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eucalyptusgirl's review
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I really wanted to love this book. Everyone suggested it saying it was such a fun read. In some ways it absolutely was. Kate Stayman-London does an incredible job utilizing social media, news, and text to enhance the story. However, as a life-long fat girl, I struggled with a lot of the themes in this book. On almost every page the reader is reminded that Bea is fat. We don't get a concrete view of how she physically experiences fatness until halfway through the book. On top of that, there seems to be constant lessons in fat-phobia as our heroine is constantly put in compromising positions. While I understand the need to get those who have unaddressed internalized fat-phobia to see those situations. They took me out of the fantasy of the story and instead brought me back to my own struggles. The fantasy the book was selling didn't feel like it was actually for me as a life-long fat girl. However, with that said, I acknowledge that some of these opinions may be more reflective of my internalized fat-phobia than the actual book. I recommend the book to people who are just starting their journey with the body-positive movement and wanting those lessons.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Ableism
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