Skip to main content

For those of you living under a pop culture rock, Netflix’s show “Queer Eye” is known for taking individuals who could use a little bit of a glow up in their lives and transforming them with the power of five fabulous gay men. Jonathan handles grooming, Tan takes on fashion, Karamo is a sort of life coach, Antoni consults on dietary habits and cooking and Bobby transforms their living space.

We at BookTrib love “Queer Eye” 365 days of the year, but since it’s Pride Month, we’re going to have some fun and write about the show in relation to our other love, books. Below you’ll find our ranking of the top five literary characters who deserve a fab five makeover with our reasons for why. Did your favorite curmudgeons, antiheroes and oddballs make the list?

 width=

1.) Eleanor Oliphant

Eleanor Oliphant is a loveable oddball. In Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, as the protagonist she avoids social interaction whenever possible, and when she does speak with others she has zero filter. The only person she talks to regularly is her mother, which inhibits her from meeting others. Outwardly, she’s self-conscious of her flaws, some missing teeth and burns on her face.

Karamo could help coach Eleanor in more frequent and comfortable conversations with others, while Jonathan could help her to apply makeup and point her to resources to fix her teeth to boost her physical confidence.

Most importantly, both could remind her that she has depths of inner beauty that should permeate self-assuredness speaking with anyone she meets. Eleanor is hilarious and kind, which is always a winning combination making friends.

 

 


 width=

2.) Arthur “Boo” Radley

Harper Lee’s iconic Arthur “Boo” Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird is your classic shut-in. He wants to interact with others, especially the Finch children, but he’s spent his whole life in his house after some vicious childhood rumors. Boo is brave under pressure (saving Scout) but he could use Karamo to help coax him out of his shell for everyday social interactions instead of communicating mysteriously by leaving presents in trees. Maybe enchanting as a child, but more than a little creepy as an adult.

He could also definitely use some grooming advice from Jonathan based on Boo’s description as a sickly white, with a thin mouth, thin and feathery hair and grey eyes, almost as if he were blind. While no one dwells on Boo’s clothing, I’m sure that his recluse lifestyle has put a cramp on keeping up with a happening wardrobe. A sickly complexion is likely due to lack of sun, but also could be due to a poor diet, which could be improved with Antoni’s help.


 

 width=

3.) Count Olaf

Count Olaf is in desperate need of an internal and external makeover. The classic villain from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events first needs a major attitude adjustment. Stop trying to kill the children for their fortune! It isn’t cute and it’s not going to make you happy in the long run. Hopefully Karamo’s wise words can instill this message in him.

Bobby would be more than welcome, if only to give the Baudelaire children a break from cleaning the dilapidated mansion. Jonathan could transform Count Olaf, making sure he kills the unibrow first. It’s hard to pin a particular outfit to the count when he disguises himself so frequently in order to kill off the orphans, but maybe Tan can convince him to obtain a normal and trendy wardrobe after Karamo talks to him.

 

 

 


 width=

4.) Heathcliff

Wuthering Heights’ Heathcliff, the classic literary bad boy, is handsome and hopelessly in love with Catharine, but could use quite a bit of inner growth. He carries a seed of resentment inside of him because Catharine chooses to marry someone more affluent and Catharine’s brother tries to make Heathcliff perform heavy labor on Thrushcross Grange.

In getting even with the people who hurt him in the past, Heathcliff becomes toxic and hurts his heir and himself in the process. Coaching him to move on from people who don’t accept him for who he is, Karamo could help him let go of his anger and channel his determination into more productive forms.

Also, Catharine and Heathcliff may dramatically claim to share a single soul but money and years of festering anger would not factor into any healthy and loving relationship between true soulmates.

 

 


 width=

5.) Camille Preaker

Camille Preaker from Sharp Objects is a crime reporter who suffers from alcoholism and is recovering from self-harm. She also must contend with an overly critical mother who constantly undermines her. Karamo once again would be essential in distancing a daughter from her suffocating mother and establishing a healthy sense of self-worth. This newfound personal value would avert Camille from familiar harmful practices.

Living in the family home, Camille’s mother has a room where the floors are made of ivory–some design assistance from Bobby would be highly appreciated. While Camille is not obese, she is a little pudgy and could use some new fresh meal tips from Antoni. Tan could help her sensitively address her clothing, choosing items that are stylish but also hide her old self-inflicted scars. Together the guys could work together to cultivate and project a lifestyle full of the love she feels deprived.

Rebecca Proulx

Rebecca grew up in Connecticut and returns to her home state to pursue her favorite subject of all time, books. She completed her undergraduate education at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island with dual degrees in English Literature and Global Communications. She is the Assistant Editor at BookTrib and looks forward to connecting people with great authors.

Leave a Reply