Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

17 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

macykey's review

challenging reflective fast-paced

4.5

People have made such a big deal of Emily Ratajkowski’s beauty that they didn’t even think she had anything to say. This book is thought provoking and heartbreaking and uplifting and powerful. A must read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug abuse and Alcohol

lilaw's review

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Medical content, Sexism, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Pregnancy

celevstial's review

I think the issues discussed here are so important, and Emily Ratajkowski is fantastic at describing her experiences and ideas, but it's a bit too heavy for my current mental state to handle and I'd prefer to pick up something more easygoing. I'm definitely planning on returning in the future, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, and Grief

leduyhxxng's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

My body is a valiant effort towards loving by Emily Ratajkowski—loving her body, and by such means opening more constructive dialogues with her self.

In the twelve very personal essays, we can begin to see Emily's stories and the power dynamics that shape modelling. Yet her writing feels rather erratic, sparse in some places and rushed in others, failing at times to connect the thematic thread that Emily herself set out. This is most unfortunate because there are unquestioningly a lot of details and images—beautifully brought out in the essay collection—that feel particularly powerful in the context of her story, but were never adequately explored.

I admire Emily's effort to love through the writing of My Body. My two favourite essays are 'Pamela' and 'Releases'. They were brilliantly written (especially 'Releases,' the final essay of the book), and feel vulnerable and honest. Other essays either feel like the honesty is somehow choking her, the writing indelicate and forced thus choking us as readers, or throwing suppressed anger at other people (which makes it quite awkward to read). But the vulnerability makes you stay, and love Emily Ratajkowski even more for taking the step.

I was fairly let down by both the writing and storytelling of the book. Then again, I greatly admire the effort to find love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Blood, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

_emefa's review

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Drug abuse

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