Good Morning Destroyer of Men's Souls: A Memoir by Nina Renata Aron - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I believe the way we tell stories about addiction matters deeply--it informs the way we act, from the level of public health discourse to the kitchen table. It informs the degree of empathy we can bring to those suffering with this disease, the extent to which we can protect ourselves from its destruction and embrace living in spite of it. And it shapes the way we understand love and care--what can be justly expected of us, and when it has gone too far."

This book was both deeply compulsive to read and intimately unsettling as Nina Renata Aron opens up, quite graphically and intimately in places, about her life. The book centres on her relationships and how the idea of co-dependency influenced by her relationships with her sister and her ex-boyfriend/lover K who were both drug abusers. This book is not just a memoir, however, as Aron examines ideas surrounding co-dependency; its origin, its gendered stereotypes, the arguments and theories surrounding it and what it means.

I would not recommend this book lightly to anyone given the subject matter of drug abuse and codependency. However, I think this book sheds light on those in society who both have a very real issue and those individuals in their life who have to deal with it. Drug abuse is frequently seen as a taboo subject and often drug abusers are written off as "wastes of space" and more. When actually much of that abuse and dependency on drugs is driven by deeper issues.

Nina Renata Aron does not shy away from discussing her own recklessness, obsessions and desires. However, she also humanises and is incredibly introspective as she examines the various moments of her life. This book is dark, gritty and quite frankly pretty visceral at times, but it's also incredibly honest and open. Thank you to @serpentstail for the #gifted copy of this book.