Reviews tagging 'Death'

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

13 reviews

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

I've been living under a rock for years and did not know who Emily Ratajkowski was before I started seeing this book pop up in the TBRs and wrap ups of booktubers I watch. I went into this hearing her be described as the "Blurred Lines" girl and walked out of the book knowing she is so much more. Ratajkowski writes so vulnerably about her experiences working in the modeling industry, how her body has been bought and sold - most of the time without her consent, how she marvels at the wonderful things her body can do to her (i.e. the birth of her son), and how it can make people think they know all about who she is based on what she looks like. 

I think this memoir does a beautiful job of stomping on the narrative that no matter what a woman looks like, it doesn't give them more power. Ratajkowski cites a quote by Halle Berry: "My looks have spared me no hardship." She's RIGHT. Your looks do not protect you from abuse at the hands of men and patriarchal norms in society. It's so insidious to go around believing that beautiful women don't have problems simply because they are beautiful. 

Anyway - that was a tangent, back to what I thought...

There were sections listening to this audiobook where I flat out cried, especially when at times, Ratajkowski herself, narrating the book, would get choked up herself. I wanted to hug this woman every time that happened. It felt extremely intimate to listen to her read her own words.

Additionally, Emily Ratajkowski's writing is beautiful. The pictures she paints with her words are both lovely and grotesque, they can be joyful or heartbreaking, but they are consistently vivid. I will definitely be adding anything else she writes to my TBR. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Misogyny, Rape, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death and Eating disorder

radiodarkblue's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.0

I knew Emily Ratajkowski without knowing who she was to be honest, I knew that she was a model and that was kinda of all. Though I was intrigued to read this book after I saw a few reviews and I'm so glad I did it. It was really hard to read sometimes, Emily went through such traumas. I loved how you feel her empowerment through her words. The care and love she uses when she talks about her younger self really moved, you really feel how being independent was her primary goal in life. 
But what I loved the most are the moments when she talks about her body and women, they really impacted me a lot. 
I'm glad this book exists, because even though I don't know anything about the modeling industry I can only guess that this book revels a lot of how fucked up this industry is towards women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Death, and Drug use

missemilyn's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This is a really complicated and difficult series of essays to read. It approaches sensitive and difficult topics head-on in a really beautiful, but tragic way. Emily's writing style is absolutely brilliant and you really understand just how she had to compartmentalize and rationalize her years (and decades) of severe trauma and embarrassment with her body and others' perception of her body. Absolutely genius. If you can read these topics safely, I highly recommend doing so.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship