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literarycake's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.25
abookdoctor's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
oceanvuongfan's review against another edition
4.0
Big Girl follows the story of Malaya Clondon growing up in 1990s Harlem, NY. She’s an artistic, inquisitive eight-year old who finds herself developing an emotional dependency on food early in life.
By the time Malaya is eight, she is diagnosed as obese. Her mother, Nyela, attempts to help both herself and her daughter by enrolling them in Weight Watcher’s programs, eating “diet foods,” and attending cardio classes. However, none of Nyela’s “solutions” work to mitigate Malaya’s weight gain. It isn’t until Malaya experiences the trauma of losing her father that she decides to try and take control of her health on her own terms.
This book explores what it means to struggle with appearances/bodies that don’t align with society’s expectations of how one should/should not look. Sullivan pushes against narratives of respectability and desirability politics through Malaya’s coming-of-age journey in her relationship with food. Despite how her appearance doesn’t fit conventional norms of what is considered desirable, Malaya deserves just as much respect and dignity as anyone else, which she does not receive throughout this book. Instead, she’s made to feel inadequate by her peers, taken advantage of by neighborhood boys, and condescended against by doctors.
I appreciate the overall messaging of this book. But I always worry about the fine line between body positivity and suffering from detrimental health consequences. On one hand, yes, we should be able to love ourselves as we are without changing ourselves for the sake of adhering to society’s beauty/thinness standards. But, on the other hand, in loving ourselves, that means taking care of our bodies in ways that sustain our health—not destroy it.
As young people come of age, it’s important that “trendy diet culture” aka misinformation is replaced by accurate information on healthy eating and exercise. It’s also critical we cultivate empathy towards all people of all experiences because we never know what others around us are going through.
This narrative of a young Black girl learning about her body, learning about who and how she loves, and learning about what it means to be a Black woman in America in the 90s is telling of a young generation coming of age now in 2023.
By the time Malaya is eight, she is diagnosed as obese. Her mother, Nyela, attempts to help both herself and her daughter by enrolling them in Weight Watcher’s programs, eating “diet foods,” and attending cardio classes. However, none of Nyela’s “solutions” work to mitigate Malaya’s weight gain. It isn’t until Malaya experiences the trauma of losing her father that she decides to try and take control of her health on her own terms.
This book explores what it means to struggle with appearances/bodies that don’t align with society’s expectations of how one should/should not look. Sullivan pushes against narratives of respectability and desirability politics through Malaya’s coming-of-age journey in her relationship with food. Despite how her appearance doesn’t fit conventional norms of what is considered desirable, Malaya deserves just as much respect and dignity as anyone else, which she does not receive throughout this book. Instead, she’s made to feel inadequate by her peers, taken advantage of by neighborhood boys, and condescended against by doctors.
I appreciate the overall messaging of this book. But I always worry about the fine line between body positivity and suffering from detrimental health consequences. On one hand, yes, we should be able to love ourselves as we are without changing ourselves for the sake of adhering to society’s beauty/thinness standards. But, on the other hand, in loving ourselves, that means taking care of our bodies in ways that sustain our health—not destroy it.
As young people come of age, it’s important that “trendy diet culture” aka misinformation is replaced by accurate information on healthy eating and exercise. It’s also critical we cultivate empathy towards all people of all experiences because we never know what others around us are going through.
This narrative of a young Black girl learning about her body, learning about who and how she loves, and learning about what it means to be a Black woman in America in the 90s is telling of a young generation coming of age now in 2023.
trapwomanistcyborgwitch's review against another edition
4.0
Book: Big Girl
Author: Mecca Jamilah Sullivan
Pgs: 288
Genre: Literary Fiction
what the mirror said
by Lucille Clifton
listen,
you a wonder.
you a city
of a woman.
you got a geography
of your own.
listen,
somebody need a map
to understand you.
somebody need directions
to move around you.
listen,
woman,
you not a noplace
anonymous
girl;
mister with his hands on you
he got his hands on
some
damn
body!
I wish Malaya Clondon would have heard this poem so that she could be encouraged. Big Girl is a lovely, big-hearted novel full of light and sadness. I loved Malaya, who only wanted to feel love or to feel love in general from the music that she listened to, the food that she ate, and the people that she loved. She is a talented artist that loved music and was brought up to love it by her father. Her interest evolved to loving Hip-hop in all IRS forms. This story was a hard read, especially regarding her parents/grandmother, who really meant well, but ended up hurting her instead. The fatphobia and misogynoir from all sides did not stop her moments of queer romance. This coming-of-age story broke my heart into pieces but gave me hope for Malya and other girls like her. I created a playlist inspired by her father, her love of hip-hop, and, most of all, her love of beautiful black girls like herself. Thank you, @hearourvoicestours and the publisher, for letting me be a part of this tour.#BigGirl #HearOurVoices #hov
Author: Mecca Jamilah Sullivan
Pgs: 288
Genre: Literary Fiction
what the mirror said
by Lucille Clifton
listen,
you a wonder.
you a city
of a woman.
you got a geography
of your own.
listen,
somebody need a map
to understand you.
somebody need directions
to move around you.
listen,
woman,
you not a noplace
anonymous
girl;
mister with his hands on you
he got his hands on
some
damn
body!
I wish Malaya Clondon would have heard this poem so that she could be encouraged. Big Girl is a lovely, big-hearted novel full of light and sadness. I loved Malaya, who only wanted to feel love or to feel love in general from the music that she listened to, the food that she ate, and the people that she loved. She is a talented artist that loved music and was brought up to love it by her father. Her interest evolved to loving Hip-hop in all IRS forms. This story was a hard read, especially regarding her parents/grandmother, who really meant well, but ended up hurting her instead. The fatphobia and misogynoir from all sides did not stop her moments of queer romance. This coming-of-age story broke my heart into pieces but gave me hope for Malya and other girls like her. I created a playlist inspired by her father, her love of hip-hop, and, most of all, her love of beautiful black girls like herself. Thank you, @hearourvoicestours and the publisher, for letting me be a part of this tour.#BigGirl #HearOurVoices #hov
cehtempleton's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Death of parent
saragardinier's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
readandfindout's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.5
Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent
therealmrskelley's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
buttercupita's review against another edition
5.0
My first 5 star book of 2023 (may there be many more!). This book was a window into the life of a girl in Harlem who is coming to terms with so many things: her obesity, her sexuality, the growing estrangement between her parents, her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The writing is beautiful -- sometime poetic and never pretentious. I mostly read this book on the page, but because I was going on a trip, I also downloaded the audio and really enjoyed hearing the language read. Highly recommend!!
jkmoriarty's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
A beautifully written book. Malaya and the women who came before her will resonate with any woman living in our society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Fatphobia
Moderate: Death of parent