A devastating account from the other side of murder, outlining in stark detail the trauma we fail to recognize when we consume tragedy as entertainment ... Ervin writes with painful clarity about the instability of a childhood defined by public tragedy ... She is particularly skillful at examining the conflict inherent in commodifying female sexuality — while simultaneously punishing women for being looked at.
Heartfelt ... It’s a painful unearthing, one even a gifted writer can find difficult to capture in words, and throughout the book Ervin grapples with doubt about how deep to dig ... This daughter’s tribute will stand as a passionate, powerful memorial.
This may be the best way true crime should be written, with nuance and unfettered compassion and with the words of the living victims or their families at the center.
Shattering ... Ervin is a poet, and her language here is lyrical. Her depictions of unimaginable cruelty cut so close to the bone that they feel almost tangibly interior. Rhapsodic and startling, Rabbit Heart moves inside of you and explores the places of rage and grief that are often left unmonitored, revealing both the power and danger of womanhood in a violent world.
Ervin’s unflinchingly brutal gaze, combined with her insistence on facing the worst parts of her past, make it equally impossible for us to look away. A devastating memoir about living with—and dying from—gender-based violence.
Moving ... In lucid prose, Ervin unflinchingly documents her grief and untangles how her mother’s murder impacted myriad aspects of her life. This will haunt readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
