Even though I hadn't heard of the author before, I was extremely interested in reading This Monk Wears Heels. I love reading about all kinds of people, so of course I was interested in what a queer monk had to say about self-love and acceptance! Unfortunately, there's nothing new here. All of the advice felt generic and just echos everything we've all heard before: love your differences, don't judge others, blend your eye shadow (unless your goth)! It's sound advice, but it wasn't presented in a way that felt fresh. It was just kind of there, leaving me uninspired and underwhelmed.
Kodo Nishimura has an interesting life story, and I did enjoy reading about their experiences from a scared young boy into someone coming into their own through makeup and Buddhism. Despite how short This Monk Wears Heels is, it's also extremely repetitive. The same stories are told again and again, but with slight variations to fit the current "lesson." I don't doubt that the author has more tales to draw from, so it was disappointing to read the same few scenarios multiple times.
The writing style was also lacking any personality. It as all just bland and kind of boring at times. I really liked the sections where they discussed their monk training and the lessons from Buddhism that are surprisingly relevant to a self-acceptance journey. But these parts are mixed in with other random bits of wisdom in a way that doesn't flow at all. It jumps from one topic to the next, then back again, then to something else entirely, then there's make-up tips, and back to the previous story. I was left more confused than anything else.