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A review by lilbanne
Pageboy by Elliot Page
4.0
I was excited to read Pageboy by Elliot Page, and although not perfect, the book is lovely, eye-opening, and gut-wrenching. Pageboy is a memoir about the journey to self-discovery.
The story is written in a non-linear fashion and can be a challenge at times to follow. The narrative of the first half of Pageboy was a struggle for me to get into, but Elliot unleashes the vulnerability in the second half. The second half of Pageboy is a 5/5, so good! The material is relatable because we are all discovering ourselves, and our identities continually evolve. With varying degrees, we all hide behind some mask, and it can be hard to live our true, authentic selves.
During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elliot spent much time in self-reflection and isolation. This part of his journey was beautiful to read. I was cheering for Elliot as he explored his gender expression and identity. It was interesting to read that because of the mask requirements, Elliot was finally acknowledged as a man and could genuinely take his mask off.
As a Canadian, I loved the little tidbits of Canadian culture woven into the story. Shout out to Hockey Night in Canada, Ketchup Chips and Tim Hortons. Elliot includes beautiful details about Nova Scotia, where he is from. Additionally, there is a lot of history about Elliot and his father. Elliot's struggles with his father are heartbreaking and something I identify with as I have a strained relationship with my dad.
Favourite quote of the book: "I had to stop and pause as he talked about COVID, being acknowledged as a man when wearing his mask. So many people struggled throughout the pandemic, having to isolate, being alone. For Elliot, it was exactly what he needed. Time to zone in and focus on self, ask (and answer) the right questions in order to find his true self."
The story is written in a non-linear fashion and can be a challenge at times to follow. The narrative of the first half of Pageboy was a struggle for me to get into, but Elliot unleashes the vulnerability in the second half. The second half of Pageboy is a 5/5, so good! The material is relatable because we are all discovering ourselves, and our identities continually evolve. With varying degrees, we all hide behind some mask, and it can be hard to live our true, authentic selves.
During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elliot spent much time in self-reflection and isolation. This part of his journey was beautiful to read. I was cheering for Elliot as he explored his gender expression and identity. It was interesting to read that because of the mask requirements, Elliot was finally acknowledged as a man and could genuinely take his mask off.
As a Canadian, I loved the little tidbits of Canadian culture woven into the story. Shout out to Hockey Night in Canada, Ketchup Chips and Tim Hortons. Elliot includes beautiful details about Nova Scotia, where he is from. Additionally, there is a lot of history about Elliot and his father. Elliot's struggles with his father are heartbreaking and something I identify with as I have a strained relationship with my dad.
Favourite quote of the book: "I had to stop and pause as he talked about COVID, being acknowledged as a man when wearing his mask. So many people struggled throughout the pandemic, having to isolate, being alone. For Elliot, it was exactly what he needed. Time to zone in and focus on self, ask (and answer) the right questions in order to find his true self."