I Choose Elena
“A fierce, eloquent meditation on trauma, #MeToo, the body, pain and memory.” –Sinéad Gleeson,
“Thank-you Lucia Osborne-Crowley for writing I Choose Elena, for your bold and precise testimony on the devastation of sexual violence, on the body’s extraordinary and destructive compulsion to contain its own trauma. Every one of the insights you share is extremely hard-won, and I am so grateful to you for putting them into this incredible book.” –Rosie Price, author, What Red Was
“This book burrowed deep under my skin. A searing, potent testament to the vital necessity of articulation in the struggle for women to own their bodies and find a language to talk about violence and trauma.” –Jessica Andrews, author, Saltwater
“Startlingly intelligent, disturbing, profound and moving, I Choose Elena shows us that the #MeToo movement has grown roots, and that for survivors of rape and sexual assault, the revolution is just beginning. Osborne-Crowley gives us darkness wrought in light and the hope she offers is as palpable as it is hard-won.” April Ayers Lawson, author, Virgin and Other Stories
“… a thoroughly researched and deeply affecting essay.” The Fountain Sept 19
“Beautiful and sad and moving and too real in the finest way.” —Irish Times
“Exquisite. A powerful, moving insight into an incredible personal journey that also highlights the experiences of many other women. It is thoroughly researched, bringing together important learnings about trauma (particularly in relation to sexual assault) across medical, legal and social fields in an accessible way. It is a ground breaking approach to discussing issues that are so often kept in silence. It is brilliantly written, I devoured it in one sitting. The author has a captivating, emotive, seamless, and authentic way with words. This book will change the conversation.” Goodreads
“I don’t think I’ve ever actually cried reading a book but I had tears in my eyes as I finished I Choose Elena. Lucia’s writing about trauma and shame and the overwhelming desire to disappear is so honest and powerful and resonant. It truly is a perfect thing, and the best thing I could have read before starting therapy myself.” Goodreads
“A stunning, searing piece of work.” Goodreads