Take a photo of a barcode or cover
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think Top Heavy gets a lot of things right about girlhood, female friendship, and the struggles of coming of age as a young girl in a world where your body itself is sexualized. Esme's dancing helps to center this concept - her powerful body, and how its changes in teenagehood have begun to change how she carries herself.
This book covers a lot in a short span (it's maybe a 2 hour read, audiobook is 3.5 hours but the narrator speaks too slowly for me; I finished the audiobook in about 2.5 hours over the course of 2 days). The novel in verse style is beautiful and there are a lot of very poetic lines I loved.
Despite all of that, in the end, something about this book fell flat for me.
From the summary, we know that Esme is going to experience an SA event. (Not a spoiler, it is right on the back of the book). I went in prepared for this, and appreciate that the author puts this out there for those who may not want to read that content. I will spoil that this happens all the way at the 80% mark of the book. I absolutely understand how this type of experience shapes a person, a woman, a young teen. But I think the book may have been better off without this. The event and subsequent resolution felt rushed, forced even. It almost felt akin to when SA is just there for "character development". Esme gets a lot of support from her loved ones after the fact and I appreciated those moments but wish they could have come in a different way. I don't know!
This book covers a lot in a short span (it's maybe a 2 hour read, audiobook is 3.5 hours but the narrator speaks too slowly for me; I finished the audiobook in about 2.5 hours over the course of 2 days). The novel in verse style is beautiful and there are a lot of very poetic lines I loved.
Despite all of that, in the end, something about this book fell flat for me.
From the summary, we know that Esme is going to experience an SA event. (Not a spoiler, it is right on the back of the book). I went in prepared for this, and appreciate that the author puts this out there for those who may not want to read that content. I will spoil that this happens all the way at the 80% mark of the book. I absolutely understand how this type of experience shapes a person, a woman, a young teen. But I think the book may have been better off without this. The event and subsequent resolution felt rushed, forced even. It almost felt akin to when SA is just there for "character development". Esme gets a lot of support from her loved ones after the fact and I appreciated those moments but wish they could have come in a different way. I don't know!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Medical content
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism