Reviews

Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan

ohhek's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

cleches's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia

heatherinjapan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

msmallwood's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

tharumi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.0

caterpillernina's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Death of parent

moniipeters's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

therealkathryn's review against another edition

3.0

I read this because it was chosen for One Book One Watertown (MA).

There are a lot of very evocative descriptions - I enjoyed reading those about Harlem and how it changed. The descriptions of the food that Malaya ate though seemed clearly intended to evoke disgust. We don't get much of a sense of her other than her need to eat her feelings. Her parents don't seem to know what to do with her or each other or really much of anything. And the constant fat shaming commentary is exhausting. It makes it clear that this self-loathing is generational and appears that is all Malaya's Ma-Mere and mother can talk about.

What's frustrating is all of the anti-fat rhetoric is completely unexamined. There is little to suggest that being fat isn't really terrible and a huge moral failing. If you must read this book, check out Sabrina Strings' Fearing the Black Body or the Maintenance Phase podcast or one of Aubrey Gordon's books.

nawalraza's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

4.75