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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Wow, what a story. Especially recommended on audiobook as the amazingly monotoned Julia Fox narrates the book herself. It was truly shocking, appalling and confronting to hear what she’s been through. At the end though, I’m left wondering if she has gone through any introspection… like, are you just complaining or are you not realising that you’re the common denominator in all of these tragic events? Is it them? Or is it YOU?
I’m now completely fascinated by Julia Fox. Before reading this I only knew of her through her social media clout and iconic reputation. In her memoir she sells herself as this icon from the first words - and it’s very convincing. As Julia states herself, in writing her memoir she is reclaiming her own narrative. Julia is a messy person and through reading the relentlessly chaotic sequence of events in her life we understand Julia as both a product of her environment and quite a unique person herself. She grew up chasing and creating chaos in New York and to an outsider she captures everything I would imagine New York to be like. The breeziness of the narrative leaves details to be omitted and makes the narrative she’s selling not 100% reliable but I didn’t really care. Julie believes she’s an icon and I do too.
When I was first introduced to Julia Fox, I didn’t like her—which I’ll admit wasn’t fair on my part. I thought she was gorgeous but didn’t see much beyond that. I hadn’t taken the time to really dive into who she was, and the media mostly associated her with Kanye, which, to me, didn’t do her any favors in showing the world who she truly was.
But wow, did this book change my mind about her—like, where do I even start? I was completely fascinated by her story from the very beginning. She immigrated to this country just like I did, and English wasn’t her first language, just like me. Her understanding of the immigrant experience and growing up in NYC resonated with me because we shared similar experiences.
Although her life experiences were far more intense than mine, I understood her passion for making something of herself in this world. The way she explored different ways of living, embraced new ideas, and even went on to create her own clothing brand is just amazing to me. I loved her wild, expressive language and how she used it to convey the depth of her experiences—she kept me on my toes, page after page.
I laughed. I cried. I felt hopeful. I was shocked. I was amazed. I was surprised. I felt everything all at once.
Final verdict: Julia Fox is a legendary breath of fresh air—a beautiful and remarkable woman who has lived 20 different lives despite being so young. This is exactly why I love reading memoirs. They remind me of how much exists within a person and how often we overlook people based on our own preconceived notions.
Of course, there are valid criticisms of some of her perspectives, but she’s human—and the kind of person who still seems to be learning and growing, just like all of us. I realized that it was wrong of me to jump to conclusions about her. It’s something I’ve made a note to stop doing to anyone, especially women, since we already face so much harsh judgment. I don’t want to contribute to that.
Her mind amazes me. Her story inspires me. Long live Miss Julia Fox<3
But wow, did this book change my mind about her—like, where do I even start? I was completely fascinated by her story from the very beginning. She immigrated to this country just like I did, and English wasn’t her first language, just like me. Her understanding of the immigrant experience and growing up in NYC resonated with me because we shared similar experiences.
Although her life experiences were far more intense than mine, I understood her passion for making something of herself in this world. The way she explored different ways of living, embraced new ideas, and even went on to create her own clothing brand is just amazing to me. I loved her wild, expressive language and how she used it to convey the depth of her experiences—she kept me on my toes, page after page.
I laughed. I cried. I felt hopeful. I was shocked. I was amazed. I was surprised. I felt everything all at once.
Final verdict: Julia Fox is a legendary breath of fresh air—a beautiful and remarkable woman who has lived 20 different lives despite being so young. This is exactly why I love reading memoirs. They remind me of how much exists within a person and how often we overlook people based on our own preconceived notions.
Of course, there are valid criticisms of some of her perspectives, but she’s human—and the kind of person who still seems to be learning and growing, just like all of us. I realized that it was wrong of me to jump to conclusions about her. It’s something I’ve made a note to stop doing to anyone, especially women, since we already face so much harsh judgment. I don’t want to contribute to that.
Her mind amazes me. Her story inspires me. Long live Miss Julia Fox<3
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
best book ever?? so captivating, i couldn't put it down. lowkey the highlight of my summer is reading this book. life inspo idccc
i ofc cant capture all the emotions and thoughts i had reading this, i just felt so in her life, i was captivated by every character and every life decision she has made #proudofher for making it this far
kanye seems like the most boring person ever, idk how the media clings onto that sm, the other toxic men atleast were interesting and she is so beyond them either way
also hate to say it but i feel like a lot of the times she was actually quite an awful friend in the past, but ofc seems to have changed, just interesting to read about
i ofc cant capture all the emotions and thoughts i had reading this, i just felt so in her life, i was captivated by every character and every life decision she has made #proudofher for making it this far
kanye seems like the most boring person ever, idk how the media clings onto that sm, the other toxic men atleast were interesting and she is so beyond them either way
also hate to say it but i feel like a lot of the times she was actually quite an awful friend in the past, but ofc seems to have changed, just interesting to read about
“I’m an artist in the role of a lifetime, playing Me.”
The New York Magazine calls Fox “one of the all-time pop-culture greats.” The definition of ‘pop-culture’ is "collection of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images, and phenomena within mainstream society that are prevalent at a given point in time.” Feels about right.
I love memoirs. My main interests are nerds, addicts, mentally ill/traumatised people, artists (which often means the same person) (also I can see you judging me and I judge you for that). A memoir – as opposed to an autobiography – is supposed to have a theme. Marya Hornbacher’s Madness and Wasted (which I think were both inspiration for Down the Drain) focus respectively on Hornbacher’s bipolar disorder and eating disorder. Down the Drain’s theme is Julia Fox’s fascination with Julia Fox.
Everything in the book is the worst, the best, the biggest, the flashiest, interrupted by not-quite-authentic displays of humility and self-doubt. (Coincidentally, the way the author chose to describe herself fits nine out of nine traits of narcissistic personality disorder.) Often, there is more detail given to what drugs look like, feel like, where they are obtained, how, and snorted/smoked/injected, than the people around. Who keep randomly disappearing. An example that stuck with me – Julia’s (at the moment) best friend picks her up from the airport, hugging her, making her immensely happy. In the next paragraph, her boyfriend, who also showed up, is driving Julia home. Did she leave the friend at the airport? Who cares. Later, or earlier, Julia is making out with a guy while his two friends are in the room. They’re having sex now. In front of the friends? Oh. They teleported to the toilet. Together with the drugs they are snorting off the toilet seat.
Credit’s due, and given – that romance is not the core part of the book (which might or might not be because it would take too much spotlight from Fox), and its other half is referred to as ’the artist.’ When Fox is asked to write how she and the artist, have met, she writes her version, and sends it to him. He immediately rejects it – it won’t do. “I’m confused because it’s the truth. A few minutes go by and he sends me a completely new version that sounds nothing like me and is completely fabricated.” The article in question says "Everything with us has been so organic!” Down the Drain feels this way most of the time. (Extra credit: when the artist suddenly remembers Fox didn’t sign a non-disclosure agreement, he demands that she does. Fox refuses. “I can’t be friends with you if you don’t sign it,” he threatens. “I’ll live,” she replies.)
Julia’s best friend (she has lots of best friends, all of whom betray her, either literally or by dying) dies. She is devastated. By what? “The worst feeling is seeing a fashion show entirely inspired by me and not receiving an invitation. Being purposely excluded from the conversation when I single-handedly started every trend of 2022 is annoying.” In the next paragraph, Julia complains about the reporters: “[i]n every interview […] none of them ask me how I’m doing after so much loss. They don’t care about Harmony or Gianna or Chris or how hard it is to be a single mom.” Please feel sorry for Julia. She is being excluded, which is the WORST FEELING, and on top of that, everyone who wants to hear her thoughts doesn’t even care about the less bad feelings, such as deaths of her friends.
•
Most celebrity memoirs are written by ghostwriters. Malcolm X had a ghostwriter. Fox didn’t have one. "I just wrote the whole fucking book. Editing it was what was actually like pulling teeth. I sent my editor at Simon & Schuster the first draft, and he was, like, Great! And I was, like, Wait a minute. Like, no. So I went off and reread it and edited it.” That’s…not how pulling teeth while working with an editor works. No editor is listed on the copyright page, and there are no acknowledgments. Make of it what you will.
Why have I read this book, then? I wanted to find out what exactly made Fox this interesting, iconic, so heavily covered in interviews (I found out about this memoir from a gushing New Yorker interview, ‘Julia Fox Didn’t Want to Be Famous, but She Knew She Would Be’). As she declares in the interview, “I’m just so over Julia Fox, to be honest.” Further on, “I try to control my negative thoughts. If a negative thought comes into my head, I’m immediately just, like, No, I’m that bitch. I’m amazing.” But why? Specifically, why does this interview exist, listed next to interviews with Naomi Klein, Isabel Allende, John Waters, Patrick Stewart? What is so amazing about Fox? This is what I wanted to learn.
In the first film Fox starred in, Uncut Gems, she played a character “inspired by herself (the character’s name was even Julia)” (TIME Magazine). Much later, she is pleased to find out that “[other women] say they love my authenticity and describe me as ‘real’.” The New Yorker interview links to an InStyle magazine’s article with the undeniably catchy title 'Julia Fox Wore a See-Through Outfit Made Entirely of Condoms.’ Then, when asked about fame, Fox answers “When I’d picture my ideal scenario, I’d always prefer a more niche kind of fame. An indie vibe, not a Page Six vibe.” Admittedly, condom outfits seem quite niche to me.
The only things I have really learned are 1) that heroin feels really good, 2) that bad boys are more exciting than good ones, even if the good ones pay you tens of thousands of dollars for having dinner with them (while you’re busy texting your bad boy), 3) that the target audience for Julia Fox’s memoir is Julia Fox and people who want to be Julia Fox. You know. Real.
•
From the blurb: “More than a year before the book’s publication, Fox’s description of it as ‘a masterpiece’ in a red carpet interview went viral. As always, she was just being honest.” Over those 312 pages, Fox is accused of many things, but never of being modest.
I still have no clue why she’s an “iconoclast in a generation notably lacking them” (New Yorker). I’m 12 years older than Fox, though. Maybe that’s the real lesson for me to never forget.
(3/10 rounded up to 2/5 for Goodreads)
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it
1* = actively hostile towards the reader
The New York Magazine calls Fox “one of the all-time pop-culture greats.” The definition of ‘pop-culture’ is "collection of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images, and phenomena within mainstream society that are prevalent at a given point in time.” Feels about right.
I love memoirs. My main interests are nerds, addicts, mentally ill/traumatised people, artists (which often means the same person) (also I can see you judging me and I judge you for that). A memoir – as opposed to an autobiography – is supposed to have a theme. Marya Hornbacher’s Madness and Wasted (which I think were both inspiration for Down the Drain) focus respectively on Hornbacher’s bipolar disorder and eating disorder. Down the Drain’s theme is Julia Fox’s fascination with Julia Fox.
Everything in the book is the worst, the best, the biggest, the flashiest, interrupted by not-quite-authentic displays of humility and self-doubt. (Coincidentally, the way the author chose to describe herself fits nine out of nine traits of narcissistic personality disorder.) Often, there is more detail given to what drugs look like, feel like, where they are obtained, how, and snorted/smoked/injected, than the people around. Who keep randomly disappearing. An example that stuck with me – Julia’s (at the moment) best friend picks her up from the airport, hugging her, making her immensely happy. In the next paragraph, her boyfriend, who also showed up, is driving Julia home. Did she leave the friend at the airport? Who cares. Later, or earlier, Julia is making out with a guy while his two friends are in the room. They’re having sex now. In front of the friends? Oh. They teleported to the toilet. Together with the drugs they are snorting off the toilet seat.
Credit’s due, and given – that romance is not the core part of the book (which might or might not be because it would take too much spotlight from Fox), and its other half is referred to as ’the artist.’ When Fox is asked to write how she and the artist, have met, she writes her version, and sends it to him. He immediately rejects it – it won’t do. “I’m confused because it’s the truth. A few minutes go by and he sends me a completely new version that sounds nothing like me and is completely fabricated.” The article in question says "Everything with us has been so organic!” Down the Drain feels this way most of the time. (Extra credit: when the artist suddenly remembers Fox didn’t sign a non-disclosure agreement, he demands that she does. Fox refuses. “I can’t be friends with you if you don’t sign it,” he threatens. “I’ll live,” she replies.)
Julia’s best friend (she has lots of best friends, all of whom betray her, either literally or by dying) dies. She is devastated. By what? “The worst feeling is seeing a fashion show entirely inspired by me and not receiving an invitation. Being purposely excluded from the conversation when I single-handedly started every trend of 2022 is annoying.” In the next paragraph, Julia complains about the reporters: “[i]n every interview […] none of them ask me how I’m doing after so much loss. They don’t care about Harmony or Gianna or Chris or how hard it is to be a single mom.” Please feel sorry for Julia. She is being excluded, which is the WORST FEELING, and on top of that, everyone who wants to hear her thoughts doesn’t even care about the less bad feelings, such as deaths of her friends.
•
Most celebrity memoirs are written by ghostwriters. Malcolm X had a ghostwriter. Fox didn’t have one. "I just wrote the whole fucking book. Editing it was what was actually like pulling teeth. I sent my editor at Simon & Schuster the first draft, and he was, like, Great! And I was, like, Wait a minute. Like, no. So I went off and reread it and edited it.” That’s…not how pulling teeth while working with an editor works. No editor is listed on the copyright page, and there are no acknowledgments. Make of it what you will.
Why have I read this book, then? I wanted to find out what exactly made Fox this interesting, iconic, so heavily covered in interviews (I found out about this memoir from a gushing New Yorker interview, ‘Julia Fox Didn’t Want to Be Famous, but She Knew She Would Be’). As she declares in the interview, “I’m just so over Julia Fox, to be honest.” Further on, “I try to control my negative thoughts. If a negative thought comes into my head, I’m immediately just, like, No, I’m that bitch. I’m amazing.” But why? Specifically, why does this interview exist, listed next to interviews with Naomi Klein, Isabel Allende, John Waters, Patrick Stewart? What is so amazing about Fox? This is what I wanted to learn.
In the first film Fox starred in, Uncut Gems, she played a character “inspired by herself (the character’s name was even Julia)” (TIME Magazine). Much later, she is pleased to find out that “[other women] say they love my authenticity and describe me as ‘real’.” The New Yorker interview links to an InStyle magazine’s article with the undeniably catchy title 'Julia Fox Wore a See-Through Outfit Made Entirely of Condoms.’ Then, when asked about fame, Fox answers “When I’d picture my ideal scenario, I’d always prefer a more niche kind of fame. An indie vibe, not a Page Six vibe.” Admittedly, condom outfits seem quite niche to me.
The only things I have really learned are 1) that heroin feels really good, 2) that bad boys are more exciting than good ones, even if the good ones pay you tens of thousands of dollars for having dinner with them (while you’re busy texting your bad boy), 3) that the target audience for Julia Fox’s memoir is Julia Fox and people who want to be Julia Fox. You know. Real.
•
From the blurb: “More than a year before the book’s publication, Fox’s description of it as ‘a masterpiece’ in a red carpet interview went viral. As always, she was just being honest.” Over those 312 pages, Fox is accused of many things, but never of being modest.
I still have no clue why she’s an “iconoclast in a generation notably lacking them” (New Yorker). I’m 12 years older than Fox, though. Maybe that’s the real lesson for me to never forget.
(3/10 rounded up to 2/5 for Goodreads)
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it
1* = actively hostile towards the reader
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced