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jessiejonesbentley's review
4.5
Moderate: Pregnancy, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Grief, Sexism, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol
geesammy's review against another edition
2.25
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
3.0
“I want to calculate my beauty to protect myself, to understand exactly how much power and lovability I have.”
“I liked to tell friends that the French word for model is mannequin. “So,” I’d say, shrugging, “I’m a mannequin for a living.”
“As the number on my scale went down, the number on my checks had been going up. The agency had taken notice.”
“In my early twenties, it had never occurred to me that the women who gained their power from beauty were indebted to the men whose desire granted them that power in the first place. Those men were the ones in control, not the women the world fawned over. Facing the reality of dynamics at play would have meant admitting how limited my power really was—how limited any woman’s power is when she survives and even succeeds in the world as a thing to be looked at.”
“The stylist, their assistant, the client or the editor, the other models, and sometimes the photographer will stand right in front of you and wait as you strip. You understand that your body is a means for them to accomplish what they’re here to accomplish: to make an image to sell whatever it is they’re selling. They’re in charge of it now, not you. Now hand it over, they seem to say. Your body is why you’re here and we need it. Now.”
“I look down at my body and it doesn’t feel like my own. It feels like something, but not me. They can look at me all they want, because they’re right; my body is just a tool.”
“The world celebrates and rewards women who are chosen by powerful men.”
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Grief, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship
raynaaskiverr's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Grief, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
celevstial's review against another edition
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Cursing, and Grief
leduyhxxng's review against another edition
3.0
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.
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