Review: In the Dream House: A Memoir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars for unflinching bravery
This memoir evoked a lot of conflicting feelings in me. On the one hand, it feels intellectually grounded, with episodes from Machado's life analyzed in terms like the categorization fairy tales (Aarne-Thompson-Uther categorization) or comparison to classic films like "Gaslight," or directorial techniques in which directors belittle and harass actors to get a better performance out of them. On the other hand, the events that Machado reveals are so emotionally searing I feel like a guilty voyeur reading about them as she paints the images of things like her sobbing on a bathroom floor, behind a door she locked for her personal safety while hoping her lover isn't skilled enough to remove the doorknob and get to her. This is a memoir that fits right in with my firm belief that in any relationship one partner can abuse the other (female on female, male on male, male on female and female on male) and that psychological abuse is much harder to overcome because your scars are not obvious and what you have suffered is more likely to be minimized by others because there is no photographic evidence to show people what your abuser made you feel and how they changed your ability to trust.
This is a powerful memoir that may challenge some readers with its unconventional format. It's worth your time. The audiobook is read by Machado herself, and initially, her weary tone may not engage you. As you press forward, you enter the dream house with her, and you feel her sorrow and loss.
I received a courtesy audiobook edition of this book via Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review.
Want to buy a copy of In the Dream House from your local independent bookstore? Click HERE.
Want to buy the audiobook copy of In the Dream House and have a portion of the sale benefit your local independent bookstore? Click HERE.
View all my reviews
© Marzie's Reads 2017-2020, All Rights Reserved.
