Reviews

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay

xeponine89's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

4.25

jenmangler's review against another edition

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3.0

Tough book to read. I was struck by how "not that bad" is used to minimize a survivor's suffering, and how often survivors are told to stop being so angry.

sollicitus's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

alexandrabrianne's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

may_m_mountain's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is a deeply challenging and important collection of stories that lays bare the violent and insidious truth of sexual assault and rape in the US today (and the world). I could barely get through it, but I'm so glad I did. When I finished, I felt overwhelmed by the gravity of what was contained within, but also inspired and validated by the community that can form when secrets are bared, truths are told, and experiences are honored, not diminished.

drakken's review against another edition

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5.0

A powerful collection of heartbreaking & often infuriating personal accounts written by people whose lives have been changed by incidents of rape, sexual assault, & harassment, and an examination of the pervasiveness of rape culture in our society. So, so, so important. The kind of work you finish and wish you could put in front of everyone (particularly every man) on the planet. (Or at least those for whom reading it would not stir up undue pain/trauma from past experiences).

eeslots's review against another edition

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Man.

roctothorpe's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

4.0

Took me a long time to finish but this anthology was excellent. I especially appreciated the diversity of stories and identities included, as the collection features perspectives from trans, queer, cis women and men of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. My favorites of the bunch were Picture Perfect by Sharisse Tracey (a Black woman recounts the sexual violence she faced at the hands of her father, her mother believes her but does nothing, and the struggle to maintain the image of a perfect Black family) and Invisible Light Waves by Meredith Talusan (a woman talks about how she put up with a man who violated her consent because of her desire to feel wanted and loved, and doesn't reveal until the end that
she is trans
). Each piece is narrated by the author in the audiobook, which I thought was especially powerful. 

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invertgirl's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

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Review on another edition.