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A review by bookishrealm
My Eyes Are Up Here by Laura Zimmermann
3.0
This book was interesting for a few different reasons. I've read quite a few books that focus specifically on body positivity; however, I haven't read one that focused specifically on the size of breasts and how it could impact teens. There are a few elements about this that I really enjoyed and others that needed more development and exploration. 3.5 Stars.
My Eyes Are Up Here specifically focuses on a sophomore by the name of Greer as she describes her experience of having big boobs. Greer develops in ways unlike her peers which causes her to attempt to wear clothes that hide the size of her boobs. These clothes are often baggy, shapeless and a few sizes too large. Even amongst her friends, Greer refrains from talking about her boobs. She has athletic abilities; however, she doesn't want to try out for any sports because she doesn't have the right bras to support her boobs. She is often bullied and when a potential relationship arises, she feels insecure about her appearance.
There were several things that I enjoyed about this novel including the idea that it illustrates how fixated people can be with their bodies especially teen girls. It's quite difficult developing at faster rates and in more pronounced ways than your peers. While I didn't have this issue in terms of my boobs, I felt this way about my butt and hips. I was shaped differently than a lot of other girls and it brought a lot of unwanted attention. Because of this experience, I definitely resonated with Greer as a character. There were also some great side characters such as Jessa. Jessa proved to be a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely adored her as a support for Greer. This was also a book that focused on not allowing lack of body positivity to determine whether someone should or should not continue to live their life and reach their goals. There was a lot that Greer pushed past in order to be able to fulfill some of her dreams and goals.
While there were a few things that I did like, there were quite a few things that I did not like. Quite a few reviewers have stated this before me, but I also did not like that Greer's boobs were personified. By doing this, Greer was diminished as a character. She was never anyone outside of her boobs and that bothered me as a reader. I also had personal issues with Greer's mother. As a parent, she did and said some things that bothered me to a certain extent. She did try to appease to Greer's needs at some point, but in other ways she pissed me off. I also did not like the fact that the author seemingly omitted resources for Greer. She made it seem as though a size H bra does not exist and that’s not necessarily true. I think that any discussion about the cost of bras especially great bras is valid, but painting a picture where it seems as though there is nothing out there isn't quite true. This doesn't negate Greer's experience; however, I think that readers deserve a little bit more of a well-rounded story.
This was a solid read. I enjoyed the writing and I think that there were genuinely some really strong moments in the book. It was great that the romance was not necessarily the center of the book. I know some people feel as though Greer centered how she felt about herself based on the relationship; however, I don't necessarily agree and in some ways it's important to remember that the main character is around 15/16. It is likely that a teen would center how they feel about their body in comparison to their peers and also in perspective of romantic relationships. Of course, conversations should occur to deter this behavior, but I did anticipate that happening. If you're looking for an interesting YA book I would recommend giving this a try.
My Eyes Are Up Here specifically focuses on a sophomore by the name of Greer as she describes her experience of having big boobs. Greer develops in ways unlike her peers which causes her to attempt to wear clothes that hide the size of her boobs. These clothes are often baggy, shapeless and a few sizes too large. Even amongst her friends, Greer refrains from talking about her boobs. She has athletic abilities; however, she doesn't want to try out for any sports because she doesn't have the right bras to support her boobs. She is often bullied and when a potential relationship arises, she feels insecure about her appearance.
There were several things that I enjoyed about this novel including the idea that it illustrates how fixated people can be with their bodies especially teen girls. It's quite difficult developing at faster rates and in more pronounced ways than your peers. While I didn't have this issue in terms of my boobs, I felt this way about my butt and hips. I was shaped differently than a lot of other girls and it brought a lot of unwanted attention. Because of this experience, I definitely resonated with Greer as a character. There were also some great side characters such as Jessa. Jessa proved to be a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely adored her as a support for Greer. This was also a book that focused on not allowing lack of body positivity to determine whether someone should or should not continue to live their life and reach their goals. There was a lot that Greer pushed past in order to be able to fulfill some of her dreams and goals.
While there were a few things that I did like, there were quite a few things that I did not like. Quite a few reviewers have stated this before me, but I also did not like that Greer's boobs were personified. By doing this, Greer was diminished as a character. She was never anyone outside of her boobs and that bothered me as a reader. I also had personal issues with Greer's mother. As a parent, she did and said some things that bothered me to a certain extent. She did try to appease to Greer's needs at some point, but in other ways she pissed me off. I also did not like the fact that the author seemingly omitted resources for Greer. She made it seem as though a size H bra does not exist and that’s not necessarily true. I think that any discussion about the cost of bras especially great bras is valid, but painting a picture where it seems as though there is nothing out there isn't quite true. This doesn't negate Greer's experience; however, I think that readers deserve a little bit more of a well-rounded story.
This was a solid read. I enjoyed the writing and I think that there were genuinely some really strong moments in the book. It was great that the romance was not necessarily the center of the book. I know some people feel as though Greer centered how she felt about herself based on the relationship; however, I don't necessarily agree and in some ways it's important to remember that the main character is around 15/16. It is likely that a teen would center how they feel about their body in comparison to their peers and also in perspective of romantic relationships. Of course, conversations should occur to deter this behavior, but I did anticipate that happening. If you're looking for an interesting YA book I would recommend giving this a try.