A review by jedore
Untamed by Glennon Doyle

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

"I am a sensitive, introverted woman, which means that I love humanity but actual human beings are tricky for me. I love people but not in person."

This part self-help/part memoir challenges societal expectations and encourages readers to trust themselves, reclaim their voice, and live authentically. The book traces Doyle's personal journey from a seemingly perfect personal life—a married Christian woman with children—to falling in love with soccer star Abby Wambach, ending her marriage, and rediscovering herself in the process. Through a collection of essays, Doyle speaks about embracing inner truth, the struggles of womanhood, and the importance of shedding external expectations to become "untamed."

As I'm fresh out of an 11-year relationship, I thought it was time to finally read this book, which I've owned for a while. I’m on a mission to de-center men in my life, and while this book isn’t specifically about being single (in fact, Glennon moves into another relationship quickly after her marriage), it still helped me. I found it intriguing—and lovely—that her new partner is a woman.

I'm not typically a fan of self-help-style books, so I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did. But Glennon’s honesty about her own messiness makes her incredibly relatable. She’s not trying to present a perfect image—she’s real, raw, and human, which is so refreshing. It’s empowering to witness someone drastically change so openly.

Each chapter is an essay that focuses on a relevant topic—whether it’s a serious social issue, an experience of womanhood, or a personal anecdote. Every page is filled with heart and common sense. Doyle’s writing had me laughing, sniffling, and cheering throughout. Definitely a highly impactful read. 

I must admit, I developed a bit of a platonic crush on Glennon. She’s been added to the very short list of people I’d love to have dinner with—joining Tupac Shakur. What a blast it would be!
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