Reading this, I’m reminded how much I like Rachel Cusk’s writing. There is something very raw and relatable in all her books.
This is a claustrophobic post-partum memoir where Cusk explores her shifting reality and identity. It’s a very visceral exploration of how she’s adjusting to having a young baby. There’s also a bit on birth.
She’s very open about voicing anxieties surrounding this huge shift in her life. As well as the personal, she looks at societal issues too: how perceptions change of women’s bodies and minds. It’s a feverish and sleep deprived book.
My favourite bit was when they very briefly moved to a very Stepford Wives small town, and how she’s trying to navigate friendships with other mums. There’s a lot of dark humour here too.
It’s a short but powerful book. Definitely intense and claustrophobic, I felt like writing it must have been therapeutic.
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