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ecn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Points off for fatphobia but I guess it was 1999 so I guess it’s fairly progressive in giving fat characters a personality and highlighting other people as the problem
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
smellymiche's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
nonidude's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.5
what a dumb premise. a former fat girl lost 45 pounds and now can find beauty and happiness in herself.
also, the mom relationship plot didn't go anywhere and it seemed so important at the beginning.
and what's with her being pressured to give Norman a chance just bc he's a nice guy?? So what. If she wants to be shallow, let her. Clearly looks and social status are what she places her importance in.
it's just so fake and wraps up so cleanly. It's unrealistic (duh it's Dessen) but it's also just not enjoyable with no likable characters (save Mira).
also, the mom relationship plot didn't go anywhere and it seemed so important at the beginning.
and what's with her being pressured to give Norman a chance just bc he's a nice guy?? So what. If she wants to be shallow, let her. Clearly looks and social status are what she places her importance in.
it's just so fake and wraps up so cleanly. It's unrealistic (duh it's Dessen) but it's also just not enjoyable with no likable characters (save Mira).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Addiction
kaylamarch's review
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I love Sarah Dessen. And this book does have a cute story. But it also has such an extreme focus on weight and appearance that it’s a bit of a struggle to get through.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia and Bullying
beansbooksandbiology's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
kateelissa's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Fatphobia
Moderate: Infidelity and Eating disorder
n0m_de_grr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
lavieboheme215's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
eemilycolleen's review against another edition
i am fascinated by this book; it’s like an outline of a sarah dessen novel, only partially filled in. obviously the premise of this is pretty 1999 fatphobic, but even disregarding that, it feels half-baked. something’s missing here. the vibes are off. i don’t really like it, honestly!
of course, some details still hit: dessen knows how to write friendship so the isabel/morgan relationship is pretty well-drawn. norman’s art is kind of interesting. but i keep getting stuck on this line, which i remember VIVIDLY from reading when i was 11: “we can all be beautiful girls, colie. it’s so easy. it’s like dorothy clicking her heels to go home. you could do it all along.” that Got me as a preteen; i too felt like maybe i could be a beautiful girl; but the text doesn’t really support it???? colie is only truly beautiful when thin, beautiful when noticed by the pretty girls, beautiful when norman immortalizes her in paint. she’s not FULLY a character, i don’t think. ya win some ya lose some!
of course, some details still hit: dessen knows how to write friendship so the isabel/morgan relationship is pretty well-drawn. norman’s art is kind of interesting. but i keep getting stuck on this line, which i remember VIVIDLY from reading when i was 11: “we can all be beautiful girls, colie. it’s so easy. it’s like dorothy clicking her heels to go home. you could do it all along.” that Got me as a preteen; i too felt like maybe i could be a beautiful girl; but the text doesn’t really support it???? colie is only truly beautiful when thin, beautiful when noticed by the pretty girls, beautiful when norman immortalizes her in paint. she’s not FULLY a character, i don’t think. ya win some ya lose some!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
katsbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
“I don't believe in failure, because simply by saying you've failed, you've admitted you attempted. And anyone who attempts is not a failure."
“Being self-confident doesn't necessarily start inside. It starts with the rest of the world and leads back to you.”
This book. First of all, it was an objectively enjoyable read. It was a really quick read, lots of summer vibes but, frankly, lacked a lot of depth. When I read this novel the first time, I seemed to really enjoy it but rereading it now, I cringed so hard at the blantant fatphobia. The entire backstory of the main character is that her and her mom used to be fat until her mom started working at a gym and created her own fitness empire. Now the main character is pretty and thin but still working through the bullying she experienced during the "Fat Years." The fatphobia also shows up in the way the main character's aunt is portrayed. I'm all for a coming-of-age story but this one seemed unnecessarily predicated on the main character accepting that she was no longer fat and thus very pretty. Just yuck all around. I also felt like the romance was a bit forced. The love interest was 18 while the main character was 15. That may not seem like a huge age gap, and it's not... for grown adults. The difference in maturity level from 15 to 18 is huge so the love story kind of gave me the creeps. I really liked the side story of the two best friends, Morgan and Isabel. That could of have been a fun story, in and of itself. Ultimately, I don't think I'll be keeping this title.
“Being self-confident doesn't necessarily start inside. It starts with the rest of the world and leads back to you.”
This book. First of all, it was an objectively enjoyable read. It was a really quick read, lots of summer vibes but, frankly, lacked a lot of depth. When I read this novel the first time, I seemed to really enjoy it but rereading it now, I cringed so hard at the blantant fatphobia. The entire backstory of the main character is that her and her mom used to be fat until her mom started working at a gym and created her own fitness empire. Now the main character is pretty and thin but still working through the bullying she experienced during the "Fat Years." The fatphobia also shows up in the way the main character's aunt is portrayed. I'm all for a coming-of-age story but this one seemed unnecessarily predicated on the main character accepting that she was no longer fat and thus very pretty. Just yuck all around. I also felt like the romance was a bit forced. The love interest was 18 while the main character was 15. That may not seem like a huge age gap, and it's not... for grown adults. The difference in maturity level from 15 to 18 is huge so the love story kind of gave me the creeps. I really liked the side story of the two best friends, Morgan and Isabel. That could of have been a fun story, in and of itself. Ultimately, I don't think I'll be keeping this title.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
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