Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness

3 reviews

tieflingmom's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

kathrynhoss's review

3.75

This should only be consumed in audiobook form. I started reading a copy from the library and decided to wait for the audiobook to become available on Libby instead, because I knew the tangents would be far less annoying in classic JVN Voice (tm). 

They were. Many celebrities think people will want to read a memoir about their privileged lives, but JVN has actually gone through some stuff. His vulnerability and advocacy should be applauded. However, I was waiting for his sad story to be wrapped up in some kind of inspiring message at the end. What did he learn? Did he have some kind of epiphany that changed how he saw himself? Or is he still struggling with compulsivity, but that's okay, because everyone is a work in progress? Instead, the book goes straight from him learning he's HIV positive and dealing with that to getting a spot on Queer Eye and being suddenly famous, as if fame and success can fix everything (and we all know it can't.) Now JVN has new problems, like people wanting to take pictures with him and expecting him to be the most bubbly version of himself at all times, but what about the old problems? As he quotes earlier in the book, "Wherever you go, there you are." I felt like we just needed a little baby reminder of that fact. 

His voice could also get pretty judgy of himself and others, especially around food and weight gain, which I did not appreciate. Some of us are still fat and not gymnasts, and that's fine! He also Hates the midwest and Quincy, IL, which is valid for him to feel as a feminine nonbinary person who was relentlessly bullied there. But as a smalltown Midwesterner who was also bullied for my gender nonconformity, I wish my fellow queer people would stay and make it better instead of running away to a blue state.

Anyway, I still love JVN, think he's iconic, think he's changing America for the better. Queer Eye is changing a lot of minds and his presence on the show in flowy shirts and yoga pants is DESTROYING the gender binary. I love him, acknowledge that he is an imperfect human being, wish he had maybe taken on a cowriter for this book. Still think it's worth a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Body shaming

rosalind's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Grief, Sexual content, Medical content, and Fatphobia

Minor: Body shaming, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts