In the Dream House
Books | Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs
4.7
(4.2K)
Carmen Maria Machado
A revolutionary memoir about domestic abuse by the award-winning author of Her Body and Other PartiesIn the Dream House is Carmen Maria Machado’s engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad, and a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse. Tracing the full arc of a harrowing relationship with a charismatic but volatile woman, Machado struggles to make sense of how what happened to her shaped the person she was becoming.And it’s that struggle that gives the book its original structure: each chapter is driven by its own narrative trope—the haunted house, erotica, the bildungsroman—through which Machado holds the events up to the light and examines them from different angles. She looks back at her religious adolescence, unpacks the stereotype of lesbian relationships as safe and utopian, and widens the view with essayistic explorations of the history and reality of abuse in queer relationships.Machado’s dire narrative is leavened with her characteristic wit, playfulness, and openness to inquiry. She casts a critical eye over legal proceedings, fairy tales, Star Trek, and Disney villains, as well as iconic works of film and fiction. The result is a wrenching, riveting book that explodes our ideas about what a memoir can do and be.
Tearjerkers
Lgbtq+
Memoir
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Author
Carmen Maria Machado
Pages
224
Publisher
Graywolf Press
Published Date
2019-11-05
ISBN
1644451026 9781644451021
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"As is my preference, this book is built on many really short chapters. What makes it even more impressive to me is that weaved within the chronological order of events from the dream house are other moments in her life, in history and points to notice. The organization of it all is deliberate and fluid, making it hard to not say "just one more chapter!" Cause it'll only take a minute or two anyway. Machado's voice is also incredibly strong and her words clear and firm, bringing the scenes to life around you: hearing the loud and quiet insults, seeing the shifts between anger and innocence, feeling the fear and relief. Due to the sensitive subject matter (abusive relationship), not everyone should read this, but if you are in a safe mindset to do so, I would strongly recommend. 5/5🏚️"
Mare
"I usually stick with fiction, but I knew I had to read this memoir, and I'm so glad I did. The way Carmen writes is beautiful and haunting and I think it's such an important book for everyone to read. "
Skye Edelson-Bennett
"A Must read "
Ty
"1 star = dnf"
RanchyFinch
"Stunningly written and deeply painful- this memoir will stick with me"
Alexia Hollis
"I had to read this book in small bites because it was simply too heavy to do all at once. I started to feel bogged down the more I read. While Im not the biggest fan of the writing style its good book overall."
Sarah
"i did not expect to relate to this as much as i did, and it broke my heart. this was one of the most interesting memoirs i have ever read, and i loved the setup of it. it was definitely difficult to get through, but in the best way, the way that makes you stop and think after everything you’ve just read."
Marygrace Ryan
"Buenas reflexiones de lo que autora pasó como lesbiana en una relación de abuso 3/5"
K
Kasandra
"“After it was over I would mourn her as if she had died because someone had—someone we had created together.”<br/><br/>Wow. I absolutely loved this book."
Reading into the Void
"This was a powerhouse of a memoir. It's not what I expected. But it has beautiful writing and an important message especially to me as someone who is LGBTQ+. This book could've been summed up to be a lot shorter. But this book feels personal, like it was written by the author, for the author. And that's what makes it special and so beautiful."
Val
