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lololovesthings's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.5 stars.
"Curves for Days" by Laura Moher contains a mix of good and bad. I appreciated the fat representation here, not just where the main female character, Rose, is concerned, but also for the main male character, Angus. Rose has a vast, incredible heart. She truly cares about other people, no questions asked. She is a real ray of sunshine, and I loved her as a character. Unfortunately, she is so down on herself and critical of every little thing, including her looks and her weight at times. It turned me off quite a bit. As a fat person, I understand that not every larger-bodied person has good self-esteem about themselves, but it felt like a "have your cake and eat it, too" situation on the part of the author. I also loved the small-town vibe of Galway. If only all small towns were as friendly and fat-accepting as Galway (minus the nasty, crusty, musty old diner bitty who fat-shames Rose every single time she sees her)! I think Rose and Angus have a fantastic start to their relationship. I enjoyed reading about their growing friendship-come-relationship as Angus comes out of his grumpy shell to help her fix up her house, and as Rose lets her guarded walls down to accept love and affection.
Apart from some slight spice, the main character's penchant for cursing, and some heavy trauma-dumping in the name of moving the plot, "Curves for Days" could pass for a young adult novel in the way that it is written. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it all feels a little juvenile and slow to unfold. Some of the dialogue in this book is really bad. I absolutely detested the third act and solidified my disdain for Angus as a main character. He is such a toxicly masculine, misogynistic character that it turned me off of him completely. It's not just one of those "brooding, possessive alpha male grump" types of books, it's cringeworthy and reductive and caveman-esque in the most derogatory way possible. The worst offense of all: there is a moment in the third act that made me mark this book down by an entire point. After Angus finds out Rose's secret, he spirals, questioning anything and everything about their relationship. At one point, he says, "For all I know, I'm the second worst s3x she's ever had." Now, this would be a bad/cringe statement anyway, BUT HE IS COMPARING HIMSELF TO ROSE'S R-PIST. THE WAY I GASPED IN HORROR. My jaw *literally* dropped when that line was said over the audiobook. I even backed it up to make sure I heard it right. How could a woman write such a potentially triggering line?! Angus *clearly* knows the difference between r-pe and s3x because he repeatedly condemns her r-pist's actions throughout the book... so there is no need for this line to exist. I have no doubt that before meeting Rose, Angus would sit in his work truck listening to Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro, and Andrew Tate spew their garbage on his lunch breaks. He strikes me as the type.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Moher, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
"Curves for Days" by Laura Moher contains a mix of good and bad. I appreciated the fat representation here, not just where the main female character, Rose, is concerned, but also for the main male character, Angus. Rose has a vast, incredible heart. She truly cares about other people, no questions asked. She is a real ray of sunshine, and I loved her as a character. Unfortunately, she is so down on herself and critical of every little thing, including her looks and her weight at times. It turned me off quite a bit. As a fat person, I understand that not every larger-bodied person has good self-esteem about themselves, but it felt like a "have your cake and eat it, too" situation on the part of the author. I also loved the small-town vibe of Galway. If only all small towns were as friendly and fat-accepting as Galway (minus the nasty, crusty, musty old diner bitty who fat-shames Rose every single time she sees her)! I think Rose and Angus have a fantastic start to their relationship. I enjoyed reading about their growing friendship-come-relationship as Angus comes out of his grumpy shell to help her fix up her house, and as Rose lets her guarded walls down to accept love and affection.
Apart from some slight spice, the main character's penchant for cursing, and some heavy trauma-dumping in the name of moving the plot, "Curves for Days" could pass for a young adult novel in the way that it is written. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it all feels a little juvenile and slow to unfold. Some of the dialogue in this book is really bad. I absolutely detested the third act and solidified my disdain for Angus as a main character. He is such a toxicly masculine, misogynistic character that it turned me off of him completely. It's not just one of those "brooding, possessive alpha male grump" types of books, it's cringeworthy and reductive and caveman-esque in the most derogatory way possible. The worst offense of all: there is a moment in the third act that made me mark this book down by an entire point. After Angus finds out Rose's secret, he spirals, questioning anything and everything about their relationship. At one point, he says, "For all I know, I'm the second worst s3x she's ever had." Now, this would be a bad/cringe statement anyway, BUT HE IS COMPARING HIMSELF TO ROSE'S R-PIST. THE WAY I GASPED IN HORROR. My jaw *literally* dropped when that line was said over the audiobook. I even backed it up to make sure I heard it right. How could a woman write such a potentially triggering line?! Angus *clearly* knows the difference between r-pe and s3x because he repeatedly condemns her r-pist's actions throughout the book... so there is no need for this line to exist. I have no doubt that before meeting Rose, Angus would sit in his work truck listening to Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro, and Andrew Tate spew their garbage on his lunch breaks. He strikes me as the type.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Moher, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
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