We Don’t Talk About It, Ever

 

 

Author          Desiree-Ann Martin

Title               We Don’t Talk About It. Ever

Genre            Memoir

In this tell-it-all debut memoir, Desiree-Ann Martin in similar fashion to how Sisonke Msimang did in her memoir Always Another Country, narrates a story of her life from an early age, right through to her adult life and does this without leaving anything out. This book captures Desiree’s life journey in full and defines who and what she went through to be here today.

In true traditional memoir writing style, Desiree starts off with her early childhood days in Cape Town, being raised in a family where her uncle’s perverted tendencies and sex talk in the family were neatly swept under the rug of silence. In her honest and brutal way of telling the story, Desiree doesn’t shy away from airing the family’s dirty laundry. From her ‘subversive racist’ mother, childhood rape by her cousin and her cheating father.

While the main focus is on Desiree’s battle with heroin addiction, courtesy of her druggie ex-boyfriend Darren, who introduced her to the drug, this book narrates a story of hope where there was hopelessness, a story of success where the signs of failure outnumbered those of success.

Reading this book gives a fresh perspective in dealing with heroin addiction and highlights the critical roles that family and friends should play in helping those fighting addiction. For those fighting addiction, this book will serve as motivation by dishing out advice on how to beat addiction.

The chapters are short and build onto each other seamlessly. After reading this book, the reader is bound to go through a mixed bag of emotions, but most importantly come out inspired.

Due to the writer’s level of openness and the colourful use of language, I will give this book an 8/10 rating. This is a must read memoir and one that will serve as motivation for generations to come.

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