Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

37 reviews

wenwanzhao's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

I first started this book when I was 18. I thought that Tolentino’s prose was masterful and that her critique was mind blowing. Back then, her articles were part of what introduced me to theory in relation to culture. Finishing this book three years into a social science degree, I found that I have more criticisms and disagreements with her essays. I still think her prose is great. There are some beautiful lines in these essays. But I’ve read so many essays and articles now. I’m able to see more flaws in her lines of reasoning. I can form thoughtful critiques of her subject matter. It’s strange how what once seemed to me like pinnacle of culture criticism now reads more like theory dumbed down for a general audience. Picking the book up again years later really showed me the level of growth I’ve had over the years. 

I still enjoyed these essays. The one on religion and ecstasy was my favourite. I imagine myself going back to it. It does feel very dated to what people were thinking about in the mid- to late-2010s, but I find that being able to pinpoint the cultural atmosphere something was written in is not an inherently bad trait. I still read Tolentino’s articles from time to time. She has a unique voice and discernment that I find compelling. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Alcohol, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Sexual violence, and Bullying

ammmiiiii's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

A collection of thought-provoking, outstandingly written essays about life, love, sexism, misogyny, racism, and growing up. Each one is short enough not to be tedious and simultaneously long enough to really explore the topic. It’s evident that writing comes naturally to Tolentino.

My two favourites were Pure Heroines (which examines the changing presentation of heroines in literature over time) and We Come From Old Virginia (which explores the intersection between rape/rape culture and gender using the University of Virginia as an example). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

Minor: Racism and Drug use

jinglebellyee's review

funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

The soci in me had such a fun time reading these short articles about self-identity, womanhood/feminism, internet culture and more. Am excited to read more from Jia Tolentino!!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault

camoo3032's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

3.75

The first half was a bit of a struggle to get through but I thoroughly enjoyed the second half. My biggest criticism would be that she often recounts information or includes personal tales that are tangential to the point that she's trying to make. I also fear that aspects of this book will lose their relevance the further away we get from the Trump Administrative 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, and Sexism

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence

Minor: Body shaming, Genocide, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Abortion, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Sexual content, Transphobia, Classism, Slavery, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Infidelity, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, War, and Fire/Fire injury

amyvl93's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

Essay collections are a tricky beast - as with any collection of writing there will be some that resonate, and some that hit a little less closer to home.

Jia Tolentino is a super talented writer, whose work I've read numerous times over the years, and I was excited to finally become the last millennial on earth to pick up this book. Trick Mirror has essays that cover reality TV, scamming, thoughts on weddings and broader internet culture.

Strangely enough as someone who loves a bit of pop culture criticism, Tolentino's essays on pop culture were less engaging for me, perhaps as this collection is a few years old, many of her thoughts have been reflected, shared and adapted elsewhere.

The two essays that were highlights for me were 'Ecstasy' - about Tolentino's relationship with religion and drug use and in particular, 'We Come from Old Virginia' - an essay that looks at the aftermath of the infamous Rolling Stone article about the young woman who claimed she was gang raped, a story that was later found to be false, but Tolentino's sensitive telling of a culture of covering up and/or acceptance of sexual harassment and assault is excellent. It is probably worth reading the collection for those two essays alone - and for the very honest & cringey reflections on Tolentino's brief moment of teenage reality TV stardom.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Xenophobia

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

I listened to this pretty quickly. Liked some parts much more than others. Some of the writing got a little drag-y, and I noticed I zoned out in some parts because of it. I don't think I would've liked it if I physically read it instead of listening to it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

gellyreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Ableism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Rape, and Sexism

tabear's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

stargirlmolly's review

informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape

saskiahill's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

The first 4 essays were brilliant and I understood and found their content engaging and intriguing. I got lost in the essay about ecstasy and religion and never fully recovered from there (though the final essay on marriage was interesting). I tend to read books as a whole, but perhaps this is better digested as a series of one-offs, and if I'd chosen the essays based on my mood and interest in the subject matter I might have enjoyed them all as much as the first 4!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder, Religious bigotry, Racism, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol