Kim | Bookstagram

Strangers by Belle Burden got its fair share of hype surrounding its release, and rightly so.

I found Burden’s writing vulnerable and honest as she takes her readers through her entire world suddenly, unexpectedly falling apart. You certainly feel her confusion and anger and I was surprised at the lack of bitterness in her writing despite the hurt she suffered. There’s something incredibly powerful in a woman who reclaims her voice and advocates for herself and her story.

I found myself a little conflicted though. On the one hand I was rooting for her and angered at times that her story was silenced, ignored, contradicted and controlled. The plight of womanhood is laid bare for us within her story and she subtly cautions women to take their legal engagements seriously. However there is something within the memoir that raised questions around privilege and I need to sit with my thoughts on this a little more.

A powerful memoir and a feminine resilience that is admirable.

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