I know it’s about an abusive lesbian relationship. And I am a cis bisexual man. But reading about an abusive relationship with an unexpected, non traditional type of abuser really got me thinking. And the more I read this book the more I have “uh huh been through that… uh huh this happened” until finally now at about half way through I just realized “holy shit my gf abused me.”
This book has impacted me so so so much. I never really realized how much I trained myself to just think about the pain I went through as weakness and not abuse. Just wanted to tell someone. And I highly recommend this book. I’ll probably read a lot more by Carmen Maria Machado in the near future.
by OpeningSafe1919
1 Comment
I’m sure she’d be really happy to know that. One of the painful things about that book is how careful she is in it, to be fair and convincing and consider all the angles, & still so many of the reviews & commentary online are questioning her validity. I don’t think we’re good at reckoning with interpersonal violence, especially if it doesn’t fit the common narrative as you say