Book Review: “I Am Yours: A Shared Memoir” by Reema Zaman

“I Am Yours: A Shared Memoir” by Reema Zaman (2019)

Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction

Page Length: 300 pages (paperback review edition)

Synopsis:

It is time.

It is time to free our voice.

To speak is a revolution.

For too long, through the most intimate acts of erasure, women have been silenced. Now, women everywhere are breaking through the limits placed on us by family, society, and tradition. To find our voices. To make space for ourselves in this world. Now is the moment to reclaim what was once lost, stolen, forsaken, or abandoned. I Am Yours is about my fight to protect and free my voice from those who have sought to silence me, for the sake of creating a world where all voices are welcome and respected. Because the voice, without intimacy, will atrophy. We’re in this together. You are mine, and I am yours. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

I Am Yours is a raw and emotional memoir where the author shares stories from personal experiences in her life. The book starts with stories from her youth until the present. Through her personal experiences, she describes vivid events that shaped her into the women she is today.

Zaman has a very lyrical quality in her writing style that makes the reading pace very smooth. Each section is set up at a different stage in the author’s life and we get to see how not only how she transitions in age, but also the obstacles that shape her. Even from childhood Zaman is very outspoken and passionate about her beliefs and what she wants to do in life. I admired her ambition and drive when it came to her acting career, working in childcare, and finding her passion for what path she wanted to follow in life.

Her writing is so detailed that you feel as if you are reading her personal diary. She talks about her struggle with anorexia, overcoming the abuse from her ex-husband, surviving sexual assault and then her healing process to find herself once again (Trigger warning!). She does get to a point where she loses sight of what she wants in lifeand works on finding the drive to move forward once again.

So many times people tried to silence Zaman’s voice, but she always make sure she spoke up, even when her opinions weren’t wanted. She is fiere and strong, while also showing her vulnerability in her memoir. I enjoyed reading about Reema’s journey and it shows that even though life throws us many obstacles, we can overcome them. It may be very difficult, but we have to try..

This memoir had me engrossed from beginning to end and I highly recommend it!

Final Verdict: