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A review by hannahb1533
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
emotional
funny
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
4.0
4.5 stars
*Contains mild spoilers*
This would have been a 5 star read, but I won't like it did take my probably 60-80 pages to get fully invested, but once I did... oh boy was I invested.
Our main character April is such amazing plus sized representation and just amazing representation for being who you are with no regrets. This book is so necessary for so many people, and it made me, my body type, and my personality feel seen and helped me believe in love.
A few of my favorite things the book did and focused on:
Fandom Culture
I loved the way this book embraced fandom culture. It can be too easy to pass judgement on fic writers or anyone who fully submerges themselves into a fandom, but this book does such a good job really digging into why April is so invested, what her connections with the story and the characters are, and the community that can be built around fandom.
The book does a great job showing us the juxtaposition of those who you have to hide your passions from (April's former coworkers) and those who embrace that side of you (Her new coworkers, Marcus, her fandom community). I have never written fanfiction, but I have definitely read my fair share and getting this inside glimpse at the motivations folx have for writing and continuing their favorite characters stories was very powerful.
Body Positivity
April is a fantastic representation of body positivity within literature. Honestly, if more TV shows could follow this model, more people would feel represented and seen.
I loved the layers this book brought into April and her relationship with her body. On the one hand she is outwardly comfortable in her body, she embraces her fatness (fat being a word she, as many women, has reclaimed), knows who she is and that she is not defined by her size, and becomes a role model for other women. On the other hand the book still shows those insecurities she has that creep up on any of us, no matter how confident and positive we are. The brief hesitations she has with intimacy, the assumptions she makes when Marcus mentions the gym, the hesitation to post a picture on social media, these are all real emotions and thoughts that creep through no matter how much positivity and optimism we have.
The most powerful piece of April owning her body, is in the storyline with her parents. Without spoiling too much, April is able at one point in the book to truly see the detriment her parents and their views of her body play in her life, and she is able to take a huge step in her relationship with them and herself. It is a point of power and pride that I believe will speak volumes to so many people about the ways in which they let others talk about them and make assumptions about their lives.
The Lifestyle of Fame
I really wanted to keep my review focused on how April carries this story and what she brings to the reader, but it would be impossible to review this book without mention of Marcus and what he does for the reader.
What I loved about Marcus and the way he is portrayed is the way in which he gives the reader someone to look at and say "Celebrities do understand their fans, understand their fans' passion, and can relate and embrace that."
Having Marcus also being so involved in his own fandom that he writes fics is clever. It really makes you wonder how many celebrities are out there lurking on AO3 doesn't it? But while Marcus could have a whole review of his own and his character development, I want to bring this back to April and their relationship.
I love how Marcus embraces the way April is in the fandom. He never even blinks or thinks it weird (granted him writing as well aids in this but). Their relationship is also never about her being overly showy about dating someone famous, it really focuses in on both of them seeing who each other is and bringing out the strengths in each other. Dade does a great job writing Marcus in a way in which he embraces April's body and loves her no matter how she looks, while also keeping him flawed and imperfect and allowing him to mess up, say things wrong, and have to learn and grow.
All of this, plus some pretty steamy scenes, is such a breath of fresh air for us bigger girls. To read a character being so loved and so cared for, while also not making the love interest over-fixated on her weight, or having him feel like he loves her "despite" her weight or "because of" her weight. The book really brings the aspects of April's character and feelings around her fatness in in a way that it touches on all those insecurities someone may feel, but also balances that with true embracement of who she is and a love that is built on so much more than appearances.
10/10 recommend this read to anyone who may be bigger and trying to see themselves in media, anyone who embraces fandom culture, or really anyone who just wants to believe in love.
*Contains mild spoilers*
This would have been a 5 star read, but I won't like it did take my probably 60-80 pages to get fully invested, but once I did... oh boy was I invested.
Our main character April is such amazing plus sized representation and just amazing representation for being who you are with no regrets. This book is so necessary for so many people, and it made me, my body type, and my personality feel seen and helped me believe in love.
A few of my favorite things the book did and focused on:
Fandom Culture
I loved the way this book embraced fandom culture. It can be too easy to pass judgement on fic writers or anyone who fully submerges themselves into a fandom, but this book does such a good job really digging into why April is so invested, what her connections with the story and the characters are, and the community that can be built around fandom.
The book does a great job showing us the juxtaposition of those who you have to hide your passions from (April's former coworkers) and those who embrace that side of you (Her new coworkers, Marcus, her fandom community). I have never written fanfiction, but I have definitely read my fair share and getting this inside glimpse at the motivations folx have for writing and continuing their favorite characters stories was very powerful.
Body Positivity
April is a fantastic representation of body positivity within literature. Honestly, if more TV shows could follow this model, more people would feel represented and seen.
I loved the layers this book brought into April and her relationship with her body. On the one hand she is outwardly comfortable in her body, she embraces her fatness (fat being a word she, as many women, has reclaimed), knows who she is and that she is not defined by her size, and becomes a role model for other women. On the other hand the book still shows those insecurities she has that creep up on any of us, no matter how confident and positive we are. The brief hesitations she has with intimacy, the assumptions she makes when Marcus mentions the gym, the hesitation to post a picture on social media, these are all real emotions and thoughts that creep through no matter how much positivity and optimism we have.
The most powerful piece of April owning her body, is in the storyline with her parents. Without spoiling too much, April is able at one point in the book to truly see the detriment her parents and their views of her body play in her life, and she is able to take a huge step in her relationship with them and herself. It is a point of power and pride that I believe will speak volumes to so many people about the ways in which they let others talk about them and make assumptions about their lives.
The Lifestyle of Fame
I really wanted to keep my review focused on how April carries this story and what she brings to the reader, but it would be impossible to review this book without mention of Marcus and what he does for the reader.
What I loved about Marcus and the way he is portrayed is the way in which he gives the reader someone to look at and say "Celebrities do understand their fans, understand their fans' passion, and can relate and embrace that."
Having Marcus also being so involved in his own fandom that he writes fics is clever. It really makes you wonder how many celebrities are out there lurking on AO3 doesn't it? But while Marcus could have a whole review of his own and his character development, I want to bring this back to April and their relationship.
I love how Marcus embraces the way April is in the fandom. He never even blinks or thinks it weird (granted him writing as well aids in this but). Their relationship is also never about her being overly showy about dating someone famous, it really focuses in on both of them seeing who each other is and bringing out the strengths in each other. Dade does a great job writing Marcus in a way in which he embraces April's body and loves her no matter how she looks, while also keeping him flawed and imperfect and allowing him to mess up, say things wrong, and have to learn and grow.
All of this, plus some pretty steamy scenes, is such a breath of fresh air for us bigger girls. To read a character being so loved and so cared for, while also not making the love interest over-fixated on her weight, or having him feel like he loves her "despite" her weight or "because of" her weight. The book really brings the aspects of April's character and feelings around her fatness in in a way that it touches on all those insecurities someone may feel, but also balances that with true embracement of who she is and a love that is built on so much more than appearances.
10/10 recommend this read to anyone who may be bigger and trying to see themselves in media, anyone who embraces fandom culture, or really anyone who just wants to believe in love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Ableism