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A review by thereadingchallengechallenge
Pageboy by Elliot Page
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.0
This was a brutal read and not just in the ways I was expecting. I was prepared for Elliot Page to talk about the queerphobia and misogyny that he experienced growing up and going through Hollywood. But I wasn't ready for the brutal mistreatment he faced almost everywhere he turned. He doesn't pull punches as he describes it, or the mental health struggles that he experienced as a result. It was hard to read.
I also struggled a lot with the structure of the memoir. I found it hard to figure out what events happened in what order, where Page was at emotionally. And the tangents into aspects of local history weren't always especially interesting. But Page does write with a simple, straight-forward voice that makes wading through this emotional book a little easier. Even though the subject matter is sometimes hard to swallow, the writing never is.
If you've ever been interested in Elliot Page's career or his journey as a queer person, you'll find something to enjoy here, just please heed the content warnings because light reading this is not.
I also struggled a lot with the structure of the memoir. I found it hard to figure out what events happened in what order, where Page was at emotionally. And the tangents into aspects of local history weren't always especially interesting. But Page does write with a simple, straight-forward voice that makes wading through this emotional book a little easier. Even though the subject matter is sometimes hard to swallow, the writing never is.
If you've ever been interested in Elliot Page's career or his journey as a queer person, you'll find something to enjoy here, just please heed the content warnings because light reading this is not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Stalking
Minor: Self harm