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tieflingmom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Cancer, Rape, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Addiction, Homophobia, Death, Fatphobia, Medical trauma, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Child abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Animal death, Biphobia, Dementia, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Self harm
pacifickat's review against another edition
4.0
The audiobook absolutely made this book work for me as a reader. There were so many jokes and moments that relied on anticipating the correct voice intonation in order to completely land, and it was fun hearing JVN's humor come through in the audio narration. Plus, I would have hopelessly butchered all the Russian pseudonyms in my head.
Lots of trigger warnings could be applied to this book (childhood trauma, sexual content, drug use, self harm, bullying, etc.), but I have rarely heard more accurate or compelling descriptions of addictive behaviors and the self-destructive-yet-all-consuming mental state behind them than here. This felt like an extremely honest and open account of the author's most formative life experiences, and I can't help but admire that.
I also really appreciated learning a bit about AIDS/HIV stigma, treatments, and current positive prognoses when caught early and managed carefully. This kind of information is truly a public service to get out there in the open.
Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Bullying, Chronic illness, Self harm, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Dementia, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Death, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Minor: Eating disorder and Fatphobia
marinapaso11's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Addiction, Terminal illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Grief
Minor: Dementia, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
mxbenjaminrose's review
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Dementia, Chronic illness, and Cancer
belle2008's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Cancer, and Bullying
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition
5.0
This book was like chatting with an old friend. Listening to the audio told by JVN himself is absolutely the way I'd recommend reading this book, if that appeals to you. I was totally engrossed in the author's story, from childhood Jack all the way to adult Jonathan, and eventually the well-known JVN. The book was kind of a mix of his life story (the highs and the many lows), reflection, and self-help/advocacy, all of which were beautifully woven together into this one work.
Every bit of this book highlighted Jonathan, from beginning to end. The language and phrasing; the matter-of-factness and telling it how it is; the sheer beauty that is this gorgeous human being. I laughed and cried my way through this book, and I VERY rarely cry at books. Van Ness' book is one I will not soon forget.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Dementia
**More TW/CW: sexual abuse, sex with a child, divorce, body image issues, gay slurs, masturbation, prostitutioncaseythereader's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Vomit
sheryl_macca's review
3.0
Over The Top is, like most celebrity memoirs, not the most well written and very chatty in style but the depth of insight we are given more than makes up for it.
There are sections of the book which are really dark and challenging but JVN goes there without any drama and without their guard up. They are honest, frank and unapologetic. There are lessons to learn and ways to grow from these experiences, JVN doesn't dwell or ask for sympathy. They are simply sharing for the benefit of anyone who needs to hear it and that's a beautiful thing.
The thing I will take away from Over The Top?
We are all made up of many and different parts and we have to accept all of them to be able to love ourselves or another person. Oh and anything can be turned into a figure skating metaphor!
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Dementia, Pedophilia, and Sexual content
strauberry's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Cancer, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Infidelity, and Mental illness