Once again, I need to gush over have beautiful the cover is. Dylan is GORGEOUS.
Knowing Dylan from TikTok is one thing, but this memoir is so much more. This was like reading Dylan's diary, sometimes literally because she did put in diary entries. I loved this. It was so intimate to hear how her transition was, how her rise to fame went and how she handled (and didn't). I loved jumping back and forth with the narrative. This was truly beautiful. Thank you for letting us in.

Paper Doll was a very unique and interesting read that gave context to a lot the "controversy" surrounding Dylan Mullaney and her transition. While reading Paper Doll I actually realized that I knew very little about who Dylan was beyond her TikTok account.

The things Iiked about Paper Doll:
The formatting of the diary like entries really humanize Dylan and her point of view on the events of her first year as a woman.
The essay format portions really helped flesh out who Dylan is as a person, and why she is so interesting.
I like that Dylan acknowledges that her journey as a transwoman and as a woman is her own, and that she can't and doesn't want to speak for everyone whose story may be similar to hers.

What I didn't like:
The journal entries and the essay sections are strong separately, but I didn’t like the combination of the two. The switch between formatting, grammar, etc. between the two styles of writing was just distracting enough for me and my ADHD that I struggled to read the book. Sometimes the transition between the two portions was confusing, and I kept having to reread parts because I felt like I was missing things.

The online journal quality of ALL CAPS was kind of jarring, and I would have to back track because I was so focused on the caps and would have to reread those pages again to be able to focus on the words surrounding them. This was kind of frustrating for me personally. (I know that's a personal thing, though, and not everyone who will read this has the same processing issues as me.)

I know Paper Doll is going for an authentic and candid retelling of Dylan's experience, but there were a few situations where I felt like I was given too much information about a situation. Again, this is a personal preference thing, though. While I don't consider myself a prude, some of the little asides included were too detailed for me. The only thing I can think to compare the experience to is when you order a Sprite, and then when you take the first sip of your drink and its Coke, and your brain goes "did I order this?!"

Overall, I really did enjoy reading Paper Doll. I think Dylan Mulvaney and her team did a great job of really putting her voice in the book from start to finish. The book feels like you could be scrolling through Dylan's TikTok's, and listening to her explain these situations herself, and I think that's really what sets it aside from other memoirs that end up feeling a little too clinical.

My favorite quote (that foreshadowed the ups and downs of her year):

"These days, sometimes I don’t know if feeling like you are “the moment” is worth it. It’s a dangerous thing to believe, that you have IT, that you’ve obtained IT, because then at any moment IT can be gone. IT is disposable."

I want to thank Netgalley, Abrams, and Dylan Mulvaney for providing me with a copy of Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much, and truly, made me go back to some of the horrible things I have seen on the internet about Dylan, and by reading her own words I can see that we will never really know what other are going through.

I loved the first person narration. Dylan made me feel a part of her journey through the pages. I liked all the background explained on her childhood and teen years, but also of course her journey through the 365 Days of Girlhood.

I though this was a fun, interesting, honest and informative memoir. I appreciate the author's vulnerability and honesty.

I really enjoyed this memoir - I love the first person narration, it really felt like Dylan is talking directly to me while reading. That personal style of writing works really well for me in a memoir, especially one with such personal stories as this one.

Dylan is so raw in this book, you can feel her emotions as she's writing the journal entries, and how the mass public opinion is affecting her daily life. I thought the stories about her mother were truly heart breaking, and it was very brave to share those parts of her story. Having someone so important not being as supportive as you like or need is such a real and relatable struggle, so including those stories adds some value here as well.

I wish the arc had all of the illustrations, but I guess I'll just have to buy a copy once it's published to get to see them all for myself!

Paper Doll is a charming expansion on her "Days of Girlhood" tiktok series. Mulvaney's enthusiastic personality makes this book very fun to read, even in its more serious moments. Overall, I really enjoyed learning more about Dylan and I love how well the cover works with the book's essays, illustrations, and diary entries.

Sometimes I struggle with memoirs who are written by young people, especially those who are considered "influencers", but I didn't have trouble with this one. I've been following Dylan since the early days of her "Days of Girlhood" Tiktok series, and find her to be such a funny and delightful personality. Although Dylan is young and has a lot more to experience (I'm sure she'll have so much success), she still has plenty of wisdom to share in this book, especially when it pertains to figuring out your gender identity, exploring sexuality, navigating family dynamics when coming out, and being a public figure who is exposed to scrutiny. I like that the book is told in a sort of diary style, which makes it feel like you're one of Dylan's close, personal friends and she's telling you these stories at a sleepover. It makes for a casual, quick read that will still leave an impression.

I realy like Dylan, I don't know how anyone can not like her. Such a good story teller, you can't help but route for her. Loved this book!

Having watched some of Dylan's TikToks early on and being familiar with the unfair backlash she faced after her brand sponsorship took a turn, I was interested in learning more about her story. The structure of the book works well, alternating between the year of her public transition and providing larger context by sharing her experiences in the time before and since. Of course I would recommend this to her fans, but I also think many people who are unfamiliar with her story would find it interesting and informative.

One of the most beautiful and authentic memoirs I’ve read yet.

Mulvaney’s personality is reflected through her writing style which makes Paper Doll such a fun read! Not only is she naturally funny and enthusiastic, she also shows a very raw and emotional side to herself that will have anyone—no matter who they are or how they identify—empathizing and, at their best, trying to understand her struggles, desires, and fears.

Even though the book is a collection of notes, essays, journal entries, and fun illustrations(!), Mulvaney’s organization forms her journey through womanhood in an understandable narrative like a story. Not only did this make reading Paper Doll an even more enjoyable experience (as someone who reads fiction more often than nonfiction), it also helped me follow along and keep track of all the events and people in Mulvaney’s life.

There’s so many things to learn when it comes to educating yourself about trans experiences, and Mulvaney puts you in her heels to guide you along through that. Whether it be “Trans 101” or how heartbreakingly painful experiencing gender dysphoria can be, Paper Doll has that all and then some. There’s parts within that I find myself relating to so very deeply, and had me exploring my own self and identity as well (in a good, much needed way), and I think that’s a testament to how much Mulvaney put her realest self and heart into this while establishing that medium of experience and education to reach out to her audience.

Paper Doll is a must-read for everyone, but especially for those who love Mulvaney or wish to learn what being transgender is like—more specially, being a trans woman in a growing world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

"𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜 𝕗𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕦𝕡, 𝕓𝕚𝕘 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕞𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕒 𝕕𝕖𝕧𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖"

“𝔸𝕤 𝕤𝕒𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕠𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕘𝕠, 𝕀 𝕒𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕛𝕠𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤"

Two of my fav quotes from this book sum up Dylan’s journey perfectly. Her desire to be a voice for trans people while also knowing some people hate her so much for being her true self. Luckily for everyone, she didn’t let those people win.

You know that person that when they meet you they start talking to you like you’re their best friend in the whole entire world? That’s this audiobook.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this memoir. All the ways I could describe how friendly, deep, thoughtful, insightful, compelling, funny, witty, and fun this memoir is gets lost in how badly I want to describe the genius that was dylan’s narration.

I absolutely loved the layout of this ebook. The journal format, the doodles, the “cue this song for this specific emotion”, the intro, her ending words and everything in between. This book is Dylan Mulvaney through and through from how it’s read to how it’s written. You can’t get more honest than this.

This memoir took me through all my feelings, and I absolutely loved it. Dylan narrating this memoir herself basically turns an audiobook into a one-woman play. SHE.IS.AMAZING. She tells the story the way she intended it to be read, and no one could’ve done it better.

You’ll be happy you listened and lucky you got to take this journey through girlhood with a woman who is still figuring it out like the rest of us

Dylan explores adulthood, sex, queerness, transitioning, motherhood, friendship, finding purpose, social media, social media cleansing, speaking her truth, identity, sexuality, bullying, abuse, childhood trauma, transphobia, girlhood and womanhood. So be prepared to cry, laugh, grieve, and have a rip roaring time with this gal.

She goes into depth about personal topics that most people would overthink too much. But Dylan puts it alllll out there and makes us realize that us females have dealt with what she’s going through: first kisses, losing our virginity, penis tucking lol, and getting naked with your best friend from childhood and chilling in the bath tub.

She realizes her worth doesn’t come from the number of followers you have or the number of external factors giving you free stuff or inviting you to celebrity events. It comes from within, and sometimes a night in, journaling, and eating junk food is better for you than accepting an invite to fashion week.

Do you want a blatantly honest and real account of girlhood from a unique perspective? That’s what you get with Dylan Mulvaney.

PAPER DOLL by Dylan Mulvaney is the trans memoir that has been missing from my life. Dylan has such life, light, and heart and every word she writes springs from the page with such honesty and humor - even the really, really difficult bits. I love Dylan and she is such a treasure. It was such a pleasure and a joy to get to experience her words so early and I can't wait for the world to learn more about this queen!

Paper Doll: Notes From A Late Bloomer by Dylan Mulvaney is just fantastic! I could not put it down.

I have been following Dylan’s journey since discovering her “Days of Girlhood” series here on Instagram. Dylan is a trans woman who very publicly shared her transition in her mid-20s. Shortly after celebrating her first “official” year of girlhood, she became the target of an insane amount of hate for participating in a Bud Light ad campaign. Getting to hear the details of her story in her own words in this book was just perfection and made me love her that much more.

I loved that she started the book with “How to Read Paper Doll Without Wanting to Pull Your Hair Out,” and gave a guide to the timelines in the book. The book alternates between journal entries from her first 365 days of transitioning (2022-2023) and essays, primarily from the months and years following that period.

Hearing that she told her mom who she is as a 4-year-old (and obviously wasn’t affirmed at that point…) and following the journey of their relationship was really impactful. And it’s just written so authentically in her voice, it felt like she was sitting next to me just telling me her story as a friend. (Gosh I wish we were friends!!)

So to all my fellow memoir fans - this one is a must-read!

I adore this book. I've watched Dylan's journey on social media for quite a while, and it was nice to see/read the story in a different way. The written words of Dylan are just beautiful and heartbreaking and raw and real. Just a beautiful book.

I first came across Dylan Mulvaney during the early days of Days of Girlhood when her TikTok series popped up on my FYP. I was immediately endeared by her warmth and energy, and I’ve followed her journey ever since.

In Paper Doll, Mulvaney brings that same authenticity and charm to the page. The memoir is both heartfelt and comedic, capturing her experiences with identity, confidence, and acceptance—struggles that feel universally relatable. However, I found it to be a bit less revealing than I expected. The most personal and emotionally complex aspect was her depiction of her strained relationship with her mother, which added depth to her story.

I also enjoyed the format, with its journal-like entries and the illustrations sprinkled throughout, making it feel uniquely hers. While I would have loved a deeper dive into certain aspects of her life, Paper Doll still offers an engaging and intimate look into Mulvaney’s world.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

i have loosely followed dylan since day 1 of her “days of girlhood” series, so hearing all of these stories felt a bit nostalgic to me!

this reads exactly as it is — an amalgamation of journal entries and some essays to fill in the blanks and go a bit deeper. dylan talks about so much—growing up with broadway dreams, navigating the ups and downs of her relationship with her conservative mom, meeting the president, and figuring out the difference between performative and authentic femininity (which is different for everyone!). she also covers beergate and navigating being unexpectedly thrust into the position of activist.

this was a quick read and i loved the little illustrations and graphics added throughout! (if you’re an audiobook reader you'll miss those, but dylan reads it herself and does a fantastic job emphasizing the emotion behind her writing, especially the humor!) overall, it felt much the same as the content we already get from her, just expanded and more personal!

her perspective and the way she has handled everything, especially the attention and hate from the conservative media, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

this book is about so much more than the politicalization of her identity. but some days it feels like evil is not a strong enough word for people who make it their mission to try to rob others of their safety and joy and right to exist. the way dylan has handled all of this with such grace + kindness — she’s better than me, that’s for sure! even in her own book, in which she could really go to town and tear some people to shreds (and they would deserve it) she’s the picture of class.

if you’re like me and believe reading someone’s journal is wrong, but would absolutely love to if granted permission, you’ll enjoy this! it humanizes dylan in a way that is refreshing and is just a good, quick read!

I found Dylan Mulvaney about midway through her Days of Girlhood series and quickly became pretty invested in her journey. Her infectious sparkly energy and vulnerability absolutely charmed me and both came through very clearly in Paper Doll. I love a conversational writing style in a memoir and I legitimately felt like I was sitting with Dylan at brunch, sipping fun cocktails as she told me her stories and experiences. One of many things I loved about this book is the acknowledgement of the privilege that comes with her platform. Not to say that she hasn’t had tough experiences (she’s a trans girl in America, friends), but she talks about being afforded opportunities such as access to gender affirming care and products because of her celebrity and the conflicted feelings that come with that. Another thing I enjoyed was that she’s very adamant that this is HER trans journey, not THE trans journey. It is VERY informative and detailed (if you’ve seen Dylan’s videos, you know there’s no topic she shies away from), but I found it really interesting to learn about things I’ve never had to think or worry about. The humor was fantastic and I laughed several times. I also teared up at certain spots as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and i think it’s 100% worth a read.
CW: transphobia, homophobia, bullying, suicidal ideation

Thank you NetGalley and Abrams Books for the advanced digital reader’s copy!

I do love a good and messy memoir! I didn't know too much about Dylan before reading this, I was familiar with her days of girlhood and of course the horrible beer situation. Honestly, I "learned" most of what I had known about Dylan from transphobic family members than I had from my carefully curated feed of Drag Race memes and various other LGBTQIA+ influencers. When I saw that she was writing a memoir, I wanted to read it. I love reading about the messes and how people get through that mess.

She writes very conversationally with digerging storylines and sidequests. It's like talking to the kind of person who loves to tell you the whole story, even if it includes a detour around a few other stories before coming back. The writing feels so much like the girl I have seen on TikTiok, but with a little more realism. The girl can make dirty jokes! The great illustrations add a nice touch to the different stories.

It's a quick read that you will just move through in a night and feel all the emotions.

My feelings about Dylan Mulvaney have fluctuated throughout her time in the public eye - is she "doing enough" with her platform? is she being authentic? should she be doing more to uplift trans women of color?

After listening to her memoir, I've decided I'm a Dylan girl. I had never realized how new her trans-ness was when she started sharing every bit of her life with a difficult world. Along her journey, she's celebrated women of all kinds while earnestly trying to do what is right at every turn. This memoir reminded me of how misleading parasocial relationships can be and deepened my respect for Dylan in a huge way.

Dylan hides a lot of her vulnerability behind humor, it's a humor that if we read/listen to it carefully it can reveal so much more than what you expect. Her struggles after Beergate are heartbreaking to read, yet she perseveres with grace and intelligence. Her acknowledgment of her search for fame and her privilege that gives her a step up from many others is refreshing, as is her take on the responsibility this brings with it. Highly recommend.

A vulnerable and funny look at the inner thoughts and feelings of a blossoming girl. I loved reading this book, which was both funny and touching. I’m not much of a TikTok person, but I became aware of Dylan, her bubbly personality and reluctant activism during “beergate.” This book definitely is true to her voice- a musical theater kid who is both drawn to and repulsed by the spotlight. Although I will never understand the emotional impact of transitioning, let alone so publicly, Dylan sure does try to help me.

She jumps around a bit, from her childhood of dreaming about Broadway, to her early transitioning days, to the fallout of beergate and beyond. I was surprised and heartened to hear about her naïveté and conflict aversion. Dylan seems to see herself as having thin skin, but she is extremely strong. She’d have to be! After reading this fun memoir, I can truly see how she didn’t have an ambition to be as internet-famous as she is, and how she has become an icon. There are complex emotions involved in constantly having to be aware of how others “consume” your appearance. I also appreciated how she acknowledges her privilege in being able to control her transition and what choices she has made.

One change I am going to make after reading this book is that I will actively shame trolls and back up people dealing with hateful comments. I have a tendency to stay away from comments sections, knowing that’s where the trolls feast. But Dylan helped me see how useful it is and how just the small action of being supportive can strengthen us.

Like, if you speak negatively about, say, the weather reporter, and you make negative comments about her appearance, she won’t hear you, but your family will. And even subconsciously they will internalize the believe that if you are visible you are less worthy if you don’t look like you are “supposed to.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams books for the ARC. Book to be published March 11, 2025.