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Life as a Unicorn
- A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between
- Narrated by: Amrou Al-Kadhi
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
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Life as a Unicorn
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Summary
A heart-breaking and hilarious memoir about the author’s fight to be true to themself.
Winner of A Somerset Maugham Award.
Shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize 2020.
From a god-fearing Muslim boy enraptured with their mother, to a vocal, queer drag queen estranged from their family, this is a heart-breaking and hilarious memoir about the author’s fight to be true to themself....
Amrou knew they were gay when, aged 10, they first laid eyes on Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. It was love at first sight. Amrou’s parents weren’t so happy....
From that moment on, Amrou began searching in all the wrong places for ways to make their divided self whole again. Unicorn is a hilarious yet devastating story of a search for belonging, following the painful and surprising process of transforming from a god-fearing Muslim boy to a queer drag queen, strutting the stage in seven-inch heels and saying the things nobody else dares to....
Critic reviews
"It should be [shared] far and wide." (Ian McKellen)
"This book is as rare, fabulous and beautiful as the creature it is named for. A masterpiece of psychology, a major study of Islam and a definitive study of drag, it made me cry, it made me rage and it made me hoot. Full of anger, insight and philosophy, along with some cracking great gags, this is a magnificent and essential document of the 21st century. It moved my heart and soul." (Russell T. Davies)
"A heartbreaking, healing book. it will make you better." (Simon Amstell)
What listeners say about Life as a Unicorn
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- liz
- 30-01-21
Brilliant
Uplifting, articulate, well written and truly inspiring to anyone. Was recommended to me by a friend and I have since recommended it to others!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ThatPersonOverThere
- 26-12-20
What a story!
I need a sit down. What a ride. Has to be listened to be believed.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ragne
- 03-06-21
Funny and heartbreaking
Gave me a new way to look at drag. It also shows the reader a glimpse of the complexities of the feelings many religious lgbtqi+ experience as well as Middle Eastern immigrants. And wonderful descriptions and thoughts around OCD.
It even contains life lessons for me, a white cis-het woman.
Amrou is honest, open, and a very reflected writer.
The only small thing, not even negative really, is that their voice is so relaxing it difficult to keep focused when listening for long periods (hours).
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Milie
- 06-03-21
🤯🤯😍😍😍
Pfuuu, where to start. Amrou is going to take you on a wonderful journey. This book should be read in schools. This is also one of many books that any parent should read. In case whether you are Muslim or not is irrelevant. Christianity has deeply rootes homophobic thoughts as well and so does many religions as we live in a patriarchal and white supremacist society. This book is a realm of fresh air. It will open new areas in your mind where so much is possible, so much love and compassion resides in these hidden spaces. Read the book or listen to it. I particularly enjoyed listening to Amrou telling his own story
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mika
- 04-07-20
WOW!
"Unicorn" is both heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time.
This astounding memoir gives a voice seldom heard, of a Queer, Drag Queen Muslim non-binary person. It managed to break my heart one moment and the next, swell with happiness.
I cannot stress enough how important this read is.
TW: homophobia, sexual assault.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anthony
- 28-10-22
Interesting
A good real story of a gay Muslim you may think boring . It's not, it's good.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Isla Mackenzie
- 22-01-21
Beautiful story
An amazing story written by an amazing person. The insights and stories he gave about his childhood were gut wrenching but I am so glad that he told it. It touches on a perspective that I have never heard from much and has changed my perspective on so many things. Couldn’t recommend it more
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Pasha
- 10-01-22
EXCELLENT
This is a deeply moving honest and hilarious work. I couldn’t put it down . Highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 20-11-20
A whole new world!
Being queer by itself is hard enough. Coming from an orthodox religious background suffering racism on top of that is much harder. Glamrou breaks down the foundations of how their insecurities formed n how they overcame it with time rebuilding their relationship with their family and their faith through a total roller coaster of a life...
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- A. C. Brawn
- 04-01-22
let's call it OK
This is a good book, it's heartbreaking and unashamedly brutal in the way that he describes his mental health, his torment by his parents and sexual partners. it's really interesting to hear what it's like growing up as a queer person in a family that doesn't actually accept you.
the only thing that kept pulling me out of the story was the fact that every time he introduced a new character he said 'let's call her/him...' like we didn't know he's had to change their names to avoid getting sued.
any way I'd recommend it to anyone who wants insight into the queer experience
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