Heart Berries

by Terese Marie Mailhot
Heart Berries cover
Good Books rating 4.23
Biography and Memoir
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Paperback • £9.99
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  • ID: 11160
  • Added: 2026-02-21
  • Updated: 2026-02-22
  • ISBN: 9781526604507
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
  • Published: 2019-01-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Heart Berries is a deeply moving memoir by Terese Marie Mailhot, detailing her journey of survival and self-discovery on an Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. After a tumultuous upbringing and a dual diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar II disorder, Mailhot turns to writing as a means of healing and reconnection. Her story is a poignant exploration of family, identity, and the power of storytelling to overcome adversity. Through her writing, Mailhot reconnects with her family, her people, and her place in the world. Heart Berries is not just a personal memoir but also a tribute to her mother, a social worker and activist, and an elegy on the complexities of love and shame. Mailhot's raw and honest prose makes this a compelling read for anyone interested in personal journeys of healing and self-discovery.

Reviews
Book Munch · 2019-09-14
thoughtful 4.20

The author's undramatic and analytical approach makes the memoir a thoughtful and introspective read. The non-linear storytelling adds depth to the narrative.

This memoir is a thoughtful and introspective exploration of trauma and healing. The author's undramatic and analytical approach makes the book a compelling read. The non-linear storytelling adds depth to the narrative, making it a unique and engaging experience. The memoir's themes of abuse, addiction, and racial cruelty are handled with sensitivity and depth, offering a unique perspective on the human experience. The author's voice is distinctive and powerful, drawing the reader into a world of pain and healing. The book's raw emotion and unflinching honesty make it a profound and moving read.

Quick quotes

    But the author avoids the low road. Instead she is undramatic, analytical, searching.

    Her story roams, is non-linear, asks questions – the ...

    The author's undramatic and analytical approach makes the memoir a thoughtful and introspective read.

The Bibliophage · 2019-02-26
empowering 4.00

The book offers an indigenous, feminist perspective that is both heartbreaking and empowering. The raw emotion and anger in the writing make it a powerful read.

This book is a raw and unfiltered exploration of indigenous and feminist issues. The author's anger and pain are palpable, making the reading experience both heartbreaking and empowering. The memoir's non-linear structure and analytical approach add depth to the narrative, making it a compelling read. The book's themes of abuse, addiction, and racial cruelty are handled with sensitivity and depth, offering a unique perspective on the human experience. The author's voice is distinctive and powerful, drawing the reader into a world of pain and healing.

Quick quotes

    If you're looking for a indigenous, feminist, angry voice that'll break your heart and rile you up, this is the book for you.

    The book offers an indigenous, feminist perspective that is both heartbreaking and empowering.

    The raw emotion and anger in the writing make it a powerful read.

The Guardian · 2018-08-04
profound 4.50

The memoir is a powerful account of sexual abuse, racial cruelty, and addiction, enriched by wry humor and a strong narrative voice. The writing is raw and unflinching, yet beautifully crafted.

This memoir is a profound exploration of trauma and resilience. The author's unflinching honesty and wry humor make the book both harrowing and deeply moving. The narrative voice is strong and distinctive, drawing the reader into a world of pain and healing. The writing style is raw and unfiltered, yet beautifully crafted, making it a compelling read. The memoir's themes of abuse, addiction, and racial cruelty are handled with sensitivity and depth, offering a unique perspective on the human experience.

Quick quotes

    A bestselling portrayal of sexual abuse, racial cruelty and addiction is enlivened by wry, deadpan humour and an account of a strong ...

    The memoir is a powerful account of sexual abuse, racial cruelty, and addiction, enriched by wry humor and a strong narrative voice.

    The writing is raw and unflinching, yet beautifully crafted.

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