Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Pageboy

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Pageboy by Elliot Page

11 reviews

melsage1823's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

A Fresh Inventive And Heartfelt Authentic Memoir That Unapologetically Shows The Real Elliot Page.

This was one of my most hyped reads from the moment I got it and for the most part it did deliver. It was very powerful and stuck with me deeply, it was a roller coaster and despite Elliots story being out of order it truly did strike a cord. I hate it to say it but I think it's underrated, yeah the non linear narrative spoils the flow of the book but its still really good especially with how authentic and Elliot is, in every chapter he writes. It was beautiful and struck me hard especially when he shared what it was like being in the closet.

It's very brave and bold that Elliot writes a memoir unapologetic to his style and doesn't do writes it in a way the reader will expect. Its very interesting and emotional.The storytelling style may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's still very engaging. That being said though there is some critiques I feel nesscary to share.

First the length, whilst some memoirs I have felt too long others have felt too short and this is one that falls into that trap of being too short. I feel like we had a journey with Elliot going from discovering his Sexuality to accepting his gender identity. There's a lot of moments that felt like he could have further fleshed out to give more context. I get it's his life and his life is personal but I feel like several chapters should have been extended in order to have the punch land easier and add to the flow of the books. The snipets felt like they need slowing down so readers could better absorb the story. If it wasn't for my reading journal I would have really struggled to absorb Elliots journey and the events he shares.

Secondly the style. I have a love hate relationship with the writing style Elliot Page has chosen to use. His explanation is powerful and fresh but in my opinion it doesn't really work in prose form. It makes the novel feel too sporadic and random, the only time the novel flows very well is the last few chapters which all sort of connect. The ending chapters are great but the beginning and the middle are all tangled and messy. I really think I would love this story more if it had the expected style of a memoir or a story. Elliot's trying to tell a story but due to how out of order everything is it's super hard to process. The style tries to be engaging and get across Elliots intention but instead it all spins into something clumsy and clunky. I do appreciate it for being really unique though.

If it wasn't for those two things this honestly would be a five star read. First I have to praise the fact that Elliot shares his whole experience and not just his trans experience. People might complain but despite being in the past it was important Elliot talked about his sexuality and his experience coming out back then. Its like if you told me to not talk about my experience discovering I was Bi just because I now discovered I'm Aro-Ace. Everyone's experience is valid and important especially if they've lived it. It made it feel like I was reading someone's genuine journey and that the missing puzzle piece was found. The most intresting aspect of Elliot sharing his full coming out journey is that it showed the different experiences that come from being a queer woman and a trans man. It is very educational and informative because of this.

Next I have to praise the authenticity and honesty. Memoirs are very honest and raw but they don't have to be. It's very admirable and good. Elliot is very honest throughout all of the novel and shares with the readers perfectly his experience in a way that suits him. He unapologetically is himself as he writes and as a result it allows the reader to connect with the audience. It's also really talented the way he's able to authentically pour his personality into the Pages and make sure the world can know his story. I also love how he is so honest about the abuse he faced from his family and that he doesn't sugar coat any of the experiences he went through. It's very easy to sugar coat and down play your truama but Elliot realistically addresses it and how it shaped him and his adult life. If you want an authentic memoir full of personality than this one is definitely worth giving a try.

Finally I have to praise the creativity and inventivity. As stated in the authors note Trans Experiences aren't linear so even if it's a bit clunky I really appreciate how Elliot has reflected that in his writing. All the stories shared are little fruits that make up the Elliot Page tree. It's hard to process without a reading journal but it's very engaging reading the sort of flashback recollections. It's even more effective if you read the audiobook narrated by him. Privy to Trans people's experiences Elliot tries to make the Memoir different from the typical norm expected of celebrity memoirs. Reflecting the whole message of the book and reflecting how his experience is different from other people. He also flows the book in a way that every chapter title connects to a story he retells. Wait till you get the context of Heavenly Daddy it's so worth it 😂. Elliot has decided to own his Memoir and I'm here for it.

A fantastic memoir that shows the scrambled journey of Elliot Page and his perseverance in accepting his gender identity. Its a very reflective and emotional novel that will fit even harder if you are queer or trans yourself. Might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's a hundred percent worth giving it a chance

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stevia333k's review

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dark tense slow-paced

4.25

The last 3rd was good, and i say this because the first 2 thirds were violent as hell. I had to learn that he was in a lot of action movies basically in order to handle it & i also could only listen 10 minutes at a time at triple speed.

Anyways, after a while certain parts about being trans were like oh good my transfemme self isn't alone.

The relationships though & the shadow work kinda went over my head because I'm aromantic but the workplace accident (because of how wreckless the directors were to black & queer lives) helped connect me to the kind of stuff he meant, so I am thankful he included workplace incidents like that.

Also the memoir isn't told as chronologically, so basically if you're taking notes then I recommend trying to make a character list sort of glossary since the time dimension doesn't sort them, but some segments are like public letters.

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lmiller079's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

3.5

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rionstorm's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

I love reading about other transmascs :) This is definitely self indulgent, but then it is a memoir so no better place i guess.
In between the long list of his ex-partners there's some really honest and vulnerable stuff about being trans that i resonated with a lot, and that I'm glad that other people, cis and trans, will get to read. I also really liked how he explained why he was using his previous name at times, and clearly laid out that he wasn't comfortable with others doing that.

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emilieboeger's review

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Written beautifully but too artsy/intellectual for my taste in memoirs. Also, it is quite a challenging read, because Page describes a lot of abusive relationships and experiences. I might come back to the book, because I think he writes about important things and I’m a fan of his work. But for now, I’m putting it down.

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larzhagen's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

Let me preface my review by saying that I am so incredibly happy for Elliot Page for finding joy in his authentic self.

As a long-time fan of Page, I was eager to read PageBoy (I pre-ordered a signed copy). We need more transmasculine stories! That's why it hurts to share that I didn't enjoy PageBoy very much.

Reason 1: Rather than following a linear narrative, Page recounts moments in his life seemingly at random. So, then, his timeline is incredibly challenging to piece together. It's difficult to keep track of his relationships, living situations, etc.

Reason 2: PageBoy is heavily solemn with no breaks (aside from maybe ch.Buckets). It reads like a catalog of Page's hardships, sometimes diving into graphic depictions of assault/violent situations. Page loves to write about shit and blood.

Reason 3: PageBoy centered predominantly around Page's romantic relationships and sexual experiences. I may be off base, but it seems Page is still attempting to unhealthily gauge/validate his masculinity by retelling these situations.

Now the positive: I'd say PageBoy succeeds as an art piece. Elliot includes many excerpts from speeches, books, songs, movies throughout his nonlinear structure. PageBoy is a wonderful collage-esque expression of self-healing and reflection.

Ultimately, PageBoy is a testament of trans courage. While it didn't align with my expectations, I still feel incredibly fortunate to have a signed copy, and I did resonate with it quite a bit. In the end though, I will be reserved when recommending it to others.

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