95bFM's Loose Reads: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado / by Time Out Bookstore

‘If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.’
ZORA NEALE HURSTON

After making multiple ‘Best of 2019’ lists in the USA, Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House has finally made it to New Zealand.

Machado describes a year long, psychologically abusive relationship with her ex-girlfriend through vignettes headed with narrative genres.

She contextualises her experience as she looks outwards into writing on abusive relationships in the queer community, folklore and pop culture.

This book is intense, helpless and visceral but as Machado says, this is an act of resurrection for herself. Incredibly smart, powerful and compelling - this may be my memoir of the year already!

Listen to Jenna’s review below: