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bookbird's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Exactly what a memoir should be: reflective, interesting, a little fragmented, but always a complete and truthful account of a particular person. And what a person Miriam Margolyes is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Dementia, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia
static0851's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Antisemitism
12dejamoo's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
This really was a good time. Funny, lighthearted, interesting. Miriam Margolyes has had an interesting life but even more than that she's just really good at telling her stories. There were also a fair few tender, serious, and deep moments in this book which helped to create a really rich tapestry of a life well known for comedy. There are a couple of chapters I kind of want to go back over right away, just to better imprint them on my memory. This was just so thoughtful but also such an easy read, I just flew through it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Antisemitism
Minor: Racism
Lots of discussion of Jewish pain, generational trauma, anger issues, fatness, but all done in a respectful and thoughtful manner. Definitely a few mentions of racist tropes - blackface, yellowface etc.yungblonde's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Antisemitism, Classism, Death, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Racism, and Sexism
librariangeorgia's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.5
I’ve always thought that Miriam comes across as quite a genuine and funny person with an interesting life that when I saw that she had a memoir, I wanted to read it.
To be completely honest, the thing I was most looking forward to reading about what her experience around the Harry Potter films. I found it quite interesting that she basically treated it like a job, and wasn’t (and isn’t) involved in the fanbase surrounding it - she’s never read the books nor watched the films!
Most of the jobs that she mentioned having, I’d never heard of, but most of them were before my time so not necessarily something I would’ve grown up with. However I still found it interesting to read her perspective on each of them - and the gossip which she does love to dish out!
A couple of things that I didn’t like about this book:
She does a lot of name dropping which did really get on my nerves after the first couple of names - I didn’t care much for those people that she mentioned and didn’t feel like she needed to mention them by name. Especially since she’s reveal a lot of personal information that I’m hoping she got permission from them or their family before publishing this book!
There’s a lot of talk about sex - in the first third of the book, she constantly mentions “sucking off” a load of different men that she came into contact with which got too repetitive that it irritated me. She even goes so far to mention and the end of the book that she loves talking about sex - which is why she spoke so much about it throughout the book.
She mentions having a transgender person as a very close friend, yet when she talked about them she constantly misgendered them and used their deadname - it felt as though she was being completely inconsiderate to how they wished to be seen by others.
Despite the negatives, I found this book to be a really interesting insight into Miriam’s life and I really did enjoy reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Sexual content, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Cursing, and Adult/minor relationship
librarianlayla's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
3.5/4 stars.
As usual Miriam aims to shock and delight.
Whilst this book is filled with interesting and at times, outrageous, tales - it didn't quite hit the 5 star mark for me.
Miriam is a fascinating woman who has lived a truly remarkable life, she has touched so many (quite a few physically!) people with her quick wit and cheeky charm.
However early on in the book she deadnames someone who she says she considered a friend and unfortunately that left a sour note in my mouth. There is also an almost constant theme of sexual molestation by others to her that seems almost celebrated when in quite a few of the cases should be abhorrent. Especially in such incidents when she was a minor.
I do love her journey of authenticity - her passion for the truth. Whatever it may be. And it's something I can relate to immensely.
Overall a wonderful and insightful read, but not for the faint of heart.
As usual Miriam aims to shock and delight.
Whilst this book is filled with interesting and at times, outrageous, tales - it didn't quite hit the 5 star mark for me.
Miriam is a fascinating woman who has lived a truly remarkable life, she has touched so many (quite a few physically!) people with her quick wit and cheeky charm.
However early on in the book she deadnames someone who she says she considered a friend and unfortunately that left a sour note in my mouth. There is also an almost constant theme of sexual molestation by others to her that seems almost celebrated when in quite a few of the cases should be abhorrent. Especially in such incidents when she was a minor.
I do love her journey of authenticity - her passion for the truth. Whatever it may be. And it's something I can relate to immensely.
Overall a wonderful and insightful read, but not for the faint of heart.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
bookreader_homemaker's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
bookchatwithbeth's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Lots of sex and swearing, hilarious if you’re into that kind of humour, probably very offputting if you’re not!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Antisemitism
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