Member Reviews
I'm honestly not sure if I want to cry or cheer. I know that this is filled with adorable illustrations, but damn if this didn't hit and hit hard. I, like many women (and some men) struggle daily with body image. Like the author, I, too, have wasted what probably amounts to years of my life worrying about what others think of me, how I look in an outfit, or whether I'm "thin" enough to be of value. Gallagher hits on all of the thoughts, the struggles, the messages from others, the "male gaze" - the things almost every woman has felt or heard at some point. I wish I could meet the author and tell her thank you for this book and for her openness.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full of Myself is a graphic memoir depicting Gallagher's experiences with body image struggles and growing up as a girl in 4 parts; childhood, high school years, young adult years and mid-late twenties, and on. This memoir deals with very heavy topics such as body dysmorphia, eating disorders, depression, misogyny, fatphobia, and more. Please make sure you are in the right place to read this, and if these topics are triggering to you, perhaps reconsider picking it up if it won't help you with where you are currently mentally.
I felt as though this touched upon various topics such as misogyny, feminism, and fatphobia at an introductory level, which may be a good resource for those who are starting to dip their toes and educate themselves on these topics. Gallagher did a really good job at showcasing what she was exposed to as a young child and teen and how it impacted her throughout her life, both with what was broadcasted in the media as well as what she lived through day-to-day life.
The storytelling method of using a graphic novel format is genius, as not only does it add more weight with the visual representation, it may seem less daunting to readers who are not as well-versed or have more trouble with nonfiction. However, I did have an issue with the format as it felt extremely overwhelming and chaotic at times. There were so many text boxes and image boxes on one page that my eyes struggled to find where to focus first.
Additionally, while I enjoyed the inclusion of pop culture references, I do believe that those are a very big reason why so many people struggled as they were exposed to harsh things at a very young age, it felt too much at times. I wish we got to see more of Gallagher's own experiences and her point of view more in-depth rather than what she was exposed to on TV and in the media, as those are not the only things that perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
Lastly, I wish we could have seen a little more of how Gallagher worked through her ED and mental health difficulties, as I find she does not delve into how she learned to feel more body-neutral or how she learned to experience more body positivity. The ending felt a little short as well, definitely less developed than the rest of the book, but that tends to be the case with memoirs.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and am glad that I did. I would give it a 3.75-4 star rating.
Thank you, NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing and of course, the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
twigger warnings: self-harm, depression, eating disorders, minor sexual harassment and fatphobic comments.
A raw memoir of Siobhan Gallager's childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. If you are also a woman this memoir will sum up your growing-up years, how you perceived yourself but most importantly how you observed how society was viewing you (does that make sense?) This was a rollercoaster of emotions, I was initially so saddened by how relatable her experience of growing up in such a hostile environment for little girls, and even more saddened to read all the reviews of other women who went through the same experience, is this how sisterhood was created? through shared pain?
In the end, we figure it out always and we become who we are because we fight to be "her".
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for giving me a chance to read this graphic novel for free.
I emphasise with Siobhan here going through body dysmorphia like she was very brave at saying how she felt this in her teenagers year in this graphic novel. I also want to say irish representation woop woop 🇮🇪🇮🇪☘️☘️
However what missed to huge mark for me while reading this graphic novel as there were a lot things going on with so many text boxes in each scenes like I felt it was all over shop for me to fully understand what’s happening. If Siobhan maybe just explain her own POV rather then provide tons of pop culture references, I personally think it would have been a more decent graphic novel to read through.
—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was everything to me. I felt so seen, so heard and understood. I cried and then smiled with teary eyes. I fell in love with it. The art style was also so sweet.
Please read the trigger warnings page at the beginning of the book though. Please. Because this deals with heavy topics and it’s best to be safe than sorry.
I like how it's about self-worth and self-love. Some struggles were relatable. However, I didn't find the artwork attractive, it's nice but not something I would like to see over and over again. Overall, it was a good read and recommendable.
Full of Myself is a candid and heartfelt exploration of womanhood and mental health. It takes an equally humorous and honest approach to address many of the struggles associated with being young and female, including but not limited to: toxic beauty standards and how they warp our own perception of ourselves, the indignity of being subjected to the male gaze, depression, and the struggle to find self-love and self-esteem. 5 stars. I cannot recommend this hard enough.
I have not expected that. Siobhan brought me back with her on a memory line to my childhood and made me realize that despite being on two different continents, we were going through the same things together. It's insane that internalized negative self-image alienates, and yet we are truly not alone in this type of thinking. Siobhan perfectly blended the dose of family, environmental, and cultural influence on one's perception. I loved how everything was just simply broken down with a thought, not just blabbing about trauma. I appreciate how raw yet endearing the protagonist, in this case, herself. Overcoming this internalized fatphobia and other shameful behaviors that we unconsciously absorb was truly inspirational. It was an amazing graphic representation of a complete matter of the 90s/00s kid who only wanted to be loved, accepted, and feel good in their body.
The reason I was interested in this book, was because of the graphics. And they did not disapoint! The art style is very nice and the topics and themes that came forward were really relatable.
Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this!
First I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy.
I don't know how to describe this book.
It was both fantastic and difficult to read. It's absolutely fantastic because the author manages to describe so precisely and clearly what it's like to grow up as a millennial woman, and it was so difficult to read for that sale reason.
It hit so close to home. The self depreciation, the attitude towards food and your own body, other women, social media and so on.
I felt like someone finally put into words what I stupidly thought I was the only one to go through.
It's beautifully drawn and written, never depressing or self indulgent. It even manages to be light and funny while talking about all these so personal and heavy issues.
I can not thank the author enough for putting into words what it is to be a woman in this world.
A wonderful collection about self worth, body image, and feminism. It focuses on a time period before me and I appreciated learning about it. Definitely a high recommend
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I found "Full of Myself: A Graphic Memoir About Body Image" to be a thought-provoking exploration of the author's journey with body image. While the graphic novel format didn't immediately captivate me as much as other works in the genre, I couldn't deny the power of its content.
Siobhan Gallagher's honesty and vulnerability shine through in her writing, offering a relatable narrative for anyone who has grappled with societal expectations and personal insecurities regarding their appearance. As a woman who has faced similar struggles, I found myself nodding along and chuckling at Gallagher's wit and candidness.
One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to validate the experiences of individuals who have felt marginalized or judged based on their bodies. Gallagher's storytelling not only entertains but also educates, offering a valuable perspective that challenges conventional beauty standards and encourages self-acceptance.
I believe "Full of Myself" has the potential to serve as an empowering resource for young girls navigating the complexities of growing up in a society that often imposes unrealistic ideals of beauty. By sharing her own journey, Gallagher offers a beacon of hope and reassurance, reminding readers that they are worthy and deserving of love and acceptance just as they are.
I highly recommend "Full of Myself" to anyone seeking a refreshing and validating perspective on body image and self-acceptance.
Absolutely loved this book! My journey to love and acceptance pretty much mirrored Gallagher's and it was really refreshing to see the complexities being overweight has on one's mental health. I highly recommend this book for any woman of age (I'm 41 and had plenty of positive takeaways). I also love that it focused on the character and how she perceived herself based on societies standards of beauty. Gallagher's only true bully was herself and she's the only one who can truly love herself - an important message for us all to take away.
This was a good memoir and I think the themes that were talked about were good and very relatable.
But to be completely honest I didn’t enjoyed graphic as much as I thought I would and the wording was everywhere and there was so much text so I had a feeling I was reading a normal book - which I wasn’t hoping for when I requested this book. Some parts I enjoyed very much (especially when I saw Monica) but then I just wanted to finish it, I was so done with it and I think it could have been so much shorter. Then I DNF it, which I really didn’t want but then again, I didn’t wanted to force myself to finish it when I didn’t enjoy it.
I think if you usually read something like this, you would enjoy it, but if you’re a beginner like me, maybe it’s not the best pick for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the e-arc!
Full of Myself is a graphic memoir about Siobhan Gallagher and her journey to self love and adulthood. While I was reading this I had so many moments where I felt I could relate to the author's struggle. I liked how she conveyed humor with her artwork. There was times where i felt this could have been shorter and certain parts felt redundant. However, I think the author keeps you entertained enough through her artwork and storytelling. I would recommend checking this out especially if you struggle with self love.
I requested "Full of Myself" because I like reading Graphic Novels and wanted to read more nonfiction and I am really enjoying memoires lately. "Full of Myself" felt like the perfect mix of all the things I wanted.
It took me longer than expected to read it, because I had to take several breaks reading it. I knew the topic of the book before I started it but was still surprised how someone of the parts made me feel. It was way more hard hitting for me than I thought it would.
It was really interesting for me to get a look into Siobháns life and to see her personal struggles. The story felt really raw. It was also interesting to see Siobhán growing up and to see where it all started and how she learned how to deal with her struggles.
It was a hard but good and important time reading it!
If you plan on reading "Full of Myself" please check the Trigger Warnings beforehand!
Thank you for NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this EARC!
This book hit home. Me and the author are more or less of the same age, so I could definitely relate when she wrote about what was in fashion during different years. I suffered from body shaming, low self esteem and low insecurity during my childhood and teen years. The effect came later in my late twenties, early thirties. This book is an inspiration to all the young women suffering silently in our perfect society. If we work hard on ourselves, we can be happy. We don't need anyone else to make life better for us. It is peace internally that we need.
This is the book I needed growing up. It captures so much of my experiences growing up in a mid-size bodies and has brought me such peace and reassurance around my body.
The art style is amazing - gorgeous and engaging while also being irreverant. I can't recommend this book enough!
Anybody looking to learn more about internalized fatphobia in a fun way, this book is for you!
"I'm choosing to see my body as it is: a body of work. It does not define who I am, but it is a part of me and I can't neglect that."
Witty and relatable graphic novel that explores the teenage experience.
Strong focus on female perspective and the writer is self narrating what she wished she had known as a teen. The artwork is really great and made for an enjoyabe reading experience.
This is such an important graphic novel. I really enjoyed Siobhan's journey. I felt so bad for her, especially the loneliness. So many people can relate to the desire to wanting to be a new person, but actually becoming one is hard since your chasing after a standard. As some one who has struggled with their weight since a young age, all Siobhan thoughts and feelings are spot on. Her message of how our ability to be clouded by our own judgement and fear of yourself can really have you missing out on a lot of life. I loved how with each new decade there was a Fashion breakdown.
I wish there was more of a concrete solution for how she coped and got better. It seemed as all she did was decide to stop, and so she did. I think for a lot of girls that is not the easiest solution. Maybe it was for her. I felt like we missed a lot of information when we didn't go through some of the process. Did she talk to a therapist? Did her parents ever find out? What did they say? How did she stop cutting herself? How is she coping now with these big feelings?
I understand that a lot of body acceptance come with age, and the mentality that you do actually start to like yourself. That is the key to all of it. You have to love yourself!
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC