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danamashall 's review for:
Hunger
by Roxane Gay
What a book. Roxane talked about so much, and the intersection of all of these parts, beautifully. She makes it known that her race, her size, her sexuality, and ultimately, the sexual assault she has faced have shaped her into the person she is today. She is repetitive, but that's done purposefully. She also touched on a lot of the experiences and societal expectations that I have come across throughout my years of either (a) being considered a fat kid or (b) just doing research on society and everything that is wrong with it (as I always do). It is one of the reasons why this wasn't a 5-star read for me. This, however, does not detract from the book. On the contrary, actually, it was horrific to see how everything that I have learned about in theory or from passive retellings is so vividly described in this book. For me, one of my favorite things about this book is how it approaches being fat through a psychological lens. You get a deep dive into Roxane's brain and how sexual assault became the reason for her wanting to get bigger and be undesired so that she can remain protected. It also explores the aftermath of that, and how once someone becomes fat, society makes it infinitely worse for them. The feeling of taking up space and not having things to accommodate you is heartbreaking and profoundly life-changing to read. To see someone struggle to go places because of their size is something I am privileged enough to not have experienced.
An incredible book overall, and one I implore you to read if you have not read about black, overweight, queer people through their own writing yet.
An incredible book overall, and one I implore you to read if you have not read about black, overweight, queer people through their own writing yet.