In Search of a Salve: Memoir of a Sex Addict
Adult; Memoir; (Market)
No topic is too taboo or off limits; from the sexual assaults she suffered as a child to the exhibitionism displayed and multiple abortions she had as an adult. Garland weaves the seedy and secretive world of a sex addict with her words, removing the erotic and replacing it with the reality of what it means to live a double life; lying to and cheating on the ones you love. But like anyone wanting to see the other side of addiction, Garland had to do the necessary work to put her urges in perspective and her desires in check. In Search of a Salve is the memoir of someone who's spent years excavating her interior; rooting out what never belonged and pouring in all that she needed to live courageously bold, honest, and healing.
Plot/Idea: 8 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: In this fascinating memoir, Dr. Garland details her sex addiction and the deeply unfortunate consequences of her deeply troubled childhood.
Prose: Garland vividly explores the often traumatic formative events in her life, including the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of another child and her father and her mother's death. As an adult, Garland unflinchingly examines her addiction to sex and the subsequent feelings of shame as well as her struggles to emotionally connect to others.
Originality: Stories of addiction and recovery are familiar, but Garland's memoir shines in its willingness to expose the author's darkest, ugliest moments: In Search of a Salve is uniquely unsparing and, ultimately, triumphant.
Character/Execution: Garland's storytelling is candid and meticulous. Her exploration of sex addiction, its origins, and its manifestations, is particularly illuminating.
Date Submitted: October 04, 2023
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
“A bold, empowering confessional by a fearlessly expressive and talented writer.”
Kirkus Reviews
