A review by bwluvs2read
Exodus: A Memoir by Deborah Feldman

4.0

This book started out extremely strong. I loved Unorthodox and immediately reconnected with Feldman in the first chapter as she discusses her vaginismus as well as the sexual and religious trauma that she was attempting to heal from. Around two thirds of the way through, this book started to lose steam. The timeline became unclear and at times very confusing, and the recollections and experiences lost any overarching ideas or threads. I was surprised at some of the absolutely scathing reviews (@Chicago Tribune) that were written about this book, but agree that at some points I was wondering why she chose to include a particular moment that seemed disconnected or mundane. I was careful not to judge though; every survivor has every right to tell their story in the way that makes sense to them. I think some readers may feel frustrated with this book because the last chapter is not a presentation of a healed and whole person. Healing from trauma is a messy ongoing process that may get easier but also may not ever end; it remains a part of our identities. And I think Feldman might have ended the book in this way to remind us of that very fact.