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suedavy's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book for young adults. I heard quite a bit about this book but it wasn’t one for me.
laurenjamesauthor's review against another edition
5.0
This was absolutely fantastic. Stand-out UKYA. Funny and smart and feelgood and with the BEST descriptions of food I've ever read. Not to be read hungry. I now wish it was summer & I can wear all my patterned floaty dresses again.
tashachowdory's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this. I bought this on the recommendation of a blogger I follow on Instagram and Twitter and it was a great suggestion. Essentially it is the story about a fat teenager who lives in London with her dysfunctional family and has just done her GCSEs and is trying to figure out what she wants to do when something terrible happens. As she mentions (several times) she is fat and she's ok with it and wears clothes that she wants to wear as opposed to clothes that society tells her to wear.
I thought the message of the book was what made it great. It didn't excuse the fact that yes, for health purposes she could lose some weight (so could we all though) but the message was that the choice to exercise, the choice to live in a way that makes us stronger is literally that - a choice that we make for our wellbeing, to feel better about ourselves. Not what magazines tell us or social media etc.
If you teenage daughters I 100% recommend this.
I thought the message of the book was what made it great. It didn't excuse the fact that yes, for health purposes she could lose some weight (so could we all though) but the message was that the choice to exercise, the choice to live in a way that makes us stronger is literally that - a choice that we make for our wellbeing, to feel better about ourselves. Not what magazines tell us or social media etc.
If you teenage daughters I 100% recommend this.
whatthelog's review against another edition
This is definitely a book of two halves – the first half focuses on the food diary and Bluebell’s family relationships, and the second half, after the incident, gets a bit darker. I definitely enjoyed the first half more, because it was so lighthearted and funny. And the descriptions of the food she was eating had me hungry for this entire half of the book. It had a lot of introspection about food and how it brings people together, and sometimes forces people apart.
I also really enjoyed the fact that Bluebell knows that she does not want to go to university after finishing her A Levels. Instead, she wants an apprenticeship at her local coffee shop, Planet Coffee. I think there’s a really good message here that if you know what you want, you don’t have to follow the path that everyone else is taking.
"I am proud to be a girl. Because that’s a fact. But prouder that I love myself. Because that’s a choice."
There were a couple of episodes in the book that I didn’t think were all that necessary – for example, there’s a really humiliating section where Bluebell has terrible diorrhea and has to poo outside, all because she ate some bad food. I don’t know, I just think this says something about fat people – perhaps that we can’t control ourselves? It was supposed to be a funny scene but it just didn’t sit right with me.
Overall, this was a funny and body-positive book, but it just didn’t hook me like other comparable novels, such as Dumplin’.
Trigger warnings: mentions of bulimia and an attempt at purging, fat phobia (challenged), food anxiety.
I also really enjoyed the fact that Bluebell knows that she does not want to go to university after finishing her A Levels. Instead, she wants an apprenticeship at her local coffee shop, Planet Coffee. I think there’s a really good message here that if you know what you want, you don’t have to follow the path that everyone else is taking.
"I am proud to be a girl. Because that’s a fact. But prouder that I love myself. Because that’s a choice."
There were a couple of episodes in the book that I didn’t think were all that necessary – for example, there’s a really humiliating section where Bluebell has terrible diorrhea and has to poo outside, all because she ate some bad food. I don’t know, I just think this says something about fat people – perhaps that we can’t control ourselves? It was supposed to be a funny scene but it just didn’t sit right with me.
Overall, this was a funny and body-positive book, but it just didn’t hook me like other comparable novels, such as Dumplin’.
Trigger warnings: mentions of bulimia and an attempt at purging, fat phobia (challenged), food anxiety.
veebutts's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book from beginning to end. I wish I'd had it to read as a teenager because Bluebelle would have been my absolute hero.
Big Bones is written in the form of a diary, written by Bluebelle (who also goes by BB) after her nurse tells her she needs to lose weight. But this isn't a depressing diet and punishment book. This is a true celebration of food, body positivity, confidence and family. Bluebelle navigates her summer trying to work out what to do with the rest of her life whilst she juggles her friends, her adorable sister Dove, the on and off marriage of her parents, her part-time job and a mammoth crush on her co-worker.
It was so refreshing to read a book where the main character is an overweight teenage girl totally at ease within her own skin. I loved Bluebelle's sassy attitude towards the adults in her life who think they know what she wants better than she does.
Possibly my favourite part of this book were the mouth watering descriptions of food. I can tell that Laura Dockrill is someone who really appreciates good food. Every single thing Bluebelle ate in this book made me hungry. Do not try and read this book without snacks at hand.
This book was fun to read from beginning to end, I cared deeply about every character and I loved feeling like part of Bluebelle's family for a short while. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been a teenager concerned about their body (so probably most people!). Bluebelle's confidence is infectious and inspiring.
Big Bones is written in the form of a diary, written by Bluebelle (who also goes by BB) after her nurse tells her she needs to lose weight. But this isn't a depressing diet and punishment book. This is a true celebration of food, body positivity, confidence and family. Bluebelle navigates her summer trying to work out what to do with the rest of her life whilst she juggles her friends, her adorable sister Dove, the on and off marriage of her parents, her part-time job and a mammoth crush on her co-worker.
It was so refreshing to read a book where the main character is an overweight teenage girl totally at ease within her own skin. I loved Bluebelle's sassy attitude towards the adults in her life who think they know what she wants better than she does.
Possibly my favourite part of this book were the mouth watering descriptions of food. I can tell that Laura Dockrill is someone who really appreciates good food. Every single thing Bluebelle ate in this book made me hungry. Do not try and read this book without snacks at hand.
This book was fun to read from beginning to end, I cared deeply about every character and I loved feeling like part of Bluebelle's family for a short while. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been a teenager concerned about their body (so probably most people!). Bluebelle's confidence is infectious and inspiring.
amy_k's review against another edition
3.0
I went into this expecting a cross between Bridget Jones' Diary, by Helen Feilding and Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. What I got was totally different!
Bluebelle Green (BB) is tasked with keeping a food diary, but she records everything. At times, I found the 'stream of consciousness' style of writing quite overwhelming. Also, after the first few page-long descriptions of food and meals I had to start skipping these because the detailing made me feel a bit sick. Leaving those issues aside, BB is a great character; funny, confident, strong-willed and easy to root for. I loved the other characters, too especially Max, Cam and Dove. I could take or leave the Mum and Dad and found their bickering annoying. Alicia, BB's boss, is obviously meant to be a cow.
This is very much a coming of age novel, where the main character's struggles are internal - how does BB steer a course as a happy fat person, in a world designed for thinner people? Eventually, she finds a way to do this, and more. A positive, uplifting read.
Thanks for the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Bluebelle Green (BB) is tasked with keeping a food diary, but she records everything. At times, I found the 'stream of consciousness' style of writing quite overwhelming. Also, after the first few page-long descriptions of food and meals I had to start skipping these because the detailing made me feel a bit sick. Leaving those issues aside, BB is a great character; funny, confident, strong-willed and easy to root for. I loved the other characters, too especially Max, Cam and Dove. I could take or leave the Mum and Dad and found their bickering annoying. Alicia, BB's boss, is obviously meant to be a cow.
This is very much a coming of age novel, where the main character's struggles are internal - how does BB steer a course as a happy fat person, in a world designed for thinner people? Eventually, she finds a way to do this, and more. A positive, uplifting read.
Thanks for the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
readmemarie's review against another edition
3.0
Big Bones follows the story of Bluebelle as she is told to lose weight by her doctor and is instructed to keep a food diary and join the gym, in exchange for allowing Bluebelle to keep her job at the cafe she works at and not pursue further education. Big Bones is therefore told as a "food diary" and follows her journey on her weight loss, as well as her usual, everyday life.
Unfortunately, I had really mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved Bluebelle's fiery personality and how this book very much has a "body positivity" message, with the importance being on Bluebelle's character, as opposed to her image. I also loved how distinctive each of the characters were - I really liked Bluebelle's sister, Dove, especially her interest in free-running, and her relationship with Bluebelle. I thought the dynamics between the characters were great, as were the feminist rants that were frequently mentioned throughout.
However, what didn't work for me was the way that the book was formatted. It was written as a "food diary" format, which became a bit repetitive for me. I get that it was important to describe the food, but I felt it became a little bit boring as the novel went on of a whole page description of a single food for example and it didn't add anything to the novel. Again, I know this was added because of the format, but as a reader, I feel the number of times this was done could have been reduced dramatically. Also, despite it being a "food diary", it was explaining personal issues such as relationships that just would not be present. Even in the novel, it frequently stated things like "Oh I'm so sorry to my doctor who is going to read all this". I feel like the food diary aspect limited and constrained the book and think it would have been just as successful, even more so, if it was written in a normal novel format - it would have worked just as well.
I do recommend this novel as it does have important messages throughout and the characters are great, but the format and the way that it was written knocked my rating down a little. Still an interesting read though.
Unfortunately, I had really mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved Bluebelle's fiery personality and how this book very much has a "body positivity" message, with the importance being on Bluebelle's character, as opposed to her image. I also loved how distinctive each of the characters were - I really liked Bluebelle's sister, Dove, especially her interest in free-running, and her relationship with Bluebelle. I thought the dynamics between the characters were great, as were the feminist rants that were frequently mentioned throughout.
However, what didn't work for me was the way that the book was formatted. It was written as a "food diary" format, which became a bit repetitive for me. I get that it was important to describe the food, but I felt it became a little bit boring as the novel went on of a whole page description of a single food for example and it didn't add anything to the novel. Again, I know this was added because of the format, but as a reader, I feel the number of times this was done could have been reduced dramatically. Also, despite it being a "food diary", it was explaining personal issues such as relationships that just would not be present. Even in the novel, it frequently stated things like "Oh I'm so sorry to my doctor who is going to read all this". I feel like the food diary aspect limited and constrained the book and think it would have been just as successful, even more so, if it was written in a normal novel format - it would have worked just as well.
I do recommend this novel as it does have important messages throughout and the characters are great, but the format and the way that it was written knocked my rating down a little. Still an interesting read though.
molsbymoonlight's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up after seeing Lauren from Lauren and the books raving about it! It follows Bluebelle (aka. BB aka. Big bones) who has to start keeping a food diary due to her asthma & health issues. This book was so funny & light hearted to read and I loved the way each chapter was named & told through a different type of food e.g. Summer rolls, tinned tuna etc which is a really unique way of telling a story. This book is also amazing in terms of body positivity & self love & features a really sweet sister relationship! Reading this has definitely made me want to pick up more of Laura’s books!