Reviews tagging 'Grief'

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

8 reviews

mobooks_mojoy's review against another edition

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence, Grief, Homophobia, and Body shaming

phathaway's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Man, this book. It's a series of essays on the author's life, correlated with a different sea creature. Author is NB, but socially raised as a woman who definitely experienced comphet and I understand so much of their story as a late-in-life lesbian. Just such a beautiful read and I would definitely recommend it to any late-in-life or questioning queer. 

I also love how she really put her struggles about her body out there.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Misogyny, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Grief, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Rape, Racism, Xenophobia, and Fatphobia

dreareads_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

There is so much about this book to love. I love the way Sabrina is so open and honest about their life, identity, and existence. Each essay provides us with a glimpse to their story, a story that is intertwined with a love for sea creatures and science that only Sabrina can blend together. By portraying their life through sea creatures, Sabrina opened the door for strangers to walk in and see a world that is both familiar and strange. Of all the essays I must say that my favorites were definitely "If You Flush A Goldfish" and "We Swarm". Two essays that felt both deeply personal and universal at the same time.

The only reason I do not give this book 5 stars is because there were a couple of essays where the chosen sea creatures and scientific discussions did not easily blend with the story that Sabrina was presenting at the time. 

Regardless, I cannot help but love a book where I learn a lot and feel even more. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Sexual content, Blood, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Grief, Racism, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

betsythegremlin's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual assault, Rape, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Grief

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Sexual assault, and Animal death

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

magsbooknook's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Grief, Rape, Racism, and Eating disorder

lowbrowhighart's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, Drug use, and Child abuse

rorikae's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

'How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures' by Sabrina Imbler is a science dipped memoir that Chronicles Imblers exploration of their sexuality and gender identity through different sea creatures. Each chapter discusses a different creature and then connects it to Imbler's life as they grow up and understand themselves more clearly. They do a great job of weaving these together so that we come to both understand the creature that they are discussing as well as how it connects to their own life. These essays deal a lot with identity, community, and coming to realize who you really are. Through the connection with the sea creatures that they talk about Imbler discusses transformation and how humans, just like their sea creature siblings, can become more than they may believe they are. This is definitely more of a memoir with a slight scientific bent than a piece about sea creatures infused with Imbler's experiences. If you go into it with a mind that it is a memoir but also with the openness to learn about the sea creatures that they talk about, I think you will greatly enjoy it. I also recommend the audiobook as they read it themselves and there is something truly unique about hearing a person's life story, experiences, and growth through their own words and voice. This definitely also inspired me to want to learn more about the sea creatures that they talk about as they touch on really interesting facets of each and how they relate to transformation and growth. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Dysphoria, and Transphobia