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Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'
My Name's Yours, What's Alaska?: A Memoir by Alaska Thunderfuck 5000
4 reviews
moonyreadsbystarlight's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.0
This was a quick, mostly fun read. She discusses so much about her experience with drag and within the drag community (including her time on RuPaul's Drag Race and interactions with queens who had been on the show after leaving). There is so much messiness that she is open about (not just talking about others, but a lot about herself). There are some of tough experiences that she discusses, including hate crimes, abuse, and alcoholism/addiction - but she manages to give some details without it being a super heavy book.
This is very much written in Alaska's voice, which I really enjoyed but if you aren't already a fan (or if you come in expecting more traditional writing style), it could be off-putting. I'm not sure I would have been as into it if I wasn't already interested in her to begin with. There are definitely technical critiques I could give or details I could say that I wanted, but at the end of it, I did read most of it in a sitting and had a fun time doing it, which is why it ended up with a higher rating. I would mainly recommend this to folks who are already interested in Alaska or popular drag queens more broadly.
Other notable CWs are for slurs including the f-slur used in full and a couple that are mentioned but not typed in full as well as racism. In particular, she talks about Sharon Needles' racist depictions in drag and use of the n-word.
This is very much written in Alaska's voice, which I really enjoyed but if you aren't already a fan (or if you come in expecting more traditional writing style), it could be off-putting. I'm not sure I would have been as into it if I wasn't already interested in her to begin with. There are definitely technical critiques I could give or details I could say that I wanted, but at the end of it, I did read most of it in a sitting and had a fun time doing it, which is why it ended up with a higher rating. I would mainly recommend this to folks who are already interested in Alaska or popular drag queens more broadly.
Other notable CWs are for slurs including the f-slur used in full and a couple that are mentioned but not typed in full as well as racism. In particular, she talks about Sharon Needles' racist depictions in drag and use of the n-word.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Hate crime
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Minor: Vomit
F-slur is usedtksignups's review
dark
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
painfullyshybookworm's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Transphobia
queerreadss's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This book was a new, more human side to the larger than life drag queen we met on Drag Race and All Stars. Alaska gets very personal in this debut, with tales from her failures, abusing drugs and alcohol, her toxic relationship with Sharon Needles and her complicity in her and Sharon's racist past actions.
"My Name's Yours, What's Alaska?" reads like a diary with its vulnerability shining in every page. I love that Alaska chose to use this platform to bring up a few controversial things others may have avoided. She validated trans drag queens, expressed opinions on RuPaul's and other drag competitions transphobic rules and mindsets, and the discomfort of former partner Sharon's racism. She also highlighted how toxic drug and alcohol use became for her and how that tarnished relationships with her lifelong friend, coworkers and Sharon. Alaska didn't shy away from the uncomfortable truths of her doing bad things throughout her stories.
Pictures included were really great as well, they were a great selection to accompany Alaska's writing.
I do think there could have been a bit more accountability for racist acts that Alaska herself admits to having done and maybe use her platform to speak more on her being complicit in it.
"My Name's Yours, What's Alaska?" reads like a diary with its vulnerability shining in every page. I love that Alaska chose to use this platform to bring up a few controversial things others may have avoided. She validated trans drag queens, expressed opinions on RuPaul's and other drag competitions transphobic rules and mindsets, and the discomfort of former partner Sharon's racism. She also highlighted how toxic drug and alcohol use became for her and how that tarnished relationships with her lifelong friend, coworkers and Sharon. Alaska didn't shy away from the uncomfortable truths of her doing bad things throughout her stories.
Pictures included were really great as well, they were a great selection to accompany Alaska's writing.
I do think there could have been a bit more accountability for racist acts that Alaska herself admits to having done and maybe use her platform to speak more on her being complicit in it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse
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