“Books, Briefly” is back to spotlight Emily Ratajkowski’s essay collection, My Body.
Title: My Body
Author: Emily Ratajkowski
“In my early twenties, it had never occurred to me that the women who gained their power from beauty were indebted to the men whose desire granted them that power in the first place. Those men were the ones in control, not the women the world fawned over. Facing the reality of the dynamics at play would have meant admitting how limited my power really was—how limited any woman’s power is when she survives and even succeeds in the world as a thing to be looked at.”
My Body – Emily Ratajkowski
READ IF YOU LIKE: essay collections, feminism, personal narratives, celebrities / fame, mental health and body confidence topics
MOOD: Reflective, personal, emotional
WARNING: Sexual assault
| Likes | Dislikes |
| Provides a unique perspective of a celebrity, yet still relatable in themes | Lacks transitions; sometimes results in choppiness and repetition |
| Thoughtful reflections on beauty, image, confidence, and self | Expresses issue and concerns with the industry, but doesn’t own up to any self-perpetuation |
| Raw feelings, beautiful writing | Personal growth of the author is subtle |
FINAL THOUGHTS: Despite Emily Ratajkowski’s presence in the limelight, her feelings offer a sense of relatability to the average person; she experiences insecurities and the effects of misogyny, too. She tries to reclaim her sense of self through her essays. I wanted a stronger sense of personal growth in the author by the end of the collection, but to force this would be inauthentic.
Archetypes & Anecdotes 
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