In The Dream House by Carmen Maria

In a world overrun by content, words, and endless prose I present to you a unicorn, a genuinely unique book. Reading this was like entering a meditative state of consciousness, there was something about the structure and narrative that swept me along in a current of new insight. Though initially I was perplexed and unsure of the form and style by the last page I was utterly moved. 

Winner of the @rathbones_folio prize and recieving continuous global praise, In The Dream House is @carmenmmachado ‘s memoir of domestic abuse perpetrated by her girlfriend. Written in staccato vignettes, every fractured chapter is framed through a different lense which gives the author the scope to explore this rarely discussed topic from a plethora of perspectives.

She explores the silence on this issue, the inherent shame, the misogynist rhetoric of masculinity, gender politics, the pervasiveness of mythical folklore on femininity and a whole host of other streams of thought whilst somehow taking the reader within her very soul, depicting how you can fall head over heels in love and then find yourself miserable, trapped, crying in a locked bathroom unable to leave a terrible relationship.

Suffused with allegory, this is experimental literature at its very best. Deeply personal and intimate, with very few words Machado transports you into the scene and whilst there are many artistic and cultural references this is simultaneously very accessible. Raising society’s inability to understand violence between female partners, her words serve a critical purpose in giving a voice to the silent.

This is intersectional non fiction, genre crushing, a blend of precision and poetry, you helplessly watch as she is almost enchanted into accepting the unacceptable. I found this breathtakingly inventive and powerful, provocative and visceral. Unflinchingly honest, this is a book I have just finished which has left an indelible mark. It won’t work for some readers but for those it does it’s a masterpiece.

~ Chaya

Thank you so much @serpentstail for sending us a copy {Ad:PR Copy}