Reviews tagging 'Racism'

They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta

13 reviews

dakotahreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

aweekinthelife's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

very engaging on audio and while I didn’t go in expecting to read all day, I ended up listening to this book for 5.5 hours straight and finished it in a day. Gupta’s writing is gripping and engaging and I appreciate her analysis and reflection on her life and parsing out mental health experiences from between two cultures. 

reminds me of: What My Bones Know (Stephanie Foo), Between Two Kingdoms (Souleiki Jaoud), Mad World (Micha Frazer-Caroll), and Trick Mirror (Jia Tolentino)  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Racism

deen734's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Oooof. What an exceptionally difficult, yet important read. This memoir is, in many ways, a love letter to the author’s mother. It’s a classic dissection of the model minority myth alongside the societal pressures and demands that come with trying to achieve the ‘American Dream’. 

 

This is an emotional rollercoaster of a book; it’s raw and heartbreaking. The story itself is a mesh of retelling and reflection, and oh how brave it is to share the darkest parts of your life with anyone who picks up your book. I found it particularly difficult to read because of the abuse Prachi, her mother, and older brother go through at the hands of her father. Prachi does a wonderful job showcasing what non-physical abuse looks like. It left me wanting to give this whole family a hug, even her father. 

 

“In our family, we learned to love one another for how well we were able to conform to the story they wrote for us—not as who we really are.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt

ohsunnyaa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

ajyams's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault

1oddkatreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

meghanob1's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

jillysull's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

While I found the second-person perspective awkward at times, this book is extremely compelling, imbued with foreboding as the author slowly reveals the traumatic events she and her family have experienced. I didn’t know anything about the author beforehand, and I’m glad I didn’t google her, as that would have given away some of the events. It’s almost *too* personal at times, and I wonder whether some of the content should have been discussed in therapy but not included in the book. Still, the author is remarkably brave to share so much of her experiences. Although it’s only January, I know this will be one of the best books I read this year. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Suicide attempt

graciffer's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Sexual assault