... It’s as if [Sánchez] anticipated that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, and she set out to provide women with the literature they needed to both comfort and inspire us as we navigate this new reality ... Sánchez is a raw, unapologetic and acerbic writer, who leans into difficult topics ... As funny as the essay is, Sánchez also manages to capture the frustration of being a young girl growing into womanhood while trying to understand her body and fending off the predatory advances of men ... Sánchez’s writing evokes vivid images. It’s also humorous, contemplative and so conversational that it feels like she’s telling the story of her life over a cup of coffee with a blunt on the side. Sánchez refers to herself as loud and crass, and her writing proves it. All of which is to say, this insightful memoir might not resonate with the easily offended. But those looking for an unfiltered, feel-good story will find it here.
... quippy, earnest and occasionally 'prone to reaching George Costanza levels of pettiness' ... Her candid divulgences about sex, vaginal infections, abortion and body shame reveal how 'when you’re a young woman, simply having a body is a hazard'; and these plainly told personal truths are as absorbing as a deep and wide-ranging conversation with a trusted friend ... The book proves that delicacy and strength are no opposites. It is easy to imagine a vulnerable reader gobbling up Sánchez’ honesty and her reassurances that sorrow does not preclude pleasure.
Blazingly honest and gloriously raucous, the memoir is about the author's struggle to forge a life of her choosing without viable role models. It's no surprise that mistakes feature prominently in the book ... The author's reflections cast light on a generation of recent immigrants who have rebelled against their adverse circumstances, their parents and the parents' values. With the rebellion, however, comes a sense of existential malaise, a psychic wound ... At its heart, the memoir is the author's reckoning with trauma: a gaping hole of nothingness ... Sánchez addresses, unapologetically, her sexuality, failed relationships, solo travels, conversion to Nichiren Buddhism, family and other topics. Readers will recognize echoes of Sandra Cisneros' memoir A House of My Own: Stories From My Life. Yet Sánchez speaks to the reader in bold terms that are her own ... What Sánchez accomplishes here so well is to offer herself as an uncommon role model for others finding their way. This book is a great gift of hope.
... will leave the reader with tears of laughter, sadness, and relatability, often within the same sentence ... her memoir succeeds in its purpose of empowering and speaking to young women of color who may not have access to role models like Sánchez, nor texts that speak to their experience ... Even though each chapter could serve as a standalone essay, the impact of the final chapter/essay is far greater after reading the entire memoir. Not only does it offer a happy ending and a message of hope, it is also a clear, personalized statement for why access to safe abortions is so crucial for any woman, a message that is particularly timely given the current dismantling of Roe v. Wade ... When Sánchez did not see her own life reflected in the pages of any books, she created her own so that her audience could finally see themselves reflected in a tale that is truly one of victory and resilience.
Searingly candid ... With animated, often hilarious, vignettes from a multicultural youth spent yearning for the solitude necessary for writing, Crying in the Bathroom finds the author immensely grateful for the good fortune of the present, for a splendid study of her own and the sacrifices her hardworking parents made so their daughter could pursue her literary dreams and lead a life of the mind.
Refreshingly candid ... Sánchez spares no detail in relating her life experiences ... Sánchez uses amusing anecdotes to chronicle the chronic pain she endured ... An engrossing, accessible, heart-opening recollection of a fascinating life.
Raw and sensuous ... Sánchez has experienced despair and wonder intensely. These dueling states become the through line to lyrical musings that, though blunt in their candor...are leavened by the author’s great wit and compassion ... Her writing shines with a deep humility wrought from the hard-won nature of her personal peace. The result is another satisfying addition to Sánchez’s deeply moving body of works.
