Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos

35 reviews

namaenani's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This is a solid zombie slash-fest, but I feel like too much space was used up having the characters keep blaming themselves (or each other) over and over, for what was happening. That time could have been used to develop the relationships between the characters further, and it wasn't.

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asparagusisreading's review against another edition

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4.0

EAT YOUR HEART OUT follows a group of teens on a bus in route to a weight-loss camp. The teens have varying feelings and motivations about attending the camp with most not knowing what to expect or feeling like this will not be a very fun event. What none of them expected was to be driving into the camp with a "miracle cure" for obesity, a camper has already gone missing, the power is out of wack, and there is an impending zombie apocalypse in the middle of a the town's worst blizzard in history. 

First of all, we have a title that works both for the zombie apocalypse setting and the weight-loss camp setting. Second, we have an amazing plus sized female main character that not only WHOOPS ASS, but she stands up for herself and others, AND leads the group. AND SHE IS ON THE COVER. The characters are fighting for their lives but also solving a bit of a mystery. There is discussion of serious topics such as a diet culture and fatphobia in society, but its sprinkled in with humor and satire, lightening the blow of what's being discussed and what's happening to the characters. It makes the story enjoyable but also allows for the necessary conversation to happen.

This book follows mutiple perspectives (if I remember correctly, they were all on the same bus and same pod so you meet each character in the first few chapters.) If you're someone that isn't a fan of reading more than 3 POVs in a book, this may not be for you. Each of the characters fit a movie character stereotype, playing into the satirical side of the book. For example, we have The Jock and a Nerd. When I say I enjoyed reading in almost every character's perspective...

I had no idea where this book would go when I started and once I finished, I was not complaining. In fact, I think I read the entire thing in one day. I could not get enough and wanted to know more. I was surprised by my enjoyment because it was a random book I picked up on a whim. I had never heard of it at the point. I just thought the cover snd description was interesting and borrowed it from my library. Who know a randomly picked up book would captivate my attention and almost make it was one of my favorites of the year?

Be warned, multiple of the trigger and content warnings that I'm about to list are spoilers: fatphobia, murder, death, vomit, cursing, violence, dieting and food shaming, injuries, ableism, dead bodies, grief, [gun violence, kidnapping, death of friends, car accident, teen pregnancy]

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clichemarker's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

This was really good!
It never got boring, there was always something going on.
Bit of a bummer ending though

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mmccombs's review

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adventurous dark medium-paced

3.5

An enjoyable zombie romp! I loved the fat camp angle to this, it was a clever setting and made for a more interesting take on a “zombie apocalypse,” something I’ve seen done so many times without much finesse. The themes this was exploring were not at all subtle, but I think it was still great at saying, hey, anti-fat bias (especially bias fueled by capitalism) hurts everyone! I didn’t care for the horror archetypes focus, I understood why they were included to show that people aren’t just stereotypes, but I don’t think it really fit. Also felt like the pregnancy part was… strange? Or maybe just not executed well? Unsure. The ending was not my favorite and the pacing was a bit off, but I did finish this audiobook in 1 sitting and had a great time! Would definitely recommend for a (very) light horror that is a bit campy but also kind of serious, accompanied by great fat positivity rep!

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ghostlyprince's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5


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mirandakellymacbeth's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I thought the book was really fun, though I felt a little unsure of exactly what tone it was aiming for most of the time. Sometimes it felt lighthearted and silly (like a fun cheesy thriller) but then would shift over into serious territory. I think a mix is possible, but the shift between the two felt a little awkward. Overall I enjoyed the book and maybe only wish it was a little more wacky. Like the concept of weight loss bars turning fat camp kids into zombies is kind of fun, but it the author felt afraid it make it too much fun. Maybe it was concern for making fun of fat camps and people who attend them. 

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melaneeterry's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0


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read_with_loren's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25


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_forestofpages's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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deerlybeloved's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

While not my favorite book, I will be reading any sequel that comes out. Eat Your Heart Out is a great book written from a unique and rarely seen perspective; That of a fat girl's. The fat characters are not shamed, though attempts are certainly made, and the fatness of the characters isn't seen as a burden or horrible topic to be hidden.

There's some downright mortifying moments that made me suck in a breath, moments that made me emotional, and moments that meant more to me than I could ever describe. That being said, the ending left MUCH to be desired for me, and the lead up to the end felt a little flat compared to the rest of it, but do not let that keep you from reading! The experience is still enjoyable, with the characters being unique and beautiful in their own right.

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