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lra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
5.0
erinalexdocx's review
4.0
A really incredible read. There is definitely something tragic about reading a memoir consisting of conversations, memories and moments that are picked over again and again, knowing that behind the words there are real relationships that are being impacted by this very public attempt at family relationship analysis. I was very grateful to read this book, though, because so much of what Charlotte was talking about felt familiar. An intense relationship with a creative but at times difficult father, being gaslit by people close to me, and wondering at the role of fiction in constructing identity, and the interplay between what is written down in fiction (and non-fiction) and real life. I think this book really illustrates a generational shift in what is expected of parents - there is now a quite firmly established consensus that physical abuse from parents is unacceptable, but this consensus is broadening to include emotional abuse. The gaslighting that Charlotte outlines in this book - being told that her remembrance of events is 100%, utterly and completely, Not Real - and the negligence she experiences, fall into this new category.
piripiw's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence
Specific cw for parental neglect/ narcissistic parents. Also i wouldn't say it's transphobic but the authors take on trans people is kind of self involved.lilymargo's review
4.0
A beautiful book. I enjoyed the acutely New Zealand context. Particularly its closeness to my own childhood in many ways... roaming around until the sun’s setting called us home, bare feet, and a forest of native bush only paces from the door step.
At times things were repeated, almost seemingly unintentionally, as if maybe it could’ve done with one more edit.
Never the less, I would strongly recommend this book, especially if, like me, you grew up as part of a semi-rural community and/ or in central Auckland. Perhaps you will also have parts of your childhood mirrored back to you x
At times things were repeated, almost seemingly unintentionally, as if maybe it could’ve done with one more edit.
Never the less, I would strongly recommend this book, especially if, like me, you grew up as part of a semi-rural community and/ or in central Auckland. Perhaps you will also have parts of your childhood mirrored back to you x
charlottemccoll's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
christait's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0