TRAVERSE 200 reader, but it also contributes to the unevenness of the narrative: moving from vulnerable confession to almost sitcom-like absurdity in the space of a few pages.
Lipstick, Life & Motorcycles
Jack Monig 2023 ISBN 978-1-959-84058-9
Lipstick, Life, & Motorcycles is a memoir that appears, at first glance, to be a sweeping travel narrative— a four-month, 37,000-kilometre ride through 15 countries after Jack Monig finds herself stalled in her career and sliding into depression. But as the pages unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that the book is far less interested in the landscapes she rides through than the emotional terrain she’ s trying to navigate. The result is a story that, despite its adventure-wrapped exterior, spends most of its time deep inside the author’ s head.
Monig writes with candour about fear, confusion, grief, and the messy process of trying to understand herself. At its best, this vulnerability is compelling. But the book leans so heavily into this introspection that it often eclipses the travel element entirely. For a narrative built around enormous mileage and constant movement, surprisingly little space is given to discovery, cultural encounters, or even the mechanics of the ride. Instead, the journey becomes a backdrop to long stretches of self-analysis, often drifting into
a tone that oscillates between self-loathing and a kind of overearnest self-importance. Readers seeking an adventure story may find themselves wishing the balance tipped more toward the external world and less toward the author’ s inner monologue.
Some stylistic quirks don’ t help this imbalance. The frequent references to Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor feel redundant, almost as though invoking their names is meant to lend legitimacy to the trip. Brand dropping— from gear to motorcycle manufacturers— shows up so often it becomes distracting, and her habit of peppering the text with quotes from other people can dilute the impact of her own perspective, which is usually at its strongest when left to speak plainly.
Then there are the improbable episodes sprinkled throughout, which can pull the reader out of the moment. The most memorable— and baffling— involves an attempt to cross into Russia with a vibrator ' inadvertently ' left in her bag. It’ s a scene that will elicit either laughter or scepticism, depending on the
TRAVERSE 200 reader, but it also contributes to the unevenness of the narrative: moving from vulnerable confession to almost sitcom-like absurdity in the space of a few pages.
Some of the more improbable episodes, most notably her attempt to cross into Russia with a vibrator tucked into her luggage, add colour but also disrupt the tone, shifting abruptly from sincere introspection to near-sitcom moments. These swings, along with the frequent name-dropping and quotes, can make the narrative feel uneven.
Despite this, there’ s an earnestness in Monig’ s search for clarity. Readers drawn to introspective memoirs will find emotional depth here, though those looking for a vivid adventure story may feel the riding is overshadowed by the author’ s inner turmoil.