Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne

12 reviews

home_in_books's review

challenging emotional inspiring tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

Even though I gave 5 stars to this book, I cannot say that reading it has been an enjoyable experience. In fact, this novel made me often feel uncomfortable and sometimes it hit too close to home. In fact, even though I believe that everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime, I must warn you to check the trigger warnings before getting into it. Personally, if I had read it a couple years ago, I would’ve been destroyed by it. 
The book should become a feminist manifesto because, as the author said at the end, that is not dystopia but our sad reality. It centres body and beauty standards in our society, it questions our way of viewing women, sex, love and many other things. It’s not just a beautiful story of two girls finding themselves, but also an invitation to consider how many of the things they say seem exaggerated but are actually part of our culture. 
The author writing also really struck me and her way to represent perfectly how girls feel everyday. 
I’m really looking forward to reading another of her books, but I have to wait to be in the mood for it otherwise I won’t be able to stand the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Body shaming, and Sexism

xavreadsbooks's review

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Eating disorder, and Rape

Minor: Pedophilia

amber_bookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

What a book to start the year with. Powerful, evocative, an excellent read. The only thing that stopped me from rating 5 stars was some of the linguistic choices at times by the author which felt a bit jarring. Would definitely recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexism

olivia_b2509's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I would want more if the slight lgbtq element but that is a personal opinion and only very slight 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexism, Sexual violence, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Fatphobia

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I found this disappointing and thought it added nothing new to the conversation, but I’m aware I’m not the target audience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming

Moderate: Sexual violence, Eating disorder, and Sexual assault

Minor: Racism

leah08855's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Bullying, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

megan_j's review

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Spoilers throughout 
This was sub par.  I can appreciate the message, but it’s very surface level. It does make you take a look at yourself though, and the content and media you consume, and the reality of that content. We can all look at the kardashians and think about how amazing they look but the reality is much different. I would definitely recommend it to younger girls but I feel like I need something a bit more in depth for my age atm. The characters were definitely well rounded and lovable though and I really found myself rooting for them throughout and was disappointed that they didn’t get what they were hoping for in the end. Didn’t do quite enough to push it to 4 for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Classism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Eating disorder

on_my_bookshelf's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Bullying

rosiebethreads's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really think this book would have benefited from a glossary, I’m an adult reader and sometimes was a bit confused by the word swapping. If the aim here is to introduce teens to the patriarchal society we live in I do think we should use those words - empower through language! 

I also found some of the swaps counterproductive - calling p*rn “smut” for example I feel moralises romance that includes sex on page often coequally known by romance readers as, smut. I also am not completely on bored with the cause-and-effect message created of porn = teenagers to abuse one another it’s a bit video games make people violent. 

Moreover, I would have loved to have seen a girl who sat somewhere in between a pretty and an objectionable - what happens when only some things are negotiated? 

However saying all that - you could be so pretty is a page turner, the characters are engaging and I loved the friendship between Joni and belle and the mother daughter relationships. I also really loved its focus on education and how it is not a safe space for all girls.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying

Minor: Domestic abuse

lonely_leafairy's review

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the best books I have ever read. An amazing read, which many claim are dystopian, but it really is what is happening on some women’s day-to-day life. It made me angry, I’ll never cover my blemishes the same way again. I’ll never judge people without thinking twice now. It ruled me up, made me angry, but it caused emotion. That’s what I want from a book. And for anyone who is wondering, there is a hint of WLW romance, though they just kind of brush me off (another reason why this isn’t a five star book)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Bullying

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

This is quite an intense book. Something else I didn’t see listed above was porn, though they call it smut in the movie. It’s moderate to graphic, and might gross some people out, so I wouldn’t say this is for the easily impressionable.