to capture perfectly the dichotomy that exists within people in recovery of wanting a life of serenity and being content while also wrestling with the urge, whether loud or quiet, to throw it all away and watch everything fall to pieces, because that has been the norm for so long. I loved it.
meggomyeggo1210's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautifully written book cataloging Joshua's addiction, and at the same time detailing the powerful impact people have had on his life. While the content of this book was often heavy, the novel itself was written in a way that I found easy to read. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to exploring what else Joshua Mohr has written.
caseykc's review against another edition
5.0
This was a beautiful, true love letter Josh. Thank you for sharing it with the rest of us.
simonenicole's review against another edition
5.0
Four times last night I tried to put down Sirens to fall asleep. I lay awake in the dark, my pulse a notch too fast, thoughts racing. I passed midnight, then 2AM, flicking the bedside lamp back on, haunted by curiosity of what would happen next.
I found myself rooting for a husband and father whose actions at times appalled me. I could taste the acrid nasal drip; hear his infant daughter's screams.
Thank you for your honesty, humility, for sparing no detail. It was a wild ride.
I found myself rooting for a husband and father whose actions at times appalled me. I could taste the acrid nasal drip; hear his infant daughter's screams.
Thank you for your honesty, humility, for sparing no detail. It was a wild ride.
losapala's review against another edition
5.0
This book gutted me on a lot of levels. It’s very possibly the most beautiful book I’ve read in the last couple of years. I found myself in so many of the stories Mohr shared—being an addict/alcoholic, being a writer, being the parent of a small child (and a parent who finds that situation frequently challenging), being a struggling artist in San Francisco. I felt like I gave a huge sigh of relief as I read every single section. OMG, I’m not alone! Someone else has gone through these things and actually has the kind of insane bravery it takes to talk about them honestly!
In fact, after reading this book I can say truly that Joshua Mohr is one of the bravest writers I’ve ever come across.
Sirens explores it all—the shadow side of our human nature, the complex layers that go into making up what we call a human being, the anguished struggle each of us goes through to live a life that actually has meaning. And Mohr’s writing hit me on every level as he explored each of these topics, the emotional, the mental and even the physical.
This is a book I’ll be rereading for sure. It’s also one of those special books that I’ll be passing onto fellow writers and artists.
In fact, after reading this book I can say truly that Joshua Mohr is one of the bravest writers I’ve ever come across.
Sirens explores it all—the shadow side of our human nature, the complex layers that go into making up what we call a human being, the anguished struggle each of us goes through to live a life that actually has meaning. And Mohr’s writing hit me on every level as he explored each of these topics, the emotional, the mental and even the physical.
This is a book I’ll be rereading for sure. It’s also one of those special books that I’ll be passing onto fellow writers and artists.
jhaeger's review against another edition
Oh man, Sirens by Joshua Mohr needs to be required reading. It is brutal, honest, and necessary.
escapegrace's review against another edition
5.0
Sirens is hard to put down—the pace is so engaging, the narrator so charming, and the prose so thoughtful. It stretches the boundaries of what memoir can be.
kcmichelle's review against another edition
4.0
I had the pleasure of attending a memoir writer's workshop with Josh. It was a great experience. He read or referenced many of the best parts of this book. He mentioned some parts he was reworking in a newer edition. All of this probably impacted my impression of the book.