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calarco 's review for:
Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love
by Jonathan Van Ness
Whether you know him from Gay of Thrones or Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness has graced millions of screens with unadulterated joy and positivity. A beacon of vibrant energy, I was excited to learn more about JVN in [b:Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love|43386674|Over the Top A Raw Journey to Self-Love|Jonathan Van Ness|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559166865l/43386674._SX50_.jpg|65274850]. As it turns out, he is just as complex and layered as the rest of us.
I will be honest, this book made me cry, like, ugly cry. The world was very cruel to a young JVN, and underneath his sunny veneer, lies a lifetime of trauma not uncommon to those of us in the LGBTQ community. What really sets JVN a part though, is his unyielding perseverance in the face of so much ugliness. I even appreciated the little touches like changing people’s names to those of Russian royalty, which was equal parts endearing and subversive. When the world is harsh, we cope by living in a full and more beautiful fantasy, and there are few that rival the world of JVN. Even then, what was most impressive was learning about the layers underneath the fantasy.
“One thing that bothers me is when people only want me to be one thing: this effervescent, gregarious majestic center-part-blow-dry cotton-candy figure-skating queen who wants to give you feedback on your eyebrows and compliment your haircut. I am that queen a lot of the time. But that’s not all of me. Sometimes I need to tweet about how we shouldn’t be lionizing Ronald Reagan when he has the blood of countless gay men on his hands… People are layered—good and bad, filled with joy and sorrow.”
This is a great read, and if you are a fan, I highly recommend reading this book. It’s just a fun and moving time to be had.
I will be honest, this book made me cry, like, ugly cry. The world was very cruel to a young JVN, and underneath his sunny veneer, lies a lifetime of trauma not uncommon to those of us in the LGBTQ community. What really sets JVN a part though, is his unyielding perseverance in the face of so much ugliness. I even appreciated the little touches like changing people’s names to those of Russian royalty, which was equal parts endearing and subversive. When the world is harsh, we cope by living in a full and more beautiful fantasy, and there are few that rival the world of JVN. Even then, what was most impressive was learning about the layers underneath the fantasy.
“One thing that bothers me is when people only want me to be one thing: this effervescent, gregarious majestic center-part-blow-dry cotton-candy figure-skating queen who wants to give you feedback on your eyebrows and compliment your haircut. I am that queen a lot of the time. But that’s not all of me. Sometimes I need to tweet about how we shouldn’t be lionizing Ronald Reagan when he has the blood of countless gay men on his hands… People are layered—good and bad, filled with joy and sorrow.”
This is a great read, and if you are a fan, I highly recommend reading this book. It’s just a fun and moving time to be had.