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Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'
Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family by Rabia Chaudry
22 reviews
olivinebranch's review
If you're looking for a fat-positive book, this isn't it. Unbelievably triggering and ultimately felt like it affirms fatphobia, unhealthy relationships with food/dieting and exercise, & weight loss surgery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
leweylibrary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book makes me hungry. It also makes me wish I would've grown up eating not only more diverse foods but also eating healthier foods and learning how to cook. It's wild how even though our lives, families, and cultures are so different we have things in common like enjoying junk food and not being taught how to cook and finding it hard to work out and eat right when there's so much stress and so much going on.
I appreciate that even though she did end the book thinner, it wasn't an unhealthy or preachy kind of thinner. She finally found what made her happy and feel empowered and in control with the caveat that everyone is different and we all want to improve no matter where we're at. I also just really enjoyed learning so much about Pakistani culture and food.
Also how wild that she knows Shaun T?? Why is that something that stood out so vividly to me 😅😂
I appreciate that even though she did end the book thinner, it wasn't an unhealthy or preachy kind of thinner. She finally found what made her happy and feel empowered and in control with the caveat that everyone is different and we all want to improve no matter where we're at. I also just really enjoyed learning so much about Pakistani culture and food.
Also how wild that she knows Shaun T?? Why is that something that stood out so vividly to me 😅😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Minor: Colonisation, Pregnancy, Medical content, Islamophobia, and Eating disorder
kalifer's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
So I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book and I feel the need to write them down. I'm not one to really review on here, as I use this mostly to just track my reading, but I feel it necessary here.
This author made me hungry. Every time she described food, I had to go get a snack because I literally was so hungry the way she described it. It was so detailed and it's very obvious she has a love for food, which I appreciate as a bit of a foodie myself. Also, learning about her culture and family was great; they all had their own personalities and relationships that were great to delve into. I really did love a lot of this book, so much that I blew through it in just 8 days, which is honestly (for me) pretty quickly. She's a very good narrator as well, as I listened to the audiobook. I appreciated hearing her story through her own voice; I always love it when authors read their own memoirs.
The problem that I had about the book was the ever-present fatphobia throughout the entire book. I really would've been okay with hearing her body journey if it had ended in any other way. The ending where she really comes to terms with her body, learns to accept it and see what it's worth was great, but it would've been better if there was more reflection on that? It was literally the last ten minutes of the book (I believe), so it went by quickly despite most of the book being downright depressing when it comes to her body and weight. I really don't think if you have issues with eating disorders or your weight you should really be reading this book. I really don't see how this is a body positive memoir like people are saying it is. I don't think anyone should use this as a standard as someone who may be fat.
She briefly brings up the body positivity movement, which she assumed that people voicing their concerns about how she treats her body and her saying that she just doesn't like not having control of her body? Like, peak fatphobic rhetoric. And presuming that because a lot of people don't like their bodies means it's normal, just off-put me? Why should it be normal to not like your body? There's no self-reflection in this, which really bothered me. And again, the last few minutes of the book where she says she's okay with her body now, just felt undermined by the very last sentence where she pretty much saysshe's only okay with her body because it's not "that" fat? Like, it just felt like she didn't really come to terms with her body if there's a "too fat" that isn't good to be. What's too much fat to her? Will she hate herself again if she reaches that "too fat" range again? Again, no self-reflection, no moment where she really condemns the way she's been treated about her body, no moment, really, where she really combats those beliefs about weight that she has.
The book really was good in a lot of aspects, that's why I gave it a 3 star, because it wasn't a terrible experience. But as someone who is fat and is not upset with my body, I find it ridiculous that she makes it a point to normalize not liking your body. That's not healthy, especially if you struggle with eating disorders. It was hard to reconcile the good parts of this book with all the bad parts. I do think there's merit in this book and I don't believe no one should read it. Just know, going in, that it has a lot of fatphobia in it and could be very triggering.
This author made me hungry. Every time she described food, I had to go get a snack because I literally was so hungry the way she described it. It was so detailed and it's very obvious she has a love for food, which I appreciate as a bit of a foodie myself. Also, learning about her culture and family was great; they all had their own personalities and relationships that were great to delve into. I really did love a lot of this book, so much that I blew through it in just 8 days, which is honestly (for me) pretty quickly. She's a very good narrator as well, as I listened to the audiobook. I appreciated hearing her story through her own voice; I always love it when authors read their own memoirs.
The problem that I had about the book was the ever-present fatphobia throughout the entire book. I really would've been okay with hearing her body journey if it had ended in any other way. The ending where she really comes to terms with her body, learns to accept it and see what it's worth was great, but it would've been better if there was more reflection on that? It was literally the last ten minutes of the book (I believe), so it went by quickly despite most of the book being downright depressing when it comes to her body and weight. I really don't think if you have issues with eating disorders or your weight you should really be reading this book. I really don't see how this is a body positive memoir like people are saying it is. I don't think anyone should use this as a standard as someone who may be fat.
She briefly brings up the body positivity movement, which she assumed that people voicing their concerns about how she treats her body and her saying that she just doesn't like not having control of her body? Like, peak fatphobic rhetoric. And presuming that because a lot of people don't like their bodies means it's normal, just off-put me? Why should it be normal to not like your body? There's no self-reflection in this, which really bothered me. And again, the last few minutes of the book where she says she's okay with her body now, just felt undermined by the very last sentence where she pretty much says
The book really was good in a lot of aspects, that's why I gave it a 3 star, because it wasn't a terrible experience. But as someone who is fat and is not upset with my body, I find it ridiculous that she makes it a point to normalize not liking your body. That's not healthy, especially if you struggle with eating disorders. It was hard to reconcile the good parts of this book with all the bad parts. I do think there's merit in this book and I don't believe no one should read it. Just know, going in, that it has a lot of fatphobia in it and could be very triggering.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
casandra_lovealwaysbooks's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse
miss__manga__'s review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed the audio book of this. Rabia has such a lovely voice!
It’s important to note that this memoir could be incredibly triggering to those who may be struggling with food or weight. There are many instances of fat phobia and self depreciating talk.
Overall, I really liked the writing style and I felt the descriptions of food and craving were wonderful. I loved the descriptions of her family, and how I learnt a lot about Pakistan through this book.
It’s important to note that this memoir could be incredibly triggering to those who may be struggling with food or weight. There are many instances of fat phobia and self depreciating talk.
Overall, I really liked the writing style and I felt the descriptions of food and craving were wonderful. I loved the descriptions of her family, and how I learnt a lot about Pakistan through this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Classism, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Animal death
Minor: Bullying, Colonisation, Deportation, Cancer, Car accident, Death, and Domestic abuse
alittlebitheather's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I appreciate when an actual fat person talks about what it's like living as a fat person. This book spoke to me as someone who is fat and struggled with their weight their entire life. Rabia Chaudry speaks on a wide range of experiences, from shame eating to realizing she was the biggest person in the room, to that feeling of the waistline of your pants gradually getting tighter, but not being able to stop eating. She also discusses her relationship with food as an immigrant from Pakistan, and how her family's chasing of the American Dream correlated to her weight gain and relationship with food. Fatty Fatty Boom Boom is honest, real, and relatable. If you know a fat person, are a fat person, or love a fat person, read it immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Domestic abuse
dorklene's review against another edition
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Body shaming
kassiereadsbooks's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Animal death, Eating disorder, and Addiction
Minor: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse
I didn’t know anything about Rabia Chaudry going into this book (I didn’t listen to Serial and I hadn’t heard of Adnan’s case). I left this book thinking she’s not only extremely funny but also brilliant at what she does, however I feel like I have to leave this review because it’s what I needed before I picked this book up. Chaudry dedicates this book to “all those who have spent their lives being judged — and judging themselves — for their weight, who have struggled between deprivation and depravity, and who deserve like anyone else to live an abundant life full of great food.” I feel my issues with this book are summed up with the direct contrast between that dedication and the final sentence in the book: “But I am and will likely remain, by the standards of many, fat. But that’s okay, because I’m not that fat.” The pros: I loved Chaudry’s narrative voice and her stories of Pakistan. I listened to this on audio and I really loved my reading experience. The cons: I felt this book did not “show us how freeing it is to finally make peace with the body we have” as the inside cover states, but reiterates the stance that the author is finally okay with her “not that fat” body and she has achieved being not that fat through lots and lots of diet and exercise (6 days a week, one “cheat meal”), lots of money spent on personal trainers, as well as two surgeries. Again, I left this book really loving the narration and wanting to know so much more about Chaudry’s work, however the marketing surrounding the book and the some of its stances invited criticism given the nature of the subject matter. TW: uses specific weight numbers, ascribes food with morality, descriptions of binge eating, EDs, and the o-wordwatson_my_shelf's review
medium-paced
2.0
Thank you to Algonquin for a review copy of this book.
I do not recommend this book, as it is full of fatphobia, body shaming, dieting, restriction, over-exercising and self loating. And not in a good, redemptive way that the author feels good about themselves at the end. CW for weight loss surgery on top of all of that.
I do not recommend this book, as it is full of fatphobia, body shaming, dieting, restriction, over-exercising and self loating. And not in a good, redemptive way that the author feels good about themselves at the end. CW for weight loss surgery on top of all of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
Weight loss surgery, dietinggrise's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Pregnancy