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A review by auntieyorgareads
Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
I received an advance review copy of this ebook for free from W.W. Norton & Co. and NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.
Growing up in Harlem isn't easy, especially for Malaya Clondon, a big Black girl attending a predominately white Upper East Side prep school under the watchful eyes of her mother and grandmother. Bigger than most kids her age, Malaya is dragged to Weight Watchers meetings by her mother and subjected to the sharp criticism of her grandmother, her weight constantly under surveillance and a source of shame. Malaya must find her own way and it's not until after tragedy strikes that she is able to find the freedom she so desperately seeks from her own body.
Mecca Jamilah Sullivan's debut novel is a story that we all need to read. Sullivan eloquently describes the barriers and struggles that Black girls face in a world that is intent on beating them down. This character-driven story challenges (white) societal standards, racism, misogynoir, and homophobia while uplifting the thoughts and feelings of an obese teenage Black girl. I was in tears throughout the book. I don't care who you are. Everyone needs to read this book!
Reps of note: Black girl/woman struggles & joy, LGBTQ+, fat/big girls/women
Growing up in Harlem isn't easy, especially for Malaya Clondon, a big Black girl attending a predominately white Upper East Side prep school under the watchful eyes of her mother and grandmother. Bigger than most kids her age, Malaya is dragged to Weight Watchers meetings by her mother and subjected to the sharp criticism of her grandmother, her weight constantly under surveillance and a source of shame. Malaya must find her own way and it's not until after tragedy strikes that she is able to find the freedom she so desperately seeks from her own body.
Mecca Jamilah Sullivan's debut novel is a story that we all need to read. Sullivan eloquently describes the barriers and struggles that Black girls face in a world that is intent on beating them down. This character-driven story challenges (white) societal standards, racism, misogynoir, and homophobia while uplifting the thoughts and feelings of an obese teenage Black girl. I was in tears throughout the book. I don't care who you are. Everyone needs to read this book!
Reps of note: Black girl/woman struggles & joy, LGBTQ+, fat/big girls/women