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1.84k reviews by:
caseythereader
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War
- MATRIX is gorgeous, painful, and powerful. Groff's writing carries you along its current through Marie's ups and downs, power grabs and moments of softness.
- This book is an ode to matriarchy, female friendship and sapphic love, and how these support systems propel us through even the bleakest of times.
- Though at times the poetry of the writing felt like it kept the reader at a remove, I still felt deeply for these women, cheering their victories and mourning their losses with them. Even if you know next to nothing about Marie de France or Eleanor of Aquitane (as I did not) this book is still quite engrossing.
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Colonisation
- Norman doesn't shy away from describing exactly what her pain - physical and emotional - feels like. This book is a tough read but I think many will find it cathartic to be seen on the page.
- Norman is careful to point out that not only women deal with uterine pain and illness, and also that not all women have uteruses, and the extra layer of fear and frustration this can add to trying to get diagnosis and treatment. She's also up front about how being straight, white, and cisgender framed her whole situation and afforded her more privilege throughout this process than others (and the flip side of that, of how being a traditionally feminine woman led to instances of dismissal).
- It's in the content warnings listed below, but I want to point it out here as well since it's not obvious from the summary - major content warnings for child neglect, eating disorders and suicide particularly in the chapters discussing Norman's childhood.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Pregnancy