Book Review: Like Sodium in Water by Hayden Eastwood
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Two stars—and that’s being generous.
The book begins with promise. Hayden Eastwood paints an evocative picture of his childhood in Zimbabwe during the 1980s and 90s. For anyone who grew up during that era, there’s a nostalgic familiarity in his anecdotes and pop culture references. It’s easy to feel drawn in and curious about where the story might lead.
Unfortunately, it veers off in a deeply uncomfortable direction. What begins as a memoir morphs into what feels like a public airing of intensely private family matters. The amount of personal, painful “dirty laundry” shared about his family is staggering—and quite honestly, unnecessary. It leaves the reader questioning the intent behind the book. There’s a faint glimmer of remorse, especially in relation to his father, but it’s fleeting and overshadowed by what often feels like bitterness rather than reflection.
One can appreciate that writing about trauma and truth can be cathartic. But storytelling—particularly memoir—comes with a responsibility: to handle shared histories with sensitivity and care. In this case, that balance is sorely lacking.
Proceed with caution if you value discretion, healing, and empathy in memoirs.
