A review by kait_unicorn
Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan

5.0

GAAAAAH! What a gorgeous read. Painful, poignant, and satisfyingly liberating by the end. A story of one girl and then young woman’s discovery of herself through the bombardment of how she is perceived by those around her. Malaya’s emotional landscape is both fraught and in so many ways relatable for her introspection and observations of what people decide about her experience as a fat Black girl. One of my favourite things is that her actual health is never reported on, only assumed, and she is perfectly healthy physically. The psychic toll of anti-fatness and colourism is visceral through her internal narrative. I also particularly appreciated the way she relates to music and the emotional container it provides her. Extra bonus for showing an excellent therapist/patient relationship.

A gorgeous book.