Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara

4 reviews

rtaire's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicide

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Body shaming, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

kshertz's review against another edition

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

This book is fascinating. What a life to lead in the 1950s. I am not a horror fan, I’ve never even seen the creature from the black lagoon, but this woman’s life was really interesting. It would be higher than a 4 but it was a really slow start. She goes into depth about her parents and it’s not really necessary to the story in terms of how much detail there is. But the research she did and what she uncovered was fascinating. I recommend for anyone who loves horror movies and learning about behind the scenes of movies way back when.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

bradleygiselle's review against another edition

funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Upon reread I love this even more! O'Meara is hilarious and so engaging. I devoured the whole book and instantly grabbed her next book Girly Drinks: A Women's History of Drinking even though I don't drink because she's just such a pleasure to read!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

laurenleigh's review against another edition

funny informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

This was soooo amazing, and right up my alley! It’s inspiring me to read more biography and more nonfiction. I also adored Susan Orlean’s The Library Book, so I think I just love nonfiction set in 20th century LA. The focus of this book is on the artist who created and designed the monster in Creature from the Black Lagoon. For decades, her work has gone uncredited, for a whole host of reasons that O’Meara explores. This alone was a fascinating tale of Old Hollywood, but this book is so much more than that. Milicent Patrick’s life is such an amazing story! Her history touches on the creation of Hearst Castle and Julia Morgan’s architecture, the early animation days of Disney, and of course, the legendary monster movies from Universal. If you love California history, this is a must read! I really enjoyed how O’Meara tells Milicent’s story alongside how she discovered these facts. As a lover of research, this was so fun. O’Meara also uses her own life as material, especially where it mirrors Milicent Patrick’s. At the heart of this is an important discussion of Hollywood’s sexist roots, and how this disease is still infecting the entertainment industry today. This book comes at the perfect time in the Me Too movement. I can’t wait to read her next book on the background of women making and participating in the alcohol industry!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Suicide and Medical content

Minor: Body shaming, Infertility, Terminal illness, and Death of parent