Take a photo of a barcode or cover
readingwithrae 's review for:
On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating
by Karina Manta
4.5 stars.
karina you'll always be famous. for those who don't know, karina manta is an icon of queer figure skating. she was the first american woman to come out as queer while competing for team usa, which led to a series of other queer skaters publicly coming out while competing in a (surprisingly, to some) conservative sport, such as teammates amber glenn and jason brown. her and her ice dance partner, joe johnson, never made a splash internationally, but they were beloved among figure skating fans for their fun programs and electrifying performances. just look up 'mantra/johnson 2019 free dance' if you want an example.
getting to know karina through her memoir was such a joy. reading this felt like a warm hug; i felt like i was having a conversation with a friend i've known for years, instead of reading a book about someone i'll probably never meet in real life. her openness about not only her struggles with identity, but also with her anxiety, anorexia, and body image issues felt so raw and real. i cried more than once reading this because i saw myself in her story. from loving a sport that doesn't love you back (for her, ice skating, for me, ballet), to trying to make yourself smaller to fit in, i felt her pain in every page and sympathized with her struggle. so many people will relate to karina's story, because it's one that has been told time and time again by almost every woman in history. but her resilience to fight against society's expectations and live as her true self is such an inspiration. this is a book i think every young girl (especially girls in sports) need to read.
overall, this is a great memoir for anyone who is trying to figure themselves out.
karina you'll always be famous. for those who don't know, karina manta is an icon of queer figure skating. she was the first american woman to come out as queer while competing for team usa, which led to a series of other queer skaters publicly coming out while competing in a (surprisingly, to some) conservative sport, such as teammates amber glenn and jason brown. her and her ice dance partner, joe johnson, never made a splash internationally, but they were beloved among figure skating fans for their fun programs and electrifying performances. just look up 'mantra/johnson 2019 free dance' if you want an example.
getting to know karina through her memoir was such a joy. reading this felt like a warm hug; i felt like i was having a conversation with a friend i've known for years, instead of reading a book about someone i'll probably never meet in real life. her openness about not only her struggles with identity, but also with her anxiety, anorexia, and body image issues felt so raw and real. i cried more than once reading this because i saw myself in her story. from loving a sport that doesn't love you back (for her, ice skating, for me, ballet), to trying to make yourself smaller to fit in, i felt her pain in every page and sympathized with her struggle. so many people will relate to karina's story, because it's one that has been told time and time again by almost every woman in history. but her resilience to fight against society's expectations and live as her true self is such an inspiration. this is a book i think every young girl (especially girls in sports) need to read.
overall, this is a great memoir for anyone who is trying to figure themselves out.