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A review by paisleypikachu
The Universe Is Expanding and So Am I by Carolyn Mackler
1.0
Wow.
I loved the first book when I was in middle school. Loved it so much.
I can’t even bring myself to finish this one.
And I really hate that, because Virginia could be such a great protagonist. But she isn’t.
The first thing to bother me was when her boyfriend and friend are playing Minecraft, she’s on her phone ignoring them because she doesn’t “get it.” Um. No. How about when the people you care about are into a thing, you support them and don’t act like a brat who talks about how they don’t see the point of said thing?
Then it got worse. Constant, veiled, shaming comments about skinny girls, about clothes and shoes other people wear. For a book trying to portray itself as body positive it really missed the mark. Body positivity includes not shaming ANY body type.
I finally gave up when Virginia referred to her parents’ gym, Whole Fitness, as Whole Fakeness. Excuse me? Since when is it cool to shame people for exercising?
So yeah, I’m sure there are good parts to this book, but there was way too much negative for me to keep reading. And I probably won’t go back and reread the first book ever now. Very disappointed as I was really looking forward to this one.
I loved the first book when I was in middle school. Loved it so much.
I can’t even bring myself to finish this one.
And I really hate that, because Virginia could be such a great protagonist. But she isn’t.
The first thing to bother me was when her boyfriend and friend are playing Minecraft, she’s on her phone ignoring them because she doesn’t “get it.” Um. No. How about when the people you care about are into a thing, you support them and don’t act like a brat who talks about how they don’t see the point of said thing?
Then it got worse. Constant, veiled, shaming comments about skinny girls, about clothes and shoes other people wear. For a book trying to portray itself as body positive it really missed the mark. Body positivity includes not shaming ANY body type.
I finally gave up when Virginia referred to her parents’ gym, Whole Fitness, as Whole Fakeness. Excuse me? Since when is it cool to shame people for exercising?
So yeah, I’m sure there are good parts to this book, but there was way too much negative for me to keep reading. And I probably won’t go back and reread the first book ever now. Very disappointed as I was really looking forward to this one.