Machado uses a series of different narrative styles and introduces different literary tropes to tell her story, which contributes to a disjointed feel that I’ll circle back around to in a bit. The book is an extremely intimate look at an abusive same-sex relationship with an unnamed woman. The way this book unfolds is perfect for a memoir, as it reminds me of the psychological nature of memory. Machado has a way of telling a story that’s unlike any other. It currently averages a 4.52 out of 5 stars from more than 30,000 ratings on Goodreads, and it’s easy to understand why. I do know this book has received a wide amount of praise. I wonder if other reviewers have such self confidence issues regarding literary interpretation. I don’t want to be swayed into impressions that aren’t really my own, but this also causes me to feel a bit of anxiety over whether or not I sound like I know what I’m talking about. I rarely read other reviews of books I’ve just finished before writing my own, because I want my words to be authentic. As with any review, I struggle with whether or not my perception mirrors that of people infinitely smarter than me. On the other, I don’t think I can adequately review such a deeply personal subject without having truly experienced such a thing myself. On one hand, I’m not sure what to say about this book. I feel like this is going to be a difficult review for me.

In the dream house paperback