Published: 01/10/2020
Drafting in pop culture references and classic literature to help explain all sides of a psychologically complex issue, In the Dream House forensically analyses the manipulative mechanics behind an abusive relationship.
Winner of the Rathbones Folio Prize 2021
In the Dream House is Carmen Maria Machado's engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad. Tracing the full arc of a harrowing experience with a charismatic but volatile woman, this is a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse.
Each chapter views the relationship through a different lens, as Machado holds events up to the light and examines them from distinct angles. She casts a critical eye over legal proceedings, fairy tales, Star Trek and Disney villains, as well as iconic works of film and fiction, infusing all with her characteristic wit, playfulness and openness to enquiry. The result is a powerful book that explodes our ideas about what a memoir can do and be.
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781788162258
Number of pages: 304
Weight: 240 g
Dimensions: 194 x 128 x 20 mm
Edition: Main
MEDIA REVIEWS
'This book is devastating. Machado is a sublime, phenomenal, breathtakingly good writer and a new work by her is a momentous occasion.' - Daisy Johnson
'Daring, chilling, and unlike anything else you've ever read, In the Dream House is a singular accomplishment.' - Esquire
'A groundbreaking memoir in terms of both form and content... Get ready for Machado to take you on several breakneck cross-country trips of the soul. - The Observer
'Provocative and rich ... the cycle of abuse is a kind of poisonous enchantment in which victims can be enthralled. Ms Machado's memoir casts a powerful counter-spell' - Economist
'Astonishing ... Machado writes with such precision and poetry it's hard not to be utterly blown away as she pinpoints those moments that can cause the destruction of all relationships. An absolute must-read for 2020.' - Stylist
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“Astounding, inventive, essential”
I absolutely loved this book, best book I've read so far in 2021. It's raw and reflective, and the use of exploring trauma through tropes is so imaginative.
“A different kind of memoir”
This book was recommended to me and didn't disappoint. It took a few chapters to become immersed in the writing as the style and approach adopted is different to many memiors. The writing is accessible and... More
“Tedious”
Was so looking forward to reading this book, but I was disappointed.
I felt bored and uninterested.
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