First off, I have to say that I love Johnson's writing style. It has this great flow to it that's so beautiful - which I appreciated even more because the topics she discusses are so disturbing and gritty. This essay collection covers a variety of topics (including racism, the devastation in Houston from Hurricane Harvey a few years ago, government malfeasance, etc.). I was particularly moved by the very first essay in the book which was about her own experience as a rape survivor. She describes the experience of grappling with the question people most often ask her: "What do you want to happen to your attacker?" Johnson has such a thoughtful and moving response, and it's her honesty and open heart that made me connect to her story.

My main complaint is one I often have about essay collections. Some parts seemed rather repetitive (most likely because some essays were published as stand-alone pieces in journals and magazines). I couldn't find a throughline connecting each story to one another (unless the theme is just basic human suffering and the ways we hurt each other).

I also wanted Johnson to go a little deeper into her own past (including her attack and kidnapping). It was referenced quite frequently throughout but didn't have a lot of depth to it. I'm guessing her earlier memoir covered these events in greater detail, so I think I'll check that one out at some point.

I wouldn't necessarily give a huge rave to this book but Johnson is someone who I want to read a lot more from and that's probably the biggest compliment I can give a book.

This devastating essay collection touches on trauma, retribution, redemption, and environmental destruction. It isn't rosy. You should read it if you are a human living in the 21st century.
Johnson's weaves her clear prose into emotionally powerful paragraphs from which brilliantly crafted essays emerge. She does not presuppose that the reader knows the story of her trauma from previous memoirs but touches upon themes raised in them to create new works. It's a cliche to call essay collections "urgent" nowadays but this one certainly deserves that characterization.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title.

Lacy Johnson is a thoughtful, intelligent writer. She takes on subjects that she feels are important to address; however this essay collection fell a little short for me.
It becomes difficult to review the thoughts and personal experiences of another. There was a certain disjointed quality to this collection that I'd hoped more organized thoughts Would remedy. Maybe it was overly ambitious in scope. It failed to resonate with me as other essay collections of the same subject matters have.
I am intrigued by her first book, a personal narrative of her abusive relationship that culminated in her kidnapping and imprisonment. Johnson's language is often lyrical and poetic and somewhat stream of consciousness which may lend to her personal story of violence.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my unbias opinion.

This broad collection of essays ranged from conversations on race to the environment. It was attention-grabbing and read smoothly. I very much enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading her previous publication.

I expected, and would have read, a book of essays on just her thoughts on sexual violence. Luckily, that is not all that Lacy Johnson gives us here.

Here, Lacy Johnson runs us through a number of Reckonings we have coming. Not just the reckoning from both victims of sexual assault and the perpetrators and their supporters (the latter of which gave us Donald Trump). She also touches on the reckoning of our turning a blind eye to corporate greed. She covers the reckoning we have as poor and middle-class whites who have allowed ourselves to align with other whites who keep us back financially over people of color who live with us in the social struggles. And she covers the reckoning we have accepted in going with short-term convenience over long-term livability in our treatment of the environment.

The question is how we allow that Reckoning to affect us as we start to feel its effects. Vote in all of your elections, give love to everyone - but more importantly don't be afraid to rebuke them when they're wrong, and know you're own impact.

I began reading The Reckonings the weekend Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court—this book could not have arrived in my hands at a more appropriate moment. In The Reckonings, Lacy M. Johnson confronts justice and mercy, the silencing of survivors of sexual assault, whiteness’s refusal to examine white privilege, the function of art in a fucked up world. Johnson has an exceptional skill for intricately woven essays, pulling pieces of history, art, myth, and personal narrative together. This is a stunning, timely collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with a digital galley for review.

This was a very thought provoking read. All these essays from these women are heart wrenching, and you can really feel the impact of these essays.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This is a collection of essays from a woman who was kidnapped and raped. These essays cover everything from mercy, not being believed about sexual assault, and the divine feminine. It also deals with the effect seeing violence has on people. These essays are well written and give you something to think about.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.