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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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Death of parent
luyabeans's review against another edition
This book is really amazing and I plan to finish it in the future. However, my relationship with my own body and eating disorder is not stable enough to deal with the kinds of triggers that Malaya goes through. It’s all too close to my family and it’s causing some emotional upheavals that are outside of my control right now. This is not about the book itself, it’s about my current mental health.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Dysphoria
jordanreadsbooks_'s review against another edition
I don’t think this book is bad it’s just not my vibe right now. I will definitely pick it up at a different time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder and Body shaming
bookishbaddie's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
✨Book Review✨
Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan @meccajamilah
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🎧Playlist link: https://spotify.link/MYkkIRnd7Ab
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✨Rating & Review✨: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I could spend hours trying to convince you to read this book. But I’d like to take a different approach. Malaya has a deep love and appreciation for music, something she got from her father Percy. To honor their story, enjoy this playlist I created; a mixture of songs discussed in the book and songs that fit the vibe of where I was in the story. You’ll find yourself jamming along with Biggie or crying your eyes out with Biggie. Hey, it was the 90’s in New York, what did you expect? Pick up this book as fast as you can and let me know what you think! Thank you @hearourvoicestours for the opportunity to read and create something so magical for this book.
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🔖
#Books #BookRecommendation #BlackGirlsReadBooksToo #BlackGirlsRead #Bookstagram #BlackBookstagram #YABookstagrammer #BooksAreAGirlsBestFriend #QueerReadersOfInatagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLover #Bookworm #BookLover #BookCommunity #ReadMoreBooks #AvidReader #Bibliophile #BookishGirls #BookReviews #HearOurVoices #BigGirl #HOV
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming
Moderate: Eating disorder and Death of parent
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
Le poids de Malaya est apparemment le problème de tout le monde. Dans le Harlem des années 1990 où elle passe son adolescence, ce ne sont que remarques acerbes, regards dégoûtés et réunions Weight Watchers. Sa mère et sa grand-mère se relaient pour lui assurer que tout irait mieux si elle perdait du poids, mais Malaya aimerait juste qu’on la laisse profiter : de son groupe d’amis au lycée, de la musique qui est partout dans les rues autour de chez elle, des couleurs qu’elle veut répandre de ses ongles aux murs de sa chambre.
Le roman de Mecca Jamilah Sullivan est celui d’un étouffement dont la protagoniste se libère peu à peu jusqu’à prendre une bouffée d’air libératoire. Oui, c’est le roman d’une victoire même si celle-ci se paie cher. On souffre aux côtés de la jeune Malaya que personne ne considère au-delà de son tour de taille. On sent aussi tout ce qui bouillonne en elle et ne demande qu’à sortir : sa créativité, sa joie de vivre, sa force. C’est un beau portrait d’une adolescente en plein chamboulement, dans le chamboulement d’un quartier entier qui se transforme irrémédiablement. Aux côtés de Malaya, c’est la communauté noire de Harlem que l’autrice dépeint ici dans tout son flamboiement et ses métamorphoses, depuis le lycée jusqu’aux petites épiceries de quartiers vouées à disparaître à mesure que la population change.
Ce livre est puissant, porté par un personnage tout en nuances mais courbé sous le poids des injonctions. Les interactions avec sa mère et sa grand-mère, qui sont obsédées par le poids de Malaya, sont d’une grande violence. Si vous souffrez ou avez souffert de troubles de l’alimentation, sachez que ce livre est très “triggering”. Il célèbre une victoire sur des comportements malsains, mais passe par des épisodes très sombres.
À travers la traduction, j’ai senti un vrai travail sur la langue par l’autrice, et je pense que ce roman s’apprécierait mieux dans sa langue originale, tout simplement car il y a des façons de parler qui sont tellement spécifiques à un lieu et une époque qu’elles sont perdues dans la traduction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
eslsilver's review
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Grief
igood54's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The ending was lovely, but most of the book was hard to get through (emotionally).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent and Eating disorder
d0505's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
popcornreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
krin's review against another edition
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
5.0
Rounding up to five stars. Big Girl is a compelling coming of age story following Malaya through two time periods (around 8 years old and then mid teens). The book brings readers to Harlem in the 1990s up through the earlier periods of gentrification. I guess technically that makes it historical fiction but since I grew up in the nineties that seems wild to me!
The writing is lyrical, mostly narrative with minimal dialogue, giving us a deep insight into Malaya's experience from a close third person POV. This is definitely a low plot, high character development kind of book but the story carries you along beautifully. The most prominent theme of the book involves a lot of food and body shaming which can be hard to read, especially when Malaya was only eight. Yet, it all rings very true and it's an important story to hear. There are also themes of race, family, intergenerational trauma, community and the roles women are expected to play.
The author has the way of sticking in memorable little tidbits of wisdom that make you say "huh!" out loud. Often these tidbits come from secondary characters - all of whom are so brightly written and developed that I would read stories about any one of them!
It might be mildly spoilery to say this but, after dealing with a lot of heaviness throughout the book, it's a relief that it ends on such a hopeful note with Malaya finally being empowered to take up space.
The narrator is excellent with a melodious and captivating voice.
Content warning for all kinds of fat shaming, food shaming and the type of disordered eating that is the result of all the types of things you could imagine happening in the 1990s.
I received an audio Advanced Review Copy from Net Galley and HighBridge Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder