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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Finished reading: February 8th 2024
“All I can say is speak up; ask questions. Explain your concerns. It's the first step in feeling empowered to push forward with your own agenda. There is no reason to stifle yourself! Because as a wise man once told me: the best moments are the ones where you're you.”
I needed a memoir that explores queerness for the POPSUGAR challenge, and my mind immediately went to Naturally Tan. I enjoyed watching Tan France in the shows Queer Eye and Next In Fashion, and there is just something about his personality that made me want to know more. And I have to say that this memoir ended up being a huge success for me. What I loved about it is just how well Tan's voice shines through in the text, and it shows that Naturally Tan is all Tan and not a ghost writer. I could hear his voice as I read this memoir, and I can imagine the audio version being fantastic with him narrating the story. There are a lot of different topics and the chapters often jump between different moments in his life, but I personally didn't mind as they were mostly chronological. More serious elements including racism, xenophobia, homophobia, outing and suicidal thoughts are mentioned along the way, but there are also plenty of lighter moments to give this memoir balance. The writing style itself is really engaging, and it really helped me speed through this book. Definitely a great option if you like his personality and want to know more about his life!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Outing
thatsssorachael's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
3.5
I came off JVN's audiobook on a really high note and renewed love for Queer Eye. I was so excited to jump into Tan's books, but it just wasn't what I wanted it to be. I didn't really need for there to be fashion tips, and maybe because it was on audio, but it came across as a little judgemental. While there was LOL moments, a lot of it was pretty repetitive and the book could have been quite a bit shorter. While JVN really was no holds barred, Tan was a lot more conservative with what he let his readers/listeners know. I understand that he's a private person, but a memoir should have a little bit of grit to it IMO. I finished feeling vaguely unsatisfied and wanting more.
I did have a lot of fun, especially listening to that accent. I recommend the audiobook, for the bonus content alone. It has Antoni in it, do yourself a favour and listen.
I did have a lot of fun, especially listening to that accent. I recommend the audiobook, for the bonus content alone. It has Antoni in it, do yourself a favour and listen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, and Religious bigotry