Paper Doll, Notes from a Late Bloomer reads like a diary. Cozy and intimate and authentic feeling. Dylan Mulvaney shares her experiences, including how she ended up creating her series of girlhood on TikTok, an unfortunate brand deal backlash, and how she dealt with her family members reactions.

I always enjoy memoirs and biographies, allowing me to either relate or learn more about other people - and this one does not disappoint. I enjoyed the easy flow of the writing, the ups and downs of a life, and the reminder that there is always more to the story than what you think you know.

It was lovely to reflect back on my own moments, as a fan of Dylan’s ‘Days of Girlhood’ series. Hearing how those early likes and comments on her videos impacted her. A reminder that we are all connected.

🎧 My brain consumed this book via my ears… so audiobook!

The book was narrated by the author, which is always so wonderful when it’s a memoir, the emotions really come through.

The speed was a bit slower than I would typically think of Dylan’s voice. I wondered if this was her natural reading voice, and maybe she speaks faster for TikTok videos due to the lack of attention span.

Either way, it all worked out. With the ability to increase the speed, I found x1.75 speed was perfect for me. I typically speed up audiobooks to x2 - FYI.

Bonus for the audiobook was hearing Dylan say her “love ya” phrase - completely adorable as always.

Note:
Thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ARC copy. Love ya! ;)

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book through Netgalley.com, however, my opinion is that of my own.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I was fairly familiar with Dylan from the TikTok community and was so sad for her when the whole beer-gate situation happened. To hear all about her struggles during her transitioning and how horrible people were to her during that time, and often since, is heartbreaking. In this book, Dylan was honest and forthright, but caring and kind--I would imagine that anyone curious about transgender, and with an open mind would love this book. I also think there is a perfect audience for this book. I listened to it rather quickly and enjoyed it very much. I wish Dylan the best. I hope that she finds what she needs and wants in life.

Somewhat familiar with Dylan Mulvaney from her TikTok videos, I originally came across her when she was early in her “Days of Girlhood” series. She had just bought a pack of tampons to keep on hand, in case anyone needed one. I liked the sentiment of being there for others, and being ready to help when you can.

In Paper Doll, Dylan shares how she’s navigated her transition and some struggles, with vulnerability and humor.

Dylan Mulvaney narrates the audiobook herself, which is a treat in terms of conveying emotions and fun voice acting work! Although it does have a lot of cliche millennial theater kid sentiment, it does capture the casual feeling of meeting with a friend who is catching you up on everything. While I enjoyed this memoir, I think it would have been better if it was written a few years down the line.

Not-so-relevant detail: I loved that she mentioned Bare: A Pop Opera and Glee. So true.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As an elder millennial who’s not on tiktok, I didn’t know anything about Dylan until the Bud light scandal. I’d grown men at work sneering at Bud light cans and their childish silly reactions made me automatically like/ root for this trans influencer. So when I saw the Paper Dolls memoir on audio narrated by the author, I figured I had to listen. I love a memoir and I’m not one to judge anyone’s story.
This one is quick. It had some really dark, hard to hear moments, but Dylan mostly approaches the memoir with a campy, theater kid attitude, which made even the toughest parts palatable.
I do feel like it could be a bit premature and felt very “young” throughout, but who am I to tell someone not to capitalize on a moment in this day and age. Trans stories are important. Trans visibility matters more than ever. I’m glad I listened.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

i love dylan and was thrilled to hear about her book. i'm particularly glad i got to listen to the audiobook narrated by dylan herself, and she did such a fantastic job. her narration is full of emotions, which made me chuckle out loud then cry just a few pages later.

I loved this book about Dylan's journey through her life and all her transformations from childhood to girl hood to women hood it was heartbreaking to know that trans people still get brought down.. it was funny in places and even though I'm not trans I seen some of myself in dylan as someone who has alot of trauma and bad thoughts I hope dylan gets what she wants from life

the audiobook of this was so fun and pleasant to listen to. dylan narrates it herself so it sounds a bit like she’s just talking to you over a coffee. not sure if the effect is the same on paper?

in terms of good and bad, the strongest aspect of paper doll is for sure the real diary excerpts. she also doesn’t just talk about things but also reflects on them (her need for validation, the privileges she has, being an influencer, the consequences of sharing personal things online etc).

this book is definitely not some kind of literary high but to be fair i don’t think anyone reads celebrity memoirs for that reason. sometimes it was hard to follow along with the timeline since it’s not told chronologically. it helped that i’ve known of dylan mulvaney since the beginning of her tiktok fame but i recommend pulling up wikipedia if you’re not familiar with her life.

Dylan is an absolute ray of sunshine! This audiobook is a total joy to listen to. The best part is that Dylan is completely transparent and vulnerable. She takes us through the early days of her transition and lets us see the joys as well as the struggles. She lets us see her inner thoughts and feelings, no matter how dark or “spiraley” they may be. This makes Dylan so relatable. I hope Dylan never loses her spark and continues to block out the haters, because she spreads so much light and happiness in the world.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

This book was an absolute pleasure to listen to, and I’d even argue that the audiobook is the best way to experience it, as it’s narrated by Dylan herself. Her storytelling offers a heartfelt and insightful perspective on the trans community and her personal journey through girlhood. I found myself celebrating with her, crying with her, and feeling like I was having a conversation with a close friend. As a former theater kid, I also loved the way her passion for performance and storytelling shone through—it felt like a love letter to the stage. This biography deserves every accolade, and I highly recommend it to members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies alike.

Dylan is a trans woman who rose to fame over on Tiktok, I remember seeing many of her Days of Girlhood videos. I also remember seeing what she has dubbed in this memoir as “Beergate” unfold, and several instances after this book stops narrating.

The memoir is formatted in two parts. Journal entries during the first year of videos, and essays after “Beergate.” This format is interesting, and I enjoyed it. It is narrated by the author. I do prefer memoirs narrated by the person they’re about.

I wanted to enjoy this, and was looking forward to the behind the scenes look she was offering us, however, this was a bit of a let down.

There a several parts of this tale that frustrated me. The “woowoo” things, in Dylan’s words, that include questionable health decisions she is encouraging people to make, and about three chapters about how great a drug trip was for her. Doing drugs and having a life coach isn’t the replacement for therapy she seems to present it as, and it frustrates me that she presents it in such a positive light.

She uses terms for groups of people that, while she might be comfortable using them for herself, other people might find uncomfortable. It is possible she reached out to every trans woman she called a doll in this book, which is the primary example I can think of, and if so, I take it back, but its a similar criticism to that her song got, in the use of “Boy Toy” and “twink.”

The audio book features several instances where Dylan repeats herself, I don’t know if it is written that way, but it is distracting and could use some edits.

There are also several weird instances where she acknowledges her privilege, but then talks about how great it is. For example she doesn’t make reservations cause she hopes her smile is currency. It is a weird juxtaposition that gives it a fake tone. She jokes about serious issues, and the jokes fall flat. Describing something serious that’s bad as “dukey” feels wrong.

I have passively seen parts of Dylan's story online so I was interested in seeing her perspective.
After finishing the book, I honestly don't know how to feel about it. There were parts I found interesting and compelling and parts I did not. As an audiobook itself, the audiobook is very well done. Mulvaney reads it and she's a good narrator. It felt genuine and real to listen to. If you are interested in the book, I would recommend that format. One of the most interesting parts to me was seeing her discussion of rising to fame on social media and the impact of that. Overall, I feel like if you are a big fan of Dylan or share similar experiences to her, you will likely enjoy the book but for me it kind of felt disjointed at times.

When I tell you I absolutely screamed when I saw I got accepted for the audiobook ARC of this book I am *not* exaggerating.

20/03/2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Dylan is such a sweetheart!! I remember when her "Days of Girlhood" series started. I was never a loyal follower but I'd always stop to watch her videos when they showed up on my feed.

Her story is a unique one. Transitioning in the public eye, on one hand, meant constant scrutiny in every single little personal decision she made, but on the other, that gave her the privledge for quick transition, while many trans people have to wait YEARS just for a consultation.


Dylan acknowledges this privledge several times throughout the book, and isn't afraid to retell the moments in which she made mistakes or was called out.

I absolutely loved that she narrated her story. It made it personal, and I didn't have to imagine her going through all the things she described... I could hear her joy, her pain, and her tone.

Was this book the most eloquently written thing I've ever read? No! It had moments of silliness, of very casual language. Dylan wrote it exactly as she speaks, and I loved it.

Thank you so so much to the publisher, to Netgalley and to Dylan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this wonderful memoir.

I had *heard* of Dylan Mulvaney before, but I didn't know her story or why she was famous. Going into this book blind was an awesome way to get my first impression of her. Her story is raw, beautiful, and touching. I especially liked hearing about her First Days of Girlhood series. I went back and watched some of them on her Instagram and it was super interesting to know that behind the scenes, Dylan wasn't feeling so confident and cheerful. Dylan is such a beautiful soul - inside and out! Safe to say I am a big Dylan Mulvaney fan now!

I'll preface this review by stating that I'm a fan of Dylan, I used to follow her on tiktok (I haven't been on tiktok for about 2 years).

Dylan is very young, she still has a lot left to live. Yet this memoir managed to say so much about her experiences.

Warm, cozy and joyful, that's how I'd call Paper Dolls. It's a true joy reading this, especially in audiobook format: Dylan reads it herself.

I really did appreciate Dylan acknowledging the privilege a large platform can give you, and the hardships that the same platform can dish you.

If you're a fan of Dylan, definitely listen to this. Even if you aren't, I do think it's worth a listen, to hear different life experiences than your own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Paper Doll
•••
Notes from a Late Bloomer
by Dylan Mulvaney

Dear Dylan,

Admittedly, when I saw your audiobook pop up as “recently added” on NetGalley I thought the cover was catchy and that your name sounded familiar, likely a celebrity. Bonus that you were also the narrator, my favorite kind of Memoir.

Once I started listening I quickly realized that I had no idea who was opening up to me in such a raw and vulnerable way. Truthfully, it wasn’t until the mention of beergate that it all clicked.

What a wild ride, such a life you have already lived in a short time; quite intriguing to hear about your transition in detail. I definitely learned a lot and certainly had to look up a few definitions but enjoyed your perspective.

May you continue to live a happily fulfilled life.

I feel like I would have enjoyed this as a physical book so I could see the difference in essays and journals easier. Having the dates made it easy enough but I feel like I missed out on the drawings but got the bonus of dylan singing and reading the story to me which made it feel way more personal .Though I'm part of the queer community I only peripherally followed Dylan's transition since I don't have tiktok so this was an interesting inside lens.

The further the book got the more disinterested I became though. As she says she comes from a place of privilege and upper middle class-ness to me that just doesn't feel relatable and the privilege rubs me weird. She doesn't seem to know her queer community or history. She has trans and gay friends but ... Idk seems like she just hasn't put in that work. Not saying she hasn't had it hard too or doesn't belong I just wanted more I guess. As a bi woman I feel like I have to do so much work to be seen and accepted by the queer community so it's hard to see someone who hasn't done that become so beloved.

It overall felt bubbly and light even vapid at times which just wasn't for me. For a book that was suppose to "spill the tea" it felt like tepid tea that got sloshed on the floor. Could it be more obvious that dominos was a sponsor lol? I think I'm just not into influencer life. But if you love TikTok influencer life then you'd enjoy the book and the extra peep. This book will probably have a niche and die hard audience that I hope it finds and they love it

I love Dylan Mulvaney. Touching memoir.
It was great seeing all that she’s learned in the last few years.

Dylan Mulvaney had the unique experience of transitioning in the spotlight. Even if you haven't been following her since before her Days of Girlhood series, you undoubtedly had heard of the Beergate controversy. You probably have also seen her unrelenting positivity and joy.
But that's not a say that Dylan didn't have her share of pain and sadness. In her first book, a self-reflection piece on the first year (and then some) of being a girl, Dylan shows you the woman behind the social media smoke screen. Through absolute candor and hilarious honesty, you get to see the strength she has in the face of loud, ignorant hate. And she doesn't let the bastards grind her down.
This book is written like a conversation, and Dylan is an absolute joy to talk to. I wasn't sure how much she and I would have in common, outside of being high-energy girls, but as she dove deep into her well of insecurities and past traumas, she became more real and relatable than I expected.
Thanks for being my new friend, Dylan. I'm rooting for you!

This is such a delight of a memoir and having also purchased the book can say it is worth it to enjoy it via audiobook. Dylan herself narrates and her energy and delivery really made it feel more like a conversation with a friend than anything else. Her training in acting and musical theatre are apparent throughout. The narrative in this book/audiobook is scattered and jumps from diary entries to deep self-reflection to childhood memories and funny anecdotes without obvious flow, which, although a little jarring at times, does add to its charm.

Throughout, Dylan presents with self-awareness and is the first to admit her privilege and naivety as she went through the early days of transitioning, fame and finding her identity through it all. I am not an avid TikTok user so Dylan's 365 day project was something that unfamiliar to me, so I went into this memoir with very little back story beyond the headlines. After reading her story, I can say I am eager to hear more from her in the future.

Much of the criticism I've seen of this book is that it is not an accurate representation of the typical trans experience but Dylan never claims it to be, this is her unique journey, something she frequently reminds us of in the book. Overall, despite some more emotional reflections, most of the book is is lighthearted and humorous, reflecting Dylan's bubbly energy which was a pleasure to listen to and read along with.

Dylan had me laughing out loud and deep in the feels all within a few minutes. Her strength and vulnerability in sharing her journey has been such a privilege to watch and learn from.