This book wasn't what I was expecting, but in a good way! First off, the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and I enjoyed that extra visualization in a book about the power behind "pretty". I also learned after receiving this copy that JVN highlighted it on "Getting Curious", which makes a lot of sense to me - the exploration of gender identity and beauty standards within the book tie directly to her interests and recurring themes.
Overall, I found this book to be well-researched and engaging. The book takes us on a tour of male beauty standards and the historical events and ideas that influence them. These include colonialism, ancient Egypt, and even K-Pop. The book also highlights trans men and non-binary individuals, which was very appreciated. I could have used with even more in-depth chapters, especially on the history - the beauty tips were not my ballgame, and so that's possibly my own personal bias. Very happy to have received a copy!
Overall, I found this book to be well-researched and engaging. The book takes us on a tour of male beauty standards and the historical events and ideas that influence them. These include colonialism, ancient Egypt, and even K-Pop. The book also highlights trans men and non-binary individuals, which was very appreciated. I could have used with even more in-depth chapters, especially on the history - the beauty tips were not my ballgame, and so that's possibly my own personal bias. Very happy to have received a copy!