Rating: 4 Stars Genre: Contemporary YA Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: NetGalley ARC 'It's not my body that's holding me back. I think it's more of a problem that people tell me my body should hold me back.' Meet Emily Daly, a stylish, cute, intelligent and hilarious seventeen-year-old about to start her last year at school. Emily is also fat. She likes herself and her body. When she meets Joe at a house party, he instantly becomes The Crush of Her Life. Everything changes. At first he seems perfect. But as they spend more time together, doubts start to creep in. With her mum trying new fad diets every week, and increasing pressure to change, Emily faces a constant battle to stay strong, be her true self and not change for anyone. A warm, funny inspiring debut YA novel from Bethany Rutter: influencer, editor and a fierce UK voice in the debate around body positivity. TW: Fatphobia
I have severely mixed feelings about this book. Have you ever read a book that made you feel as though you were looking directly back at your own life? That pretty much sums up how I felt reading No Big Deal. The other fat girl in our group wasn't called Camilla, and my first real crush wasn't Joe. Everything else though, pretty much an exact match, and seeing it there on the page, reading Emily's story brought back so many old anxieties and so much pain that I thought or maybe hoped, I'd left behind. "Eat too many of those and you'll always be Fatty Smith, never Patti Smith." It got to the point where reading this book infuriated me as I drew parallels within my own life and my own insecurities. But at the same time, I couldn't stop reading. The main character was relatable (or she would have been to teen me when I, for a brief period, cared that I was the only one without a boyfriend/girlfriend), almost too much so which is what made this such an uncomfortable read for me. "Do not allow into your world someone who thinks you're second best, who thinks your body is a temporary "problem" that you're going to solve, who puts you down in any way." The writing was easy to digest and the pace fast. I read the book in two short sittings but at the end felt a little unresolved. Emily is funny, witty and down to earth but I did have a few problems, especially that she became too quickly obsessed with a boy she'd only just met and it takes her a while, too long in fact, to realise that all isn't as it should be. But, saying that, she is a teen and I can't deny that I had a LOT of obsessive moments when I was younger, and let's face it, I'm very obsessive over my books! "Oh no. Too far, Emily. You can't just ask people why they like dickheads." I do think the author does a good job of being open about teen sex, and it's refreshing to have sex just be a part of a YA without it being something taboo. I hated some of the supporting characters in this book, but only because of how they made Emily feel, and the author did a great job of showing how, very often, it's the people closest to you who can fuel your anxieties. "What's the goal in saying stuff like this to your child? It feels like she just sees an opportunity to make a mean comment and takes it." I think Emily is a great body positive character, I just would have loved a different ending that wasn't so 'boy-focused'. Comments are closed.
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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