BRAVE

As a survivor and victim of both childhood sexual abuse and adult rape, I found this book to provide a significant shift in my outlook. I should say that I've been studying rape trauma for years, and am also an established literary author. I thought I'd gotten to where I needed to be in "seeing" what had happened.In my own extensive analyses and processing, I noticed it took me years to move from saying (essentially) "I have rape trauma symptoms" to "I was raped." After reading Rose McGowan's book, I was able to shift from "I was raped" to "He raped me." This might sound completely bizarre from the outside. But like McGowan, I was raped by a man in a position of power over my career, and trauma had instilled so much fear and tentativeness and confusion in me when it came to directly stating that this man had raped me that even as I described actual events openly to people, I shied away from directly defining what he did in a way that also formed a clear accusation. It was as if I needed other people to define it for me; and every time someone else defined what I knew to have happened, I felt relieved. McGowan with so much clarity and agency defines what happened to her. Listening to her do this is contagious. And in writing this I suppose I'm really writing to her--that she might see this one day. Thank you Rose. I want to say too how helpful it is to read an account of a rape that involves penetration with something not a penis. And to hear such honesty in describing its aftermath. I also really appreciate the analysis of what is happening in the film industry--and its effect on the world--from a feminist perspective that is so frank and accessible. We have so many writers and academics looking at film and the film industry from the outside. But I needed to hear someone speak of it from the inside in a felt, lived, raw way.

*****This is not a usual book. It is highly unusual, and written in a very unusual way. I gave this book five stars because I think it is important and succeeds in a creative, raw, authentic, and real way. I think that any person who actually reads the book will be moved. The author's style is very emotional, and she writes using lots of anger and crude (but appropriately crude) language in response to what has happened to her. I would encourage any thoughtful person to not dismiss this book because of ignorant (they haven't read the book) comments others have made.In her style of writing, the author often addresses the reader as "you"; it is a deeply personal book, written directly to the reader, and intended to rouse the reader to action, to encourage them to be brave in their own life. It is a vibrant call to action for both women and men.The author typically was not listened to, not taken seriously, not respected. For those of us who are female, this may be very familiar to us. She describes how our culture programs us to be pleasant, polite, docile, easily manipulated, and vulnerable to predators--I certainly could relate.She had a very difficult young life. She was raised in Italy in the Children of God cult. After describing what she went through--some incredibly horrible things--she compares this religious cult to the "cult of Hollywood". It's easy to see the parallels. It causes the reader to thing about how we support Hollywood in unhelpful ways and urges us to be supportive of roles and movies who portray women in ways that are not exploitative. I agree with one reviewer who said that she found "unexpected depth" to this book. I related to so much of what the author wrote and also to the blunt and graphic way she said it.The author does not name her abusers, although their names are easy to figure out with some familiarity with her story. I think that not naming them is powerful and appropriate. She calls one of her primary abusers "The Monster", which describes his actions well; now all of us know more about who he is and what he did. He has been called to accountability for his actions, so some justice has been done there. Reading the actual description of her assault helps the reader to understand how many people have to be complicit in order for someone like that to operate in a predatory way for years and years. The author calls out those people, encouraging everyone who is complicit in abuse to stop looking the other way in order to benefit personally from the abuser's power and money.The author was homeless many times, including in the Pacific Northwest after she moved from Italy, and spent many of her teenage years wet and hungry. I live in the PNW and have shelter and a car and food and can only imagine how years of living in the cold rain like this affects a young person. Her father had bipolar illness and she captures the effects this had on her throughout her life so well. One of her kindest boyfriends was murdered. She has a lot of insight into what it felt like to go through so many varied experiences; for those of us who also have been there, these insights will be familiar and poignant. For those of us who have not been there, these insights will be enlightening.The descriptions of sexual assault and abuse are graphic but not inappropriate. I think our stories need to be told and that it is important for women to speak out about what happened to them. I do think that many, many people will try to silence what this author is saying by name-calling and shaming her. Some people want things to stay the same and for women to stay in their traditional place in this country, which is subservient to men, and they blame women when they are sexually assaulted; they will be understandably angry at this book. Several reviewers have tried to shame the author for being mentally ill and to then diagnose her; they don't understand that shaming people who are mentally ill is no longer okay in our culture and that mentally ill people have a voice as well. If they'd read the book they would have found out that the author admits to being cyclothymic and that she is in treatment for this. People who have a mental illness deserve to write books and be heard as much as anyone else. Seriously, these reviewers should be ashamed of themselves but do not know how to do this, probably.This book is a justifiably angry one. That doesn't mean it should be avoided. It is now okay for women to be angry when things like this happen to them--and they deserve to be heard. Don't let the haters--the shamers---keep you from reading a UNIQUE VOICE that deserves to be heard; it is beautiful and raw and angry--raging at times--but when the reader listens, they will learn so much.Highly recommended.*****

The first time I saw Rose McGowan was in the movie Planet Terror. Now it seems like the movie is a bizarre parable for her life story. In the movie, she's a total badass who goes from being a dancer to saving the world, but off camera her world was falling apart because of Hollywood brainwashing, the director's abuse, an on-set injury, and the fact the film was sold to the pig who assaulted her and has abused many other women.I've been waiting to read this book since she announced she was writing it in 2014 not long after the release of her film Dawn. Rose is a brilliant brave soul who's had a hell of a life so far so I was very excited to read it. So excited in fact that I read it all in one day.Brave is in two parts. Part One begins with a very profound statement: "Here's the thing about cults: I see them everywhere." From there she tells us her life from her early years in the Italian chapter of Children of God to her day of reckoning when she saw what was supposed to be her on the cover of Rolling Stone and didn't recognize herself because she was turned into a human barbie doll. Her life between these two points is almost surreal but it's the truth. Like how she went from living in a hippie cult in Tuscany to backwoods Oregon, how she befriended kind weirdos when she was homeless, how she was 'discovered' on a street corner crying because her close friend was murdered. This is how she wound up in this big machine sold to us as Hollywood, where she was boxed in and turned into a sex object sold to men. What Piggy (or the Monster as she calls him) did to her overwhelms me with nausea and rage. I really hope he and everyone who defended him gets what they deserve. Her descriptions of what went on behind the scenes of her films and what her work took out of her--especially on Charmed and Planet Terror--made me admire her tenacity even more. Fans know about her life through interviews but hearing her story directly from her in detail is very moving. (Sidenote: I had no idea my favorite Marilyn Manson song is about her!)Part Two is how Rose has reclaimed her life since leaving the machine, what she stands for, and how you can free yourself from your own prisons of belief. She describes the backlash against her just for being real and what would make her set the Me Too Movement into action. This is where the manifesto is. There's no complexity to understanding it. Not only is she articulate in her points but the way she writes makes you feel like you're talking with a wise friend who understands you. While she's very serious about what she says and she gets very honest, her sense of humor shows at points throughout the book. Her message is clear: Reset your mind, reflect, rise against injustice, men need to stand up for women, women need to stand up for themselves, own your truth, not allowing anyone to box you in, be different, be creative, be brave. At one point, she explains how after the storm cleared, she looked at what she believed about herself and traced her beliefs back to where they came from. "I started to think deeply and look at the beliefs holding me down, knowing if I got to the root cause, I could work to be free...By writing these old beliefs down, I was free to at least think differently about myself and carve out a different future. One based on my true strengths. One based on how I truly saw myself, not how I was seen." I will do the same.If you liked Leah Remini's memoir, who has also survived a cult she's now fighting against, and/or Jewel's memoir, who has been through hell and has survived to tell the lessons she's learned, you will love Brave. Obviously if you're young, a fan of Rose, or a young fan of Rose it's a must read. But honestly, everyone should read this book. It comes at a very important time. Rose is part of history. Not just because she was in the classic Scream or Jawbreaker, which set the stage for movies like Mean Girls, but she helped ignite this movement that has changed the world. Women have been held down for far too long and as she said, this is the first time in history women are being believed. The future is female. Your life is yours.I would say we need more folks like Rose but I already know you're out there. So get out there and be brave.

WOW... It sounds bad considering the subject but what a good read. She IS a hero. I thought she just turned a bit strange with fame etc, as a lot of celebs do, but i am not surprised after reading this. She has had bad luck after bad luck.Hollywood sounds diabolical, I've never wanted to be famous but even less so now.Well done Rose. You are a hero. You have woman from all over the world behind you and the Me Too movement followed your admission. Be strong and keep being Brave.

The momentum of the #MeToo movement has created massive ripples – not just among the world of celebrities with the downfall of Weinstein and the recent case of Jeffrey Epstein. It has filtered through modern society and women are not going to take vile misogyny anymore. The discourse around sexual harassment has changed. Women have often felt that they have to prove they have been attacked or violated – it is their word against the attackers and it is the only type of case where the victim is scrutinised as much as the alleged perpetrator. This is changing and it must continue to change to protect the vulnerable.Whilst the movement isn’t down to just one person, the importance role of Rose McGowan and her bravery cannot go unacknowledged. In her autobiography Brave she discusses the systemic sexism, male privilege and sexual harassment that many actresses like her have faced on a daily basis. And she is mad. She is pissed off and dammit she has a right to be.The candour, honesty and amazing articulation that McGowan has allowed her to tell her fascinating story makes Brave such a compelling read. What she has been through makes you examine things that have happened to you. Things that you may have just brushed aside at the time or just laughed off uncomfortably are highlighted as someone else’s inappropriate behaviour. It is now, with Rose McGowan and others strong examples that we can call out this bad behaviour.Rose McGowan is asking us all to be brave.Brave by Rose McGowan is available now.

Rose mcgowan is still being victimised. Accused of aggression when simply defending herself from idiots like the trans person in the bookstore. I truly hope you read this Rose. Thank you for having the courage to write and speak so candidly. I consider this book mandatory school reading for over 16s. I can only imagine how challenging it is to be this brave woman. The first to really speak out. Against sociopaths with complete power, no accountability and deep pockets. There are no words.

Challenging to read and recognise as a man how unintentionally complicit I and many others are in quietly accepting the "norms" of society in which we were raised and their consequences on others.

Rose McGowan has that essential talent in a writer - she makes you want to turn the page. Her style reminds me of Betty MacDonald, (The Plague and I) in that she puts down the most heartwrenching facts in a completely matter of fact way. This is the story of a child , a girl and a woman who faced up to the horrors of her past and present to bring down a Goliath.