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skudiklier's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
So, at first I liked this book a lot. I found the essays funny, relatable, and very honest. I like their variety, I like the ones that are basically list poems, etc.
But I liked it less and less the longer it went on. A lot of the humor felt repetitive--like, I can only read so much about making fun of the all the men she's been with before I get tired of it. By the end I was pretty uninterested and just waiting for it to be over.
I did read the first edition, and she re-ordered the essays for the later editions. Maybe the new order would have kept my interest more. But idk, I just felt like some of the essays were doing/saying the same things as previous ones, and it wasn't funny enough for that to be worth it.
Also there were some things that have not aged well--lots of fatphobia and internalized fatphobia, as well as internalized sexism. Also some things about the environment that I don't feel like she would say ten years later--at least, I hope not.
Anyway I'm giving this four stars because I did like it for a while, and I'm trying not to let my "meh" feelings at the end change my whole thoughts on the book. I don't think I'd recommend it, but maybe I'd try reading some of her later books.
Update: I changed this to 3.25 stars. I was trying to not let the parts I didn't like affect my rating too much, but the more time passes the less I think I'd recommend this. I did like a couple essays and I didn't hate this book or anything, but I no longer think I'd try reading some of her later books even. Just not for me.
But I liked it less and less the longer it went on. A lot of the humor felt repetitive--like, I can only read so much about making fun of the all the men she's been with before I get tired of it. By the end I was pretty uninterested and just waiting for it to be over.
I did read the first edition, and she re-ordered the essays for the later editions. Maybe the new order would have kept my interest more. But idk, I just felt like some of the essays were doing/saying the same things as previous ones, and it wasn't funny enough for that to be worth it.
Also there were some things that have not aged well--lots of fatphobia and internalized fatphobia, as well as internalized sexism. Also some things about the environment that I don't feel like she would say ten years later--at least, I hope not.
Anyway I'm giving this four stars because I did like it for a while, and I'm trying not to let my "meh" feelings at the end change my whole thoughts on the book. I don't think I'd recommend it, but maybe I'd try reading some of her later books.
Update: I changed this to 3.25 stars. I was trying to not let the parts I didn't like affect my rating too much, but the more time passes the less I think I'd recommend this. I did like a couple essays and I didn't hate this book or anything, but I no longer think I'd try reading some of her later books even. Just not for me.
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Fatphobia, Sexism, Excrement, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexual harassment
graphic: parentification, diet culture, internalized fatphobia, internalized sexismnotartgarfunkel's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
With Samantha Irby’s new essay collection coming out this year, I’m finally prioritizing her earlier work. Meaty is her first book of essays, published in 2013 and updated in 2018.
As indicated by the title, one connection between these essays is Irby’s lived experience of her body. She discusses sex, chronic illness, race, fatness, mental health, and gender, among other things. There are also accounts of her mother’s illness and death. I really appreciate Irby’s irreverent approach to these hard topics. I laughed a lot, but I was also struck by how much she has had to survive.
Some of these essays were hard for me to read (thanks, OCD!), but I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to get to her later collections and see how her life and writing have changed. She’s a real gem.
As indicated by the title, one connection between these essays is Irby’s lived experience of her body. She discusses sex, chronic illness, race, fatness, mental health, and gender, among other things. There are also accounts of her mother’s illness and death. I really appreciate Irby’s irreverent approach to these hard topics. I laughed a lot, but I was also struck by how much she has had to survive.
Some of these essays were hard for me to read (thanks, OCD!), but I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to get to her later collections and see how her life and writing have changed. She’s a real gem.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse
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