Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness

Over the Top

by Jonathan Van Ness

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Over The Top [is] a lightning bolt - devastating and stirring ... generous and frank.'
The Observer

Who gave Jonathan Van Ness permission to be the radiant human he is today? No one, honey.

The truth is, it hasn't always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy.

Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix's hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn't understand why he was so...over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma - yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit.

Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there's much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you're a Kelly Clarkson song, you're strong, and you've got this.

Reviewed by thepunktheory on

4 of 5 stars

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Full review on my blog!

Jonathan Van Ness has a radiant personality that shines through every time you see him on Queer Eye or anywhere else. This energy is also evident in his book.
However, as much as I like his bubbly way it does not always work in the biography. Van Ness is not necessarily a writer and that shows. However, you do feel that this is 100% his. As this is a biography I don't mind it that much. It's good that the book actually feels like him even if that means the writing itself isn't always top notch.
Van Ness certainly has had a rough past but he soldiered through it. He talks about everything that he's been through, good and bad without trying to paint a picture that shows him in a better light.
He is honest about his past and I have the impression that writing this book was a form of therapy for him.

While some moments of the biography are intense and will make you a bit emotional, the book is by no ways a downer. Van Ness never gets tired of reminding the reader of the good things in life, that everything is a struggle but we all come out stronger and that it's never too late to start trying.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 24 November, 2019: Finished reading
  • 24 November, 2019: Reviewed