What’s that? The themes for these book corners are getting vaguer by the month? Well, at least there was one this time, even if its definition became stretched...

Autobiography

Life As A Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between by Amrou Al-Kadhi

I knew I wanted to read an autobiography this month but none on my shelves were taking my fancy. I rarely read autobiographies and when I do, it’s usually by a celebrity I follow or I’m a big fan of, but on my first trip back to Waterstones after the shops reopened, this caught my eye at the front of the store.

This year, I’ve been trying to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community I belong to. Especially drag culture and the reasons why people get into it. And this honest, heart wrenching, unapologetic and riotously funny memoir delves deep into the liberating and healing power of drag; how faith and religion can be incorporated into queerness and how we are all unique but there is a place for everyone out there.

It’s uplifting and painfully relatable at times. It’ll make you laugh and cry. It had me hooked from the very first page and I think everyone should read it, no matter if you identify as queer or you’re into drag. It taught me a lot and I believe it will open your eyes to things you didn’t think about before.

I’d never heard of Amrou Al-Kadhi before now, I desperately want to see them perform and consume everything they’ve made.

Life As A Unicorn is truly a gift that will keep on giving to those who read it.

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

Yes, I know that’s the name of the movie but it’s also used for the film tie-in edition of the first 2 books in the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison, Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (I like the alliteration) and It’s OK, I’m Wearing Really Big Knickers (which sounds like a subtitle out of context), which are the basis of the adaptation. And because the second book follows on directly from the end of the first (I think the whole series does this), you can’t not read them both.

I’ve never been the demographic for these books and never will be but that hasn’t stopped me before! Somehow, this phenomenon flew over my head but when my fiancée moved in and we went through the books she was bringing, I picked this out for my To Be Read pile and with this month’s theme in mind, I thought it was time to tick it off.

First of all, if you’re struggling to read at the moment, I’d recommend something like this (but not this - I’ll get to it) because they’re easy to consume. I don’t mean that dismissively, I’m all for an easy read. The easier the better! Why should reading be hard? I’ve never understood why the self-proclaimed intellectual elite turn their noses up at books that just get straight to the point and don’t discombobulate their audience with big words. If anything, I think it’s easier to write something difficult and it’s a skill to guide a reader through effortlessly. Reading should be pleasurable! And like Matt Haig, Louise Rennison masters that. Maybe it’s because they’re both children’s authors...Read children’s books! You don’t need kids as an excuse. They’re written by adults and read to children by adults so why not!

Anyway, the point-of-view diary format for these books make the words on the page actually sound like a teenager’s, it makes it easier (there’s that word again - does repetition make me a bad writer? Probably!) to invest in their story and in them as characters.

Georgia Nicholson talks exactly like a teen straight out of early 00’s Britain. And as nostalgic as that makes me, some of the things she and other characters say are very outdated. Sure, within context they make sense, these are teenage girls who don’t know any better in a time where we weren’t as “woke” but the attitudes were just as unacceptable now as they were then. Characters in these books are racist at times and constantly homophobic.

For some reason, Georgia is obsessed with lesbians. She thinks everyone is one, and she’s terrified she might be one. Which to be fair, her naivety can be funny, but most of the time, it’s just plain offensive.

But that’s not the worst of it! Oh no. There are inappropriate age gaps where if anything happened between Georgia and the aloof love interest of the series, called The Sex God, he’d legally be a paedophile and commit statutory rape.

Then there’s the incest. No, I’m not kidding. It’s played for laughs, but Georgia’s cousin sexually assaults her multiple times and it’s very uncomfortable to read.

Finally, in the second book, Georgia sees her teacher’s penis for absolutely no reason whatsoever other than shock value.

I’m not going to read any more of the books in this series so, in my headcanon, Georgia ends up with the lovely Dave the Laugh and has intensive therapy for all her trauma.

It’s safe to say, I won’t be letting any future daughter of mine read these books. You might think they’re harmless but I think they normalise some pretty horrifying stuff.

On the surface, the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson are like Bridget Jones meets Tracey Beaker. They’re snort-worthy funny at times but the character of Georgia herself is realistically annoying like a teenage girl and therefore, much less likeable. Especially, she embodies the definition of homophobia.

Archie Comics

Jughead Volume 1 by Chip Zdarsky, Volume 2 by Ryan North

If you’ve read my book corners before, you know I’m a huge fan of Riverdale and its source material. Like most, my favourite character is Jughead and I’ve been eyeing up his reboot solo series for a while.

Initially drawn by one of my favourite comic writers, Chip Zdarsky (who wrote by far the best Spider-Man comic I’ve ever read, Life Story), I stuck around as the creative team changed between issues because I loved what they were doing conceptually with the character.

Jughead uses the iconic character’s tendency to daydream to traverse genres in one-shots tied by a loose narrative thread and eventually bleed fantasy into reality. So, rather than Jughead just imagining scenarios to help him get food, he goes on a disastrous date with Sabrina the Teenage Witch and so forth.

Basically, the writers and artists are given free rein to create hilarious stories that poke fun at pop culture and tropes whilst keeping the titular protagonist consistent and on-brand.

It’s nothing like the CW series but you may recognise traits from Cole Sprouse’s portrayal and I swear, the current season is taking inspiration from this run.

Anyway, you don’t have to know anything about Archie Comics or Jughead to enjoy these zany adventures. There are three volumes at the moment. I bought 2 and 3 as soon as I read the first and I think if you’re open-minded and up for colourful nonsense, you’ll be addicted too.

Sorry to keep it short and sweet this month. I did read other books and a few Oscar-nominated screenplays but they didn’t really fit the theme.

Next month will be more cohesive. I’ll be reviewing some new releases and there might be mystery...

As always, you can follow me @jstodtv on Twitter and Instagram and keep up to date with what I’m reading on Goodreads.