aprilinao's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
valandthegianttbr's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
what an inspiring story from a strong trans woman who has lived so much life!!
the strongest parts of this memoir for me were geena'scritical reflections about & comparisons between lgbtq+ experiences/rights in southeast asia vs the united states. it was a lot of new-to-me information & i think a celebrity memoir discussing lgbtq+ experiences outside of the us will do a lot to increase awareness about the intersections of queer & apida identities!!
it was especially interesting to learn about the trans pageant scene in the phillipines & the beginnings of geena's story, with a supportive family & strong community of fellow trans queens, embodied so much hope & boldness & queer filipino culture
this was much more educational & thoughtful than many other celebrity memoirs i've read, but there is still a good deal of "this wild thing happened -- can you believe it? okay moving on!" geena definitely shares moments of shame, fear, hurt, as well as vibrance, joy, & pride -- but these felt a little more surface-level rather than deeply explored in the wider context of her story
i did really like that this was a memoir told with more linear storytelling. even though growth is rarely linear, i think following a more straightforward timeline was effective in showing geena's journey within societal contexts of social attitudes, cultural moments, public figures, & legal policies. she is a good storyteller with lots of charisma (especially in the audiobook!) & a super readable conversational tone, but definitely focuses more on what happened than how it made her feel/contributed to her growth. she does a good job tying it all together in the epilogue though!!
i felt like i got to know geena so well from her story & narration -- we laughed, we cried (okay maybe not cried but at least got emotional), we had a blast together!! overall it was powerful to read geena's growth & journey towards becoming a highly visible trans asian woman & the twists & turns needed to get there
the strongest parts of this memoir for me were geena'scritical reflections about & comparisons between lgbtq+ experiences/rights in southeast asia vs the united states. it was a lot of new-to-me information & i think a celebrity memoir discussing lgbtq+ experiences outside of the us will do a lot to increase awareness about the intersections of queer & apida identities!!
it was especially interesting to learn about the trans pageant scene in the phillipines & the beginnings of geena's story, with a supportive family & strong community of fellow trans queens, embodied so much hope & boldness & queer filipino culture
this was much more educational & thoughtful than many other celebrity memoirs i've read, but there is still a good deal of "this wild thing happened -- can you believe it? okay moving on!" geena definitely shares moments of shame, fear, hurt, as well as vibrance, joy, & pride -- but these felt a little more surface-level rather than deeply explored in the wider context of her story
i did really like that this was a memoir told with more linear storytelling. even though growth is rarely linear, i think following a more straightforward timeline was effective in showing geena's journey within societal contexts of social attitudes, cultural moments, public figures, & legal policies. she is a good storyteller with lots of charisma (especially in the audiobook!) & a super readable conversational tone, but definitely focuses more on what happened than how it made her feel/contributed to her growth. she does a good job tying it all together in the epilogue though!!
i felt like i got to know geena so well from her story & narration -- we laughed, we cried (okay maybe not cried but at least got emotional), we had a blast together!! overall it was powerful to read geena's growth & journey towards becoming a highly visible trans asian woman & the twists & turns needed to get there
ashp's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Transphobia
Minor: Abortion
elmolibrary's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
— 4 ⭐️!
This book giving me many new knowledges when it comes to the “Transgender” and “living among the wolves”. It was such a great memoir book and give a deep and true meaning of someone ambitious and living up to ”go hard or go home”. At the beginning, I completely have no idea that I will get a chance to read this e-ARC but thanks to Netgalley for giving me the privilege to read this book! My first expectation about this book was; it would be more bullying and struggle come of hardship with no love from Geena’s families; her chance to be the pageant because she was deeply wanted to be one—not scouted; her longing of becoming a normal female being because something triggered her of her traumas; her path when she wanted out will be hardship and many more. But the few main points will be those thing I mentioned.
Truth be told, this book captivated me from the very beginning and hardly to put down. Because how she wrote things over into 4 sections and each sections has subchapter which explained pretty detailed on how she became what she is now. I also was amazed on how she pour her life into words and tell the readers everything she’ve been through and get reader’s emotions out of it. It was beautiful and mesmerizing.
Part I, Makati. This section focusing more on how she acknowledge her desire to be a woman and how she put her work into pageant world, especially in Philippine. Her bullying and how her society treated her but her families pretty supportive of the choices she took but she overcomes that in such a young age!! This was impressive and get my heart longing for the families out there who has Transgender child but not pretty supportive, I couldn’t imagine how they are overcome and facing the real world and proud of what they are. Even though, in this section she was pretty upfront and proud of who she becoming, her struggle and what struggle other pageant people have to be acknowledged was a chef kiss. She told the world or us the reader on what it feels like to be in pageant world in details.
Part II, San Francisco . As an Asian moving to the white people’s majority world and as someone different has different hardship and traumas in living the life they were not expecting to have. In this part of the book, she decided to moved out from her home to San Francisco with her mother. Her needs to have an F in her identity card was the dreams she had and what her mother promises to her, that’s why she decided to moved to SFO. When it comes to this part of the book, I as an Asian, know and get the emotions about what she was feeling towards everything surrounding her. Her shocking because it was quite different how life in as Filipino in her own cage and in a white supremacy city. Even though she was working not as what she was back in Philippine, she tried hard to do and be what she dreamed of until one day people acknowledge her and ask her to join to NYC to be like what she was in Part I—as a model. However, her hardship in this section also get her new knowledge on the first male she was encountered and she tried to out and be herself, the rejection she had when it was happening was quite shattering my heart.
Part III, New York City. Well, this one get into the part where she finally be what she wanted—meaning as a model like she was back in pageant world. The most hardship she overcome as a Transgender in this part was she afraid to be found out. And she also learn how to love someone who can love her completely even though it was outside of the other party’s expectations—meaning she was not born as a female. She also learn and discovered new things in this section of the book.
Part IV, The World. This part was the most crucial part because she expand her wings to be out and be who she is naturally. Even though she broke up with her long boyfriend because of the long distance and they wanted to pursue their own career, I assumed they still a good friend. She also met new people and try new things even though her mother disapproval because of certain magazine. And this part breaking my heart the most when she have conversation about freedom with her sister. This section of the book is pretty emotional to me.
To conclude, this book teach me new things that I never knew and things that uncommon to me my whole life. How she put her words and experiences into memoir is pretty awesome to be discovered. Also, her concept to pursue her dreams could be our arrow to ourselves. This book is a great memoir and I love every part of it!
This book giving me many new knowledges when it comes to the “Transgender” and “living among the wolves”. It was such a great memoir book and give a deep and true meaning of someone ambitious and living up to ”go hard or go home”. At the beginning, I completely have no idea that I will get a chance to read this e-ARC but thanks to Netgalley for giving me the privilege to read this book! My first expectation about this book was; it would be more bullying and struggle come of hardship with no love from Geena’s families; her chance to be the pageant because she was deeply wanted to be one—not scouted; her longing of becoming a normal female being because something triggered her of her traumas; her path when she wanted out will be hardship and many more. But the few main points will be those thing I mentioned.
Truth be told, this book captivated me from the very beginning and hardly to put down. Because how she wrote things over into 4 sections and each sections has subchapter which explained pretty detailed on how she became what she is now. I also was amazed on how she pour her life into words and tell the readers everything she’ve been through and get reader’s emotions out of it. It was beautiful and mesmerizing.
Part I, Makati. This section focusing more on how she acknowledge her desire to be a woman and how she put her work into pageant world, especially in Philippine. Her bullying and how her society treated her but her families pretty supportive of the choices she took but she overcomes that in such a young age!! This was impressive and get my heart longing for the families out there who has Transgender child but not pretty supportive, I couldn’t imagine how they are overcome and facing the real world and proud of what they are. Even though, in this section she was pretty upfront and proud of who she becoming, her struggle and what struggle other pageant people have to be acknowledged was a chef kiss. She told the world or us the reader on what it feels like to be in pageant world in details.
Part II, San Francisco . As an Asian moving to the white people’s majority world and as someone different has different hardship and traumas in living the life they were not expecting to have. In this part of the book, she decided to moved out from her home to San Francisco with her mother. Her needs to have an F in her identity card was the dreams she had and what her mother promises to her, that’s why she decided to moved to SFO. When it comes to this part of the book, I as an Asian, know and get the emotions about what she was feeling towards everything surrounding her. Her shocking because it was quite different how life in as Filipino in her own cage and in a white supremacy city. Even though she was working not as what she was back in Philippine, she tried hard to do and be what she dreamed of until one day people acknowledge her and ask her to join to NYC to be like what she was in Part I—as a model. However, her hardship in this section also get her new knowledge on the first male she was encountered and she tried to out and be herself, the rejection she had when it was happening was quite shattering my heart.
Part III, New York City. Well, this one get into the part where she finally be what she wanted—meaning as a model like she was back in pageant world. The most hardship she overcome as a Transgender in this part was she afraid to be found out. And she also learn how to love someone who can love her completely even though it was outside of the other party’s expectations—meaning she was not born as a female. She also learn and discovered new things in this section of the book.
Part IV, The World. This part was the most crucial part because she expand her wings to be out and be who she is naturally. Even though she broke up with her long boyfriend because of the long distance and they wanted to pursue their own career, I assumed they still a good friend. She also met new people and try new things even though her mother disapproval because of certain magazine. And this part breaking my heart the most when she have conversation about freedom with her sister. This section of the book is pretty emotional to me.
To conclude, this book teach me new things that I never knew and things that uncommon to me my whole life. How she put her words and experiences into memoir is pretty awesome to be discovered. Also, her concept to pursue her dreams could be our arrow to ourselves. This book is a great memoir and I love every part of it!
angelkisses's review
3.75
"i am chapters that are still unwritten and so are you." a touching memoir with insightful and important conversations about colonialism, colourism, indigenous trans history and the future of trans possibility. i don't care for the uncritical inclusion of people like obama or companies like playboy (mentioning marilyn in connection to them without aknowledging the harm they caused her is icky) but that was basically only in 2 chapters towards the end so overall would recommend. should be listened to on audiobook for the wonderful music and singing (usually a pet peeve of mine in audiobooks turns out to be one of this book's strengths!) as well as atmospheric audio which enhances the experience, making it easier to immerse yourself in geena's world.
cozyarthur2022's review against another edition
5.0
Im so happy to have listened to this story! What a joy it is to have access to a story so rich, but specifically a memoir of a trans women sprinkled with joy, that made me both emotional and grin throughout.
Loved listening to this on audio, with Geena as the narrator herself.
I will miss this book, and come back to my favorite parts many times in the future!
Loved listening to this on audio, with Geena as the narrator herself.
I will miss this book, and come back to my favorite parts many times in the future!