Oh Boy!
What could have been a great read – Karma: My Autobiography by Boy George – was not. If ever there was a book that needed an editor, it’s this one. Ghostwriter Spencer Bright and GOD (George O’ Dowd is Boy’s government name) joined forces again to pen this sequel and while it is full of dishy details, it did not live up to its potential.
Full disclosure: I have not read Take It Like A Man, the 12-year-old version of Boy’s story, but I suspect it is better because it was published by HarperCollins, while this was printed by Blink, a house unknown to me. Curiosity begs the question: Why not return to the renowned? Was HC approached and declined? Not interested in Boy 2.0? Just speculation on my part.
So, getting through this was a bit of a chore. Boy has a lot to say, as always, and his voice is clearly present. However, his writing is disjointed, and the lack of proper transitions is jarring. First, you’re engaged in one story and suddenly you’re in another. A competent red-pen wielder could have helped make this a standout. Instead, it’s just a good way to spend a rainy day.
Not being a part of the 1980s club scene across the pond also has its disadvantages as a reader; many of the names dropped are foreign to me, and I mean that in the sense of having no idea who they are/were. Another hurdle to jump while trying to learn more about the Boy. And while this is enjoyable – funny, smart, entertaining – it just could have been so much better.
Nowadays, Boy is on a continuing journey of self-discovery and self-improvement, which is laudable. Having said that, he is somewhat dismissive of his f*ck-ups, from his very public appearance strung out on heroin to his arrest and time in prison for false imprisonment. He owns it all but thinks we should all move on and just accept him for who he is/was. Forgiveness does not always come that easy.
Maybe I just lived too close to this (I don’t mean that literally) . . . same age as Boy, enjoyed a few songs by Culture Club, know the story of Boy and Jon, saw Boy unravel and him put himself back together, even watched him on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I was looking for something new, not something I knew.
