Finished on 7.4.25

Two things about this book, mainly—the first is that it’s really funny, good, and easy to read because Julia Fox is a brilliant, funny, amazing woman who has lived a seriously fascinating life.

The second is that it’s incredibly, aggressively sad. She recounts so many heartbreaking experiences; way too many for one person’s share. There were also a lot of relatable stories. Throughout the book, I kept having the same experience: I would read a story and think it felt a bit relatable, and then at the end of the story, she would mention how old she had been at the time, and invariably she was far, far younger than I had expected based on the story.

Ultimately, I think this is a really interesting read that sheds a lot of light on Julia’s history and background. I’m very impressed by all she’s accomplished given the hand she was dealt.

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My favorite quotes:

“I’m forced to face the unsettling reality that the people who are supposed to protect us are sometimes the same people we need protection from.”

“After school, I timidly tell my mom that she’s my best friend. She rolls her eyes and brushes me off. ‘You sound so American.’ I know this is meant as an insult.”

“I’m so in love with the idea of having a boyfriend that I completely overlook the fact that I’m not physically attracted to him.”

“‘Trish, you’re fifteen. You can’t get a boob job.’ ‘I know but I have to start saving now if I want it!’”

“I’m starting to get repulsed by him as he wipes his runny nose on his hand. His skin is translucent, and I can clearly see his entire vascular network through his clothes.”

“Between living at Liana’s house with her mom and working at the dungeon every day, I’m overdosing on estrogen. And since I don’t smoke weed anymore, I barely hang out with my old crew, consisting of mostly pothead boys from the neighborhood who all stay afloat by selling dime bags to each other. I’ve come to discover that girls are so much more colorful. The dull and sterile backdrop that had been my life is now this vibrant luminescent force field that guides me when I am lost, protects me when I’m in danger, and nurtures me when I need love.”

“‘Y’all sisters or something?’ one of the guys asks. ‘Cousins,’ we say in unison.” (Sinners, 2025, am I right?)

“I feel like a defective cow.”