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No Big Deal
by
'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. Ev ...more
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. Ev ...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
August 8th 2019
by Macmillan Children's Books
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*4.5 Stars
Well this was wonderful!
'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.'
No Big Deal follows Emily; a fun loving, intelligent and hilarious seventeen-year old, who also happens to be fat. Emily doesn't have a problem with herself or her body, but although she likes herself for who she is, she faces things that she shouldn't have to face. We follow her story, through doubts, and the increasing pressure of society, ...more
Well this was wonderful!
'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.'
No Big Deal follows Emily; a fun loving, intelligent and hilarious seventeen-year old, who also happens to be fat. Emily doesn't have a problem with herself or her body, but although she likes herself for who she is, she faces things that she shouldn't have to face. We follow her story, through doubts, and the increasing pressure of society, ...more
This is a book about the radical idea that fat girls are cute, stylish, fun, lovable, smart, dateable, carefree. There aren’t enough books like that and I wish I’d had it when I was a cute chub teen. Every school library needs this liberating book. Please read No Big Deal, please review No Big Deal, please share No Big Deal with the teens in your life! No Big Deal is a VERY BIG DEAL 🧁💋
As a champion of plus-size rights and body positivity, Bethany Rutter is the perfect guide to steer us through the ups and downs of teenage confidence crises. This is my favourite young adult novel of the year, and it is clear that Rutter understands the need for books that emanate positive messages. Despite the title, this book is a HUGE DEAL! Emily is the fiercest protagonist I've encountered in some time and the story consists of many uncomfortable attempts by Emily's friends, family and othe
...more
I really did not enjoy it. Emily is a stalker. Horrible instant-love concept. Emily does not love herself: trust me, as a person who is fat, too, I know: she lies to herself. There is NOTHING good in this book: it does not teach you to accept your body: it promotes wrong concept of body positivity when it comes to... ruining your health.
Honesty, hated it with a passion.
Honesty, hated it with a passion.
I have so many feelings about this book.
‘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.’
I wish teenage me had had this book so I could have learned to love myself like Emily loves herself. I would have had the confidence to be exactly who I was and not give two fucks about what everyone thought. I would have worn what I wanted and strutted my stuff. I would have understood that being fat wasn't all there was to me. I woul ...more
‘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.’
I wish teenage me had had this book so I could have learned to love myself like Emily loves herself. I would have had the confidence to be exactly who I was and not give two fucks about what everyone thought. I would have worn what I wanted and strutted my stuff. I would have understood that being fat wasn't all there was to me. I woul ...more
4/5
Instagram | discussed in my wrap-up on youtube
a beautiful story about discovering yourself, your emotional needs and your future. absolutely adored it.
...more
Instagram | discussed in my wrap-up on youtube
a beautiful story about discovering yourself, your emotional needs and your future. absolutely adored it.
...more
From a body positivity perspective, this book is perfect. It is exactly the refreshing take on it that I wanted.
From a story perspective, I did find it a little predictable. But then, I’m not sure that matters, as the overall message is what’s important.
Emily is definitely the sort of girl I’d want to be friends with. Her doubts about her size and its impact on her life never affect her knowledge that she’s comfortable in who she is.
I did want it to be a little less boy focused, and for the m ...more
From a story perspective, I did find it a little predictable. But then, I’m not sure that matters, as the overall message is what’s important.
Emily is definitely the sort of girl I’d want to be friends with. Her doubts about her size and its impact on her life never affect her knowledge that she’s comfortable in who she is.
I did want it to be a little less boy focused, and for the m ...more
**I received an ARC of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I really enjoyed this book and really loved the main character Emily, she was very relatable to me and I instantly loved her. The overall plot of loving yourself first and foremost is also my favorite thing about this book. It provides a great message that we all as a society need to hear.
This book was one I was highly anticipating due to the body positivity representation. For the most part, I loved this represent ...more
I really enjoyed this book and really loved the main character Emily, she was very relatable to me and I instantly loved her. The overall plot of loving yourself first and foremost is also my favorite thing about this book. It provides a great message that we all as a society need to hear.
This book was one I was highly anticipating due to the body positivity representation. For the most part, I loved this represent ...more
Well this wasn’t what I was expecting at all! What a delightful and wonderful read “No Big Deal” was, and one that I literally could not put down.
For a debut novel to be so entertaining and inspiring, I was totally gobsmacked. I imagine every young girl at some point has body issues and hang ups, whether it be body size or how they feel inside and to have a book that truly gives inspiration and confidence is just fabulous, I only wish I had had this as a teenager to read!
The author Bethany Rutt ...more
For a debut novel to be so entertaining and inspiring, I was totally gobsmacked. I imagine every young girl at some point has body issues and hang ups, whether it be body size or how they feel inside and to have a book that truly gives inspiration and confidence is just fabulous, I only wish I had had this as a teenager to read!
The author Bethany Rutt ...more
Just fabulous. Such a brilliant YA novel which I really loved.
Emily is fat. She doesn't care but everyone else seems to and are constantly telling her what they think about her body when it isn't anything to do with them. I loved Emily. I loved how she was a happy plus size teen who loved her life, music and fashion. All so often in YA films and fiction the fat girl is someone to be pitied or the subject of all jokes which is a really sad state of affairs. I love that Emily is the exact opposite ...more
Emily is fat. She doesn't care but everyone else seems to and are constantly telling her what they think about her body when it isn't anything to do with them. I loved Emily. I loved how she was a happy plus size teen who loved her life, music and fashion. All so often in YA films and fiction the fat girl is someone to be pitied or the subject of all jokes which is a really sad state of affairs. I love that Emily is the exact opposite ...more
If I were Phoebe Waller Bridge (But also still me) I would buy the rights to this and make a very cheeky 4 episode series for the BBC that everyone LOVES and Americans don’t watch until two years later when it’s on Netflix.
I love this book so much. You live in a fat body so long and you start to feel like some of the ways you feel, you’re the only person that ever felt that way. Just the RELIEF of somebody else writing it down in a book. Whew.
This book is so warm and generous and smart and if ...more
I love this book so much. You live in a fat body so long and you start to feel like some of the ways you feel, you’re the only person that ever felt that way. Just the RELIEF of somebody else writing it down in a book. Whew.
This book is so warm and generous and smart and if ...more
[Gifted]
Short and sweet, this is a fun body positive romp through the life of a confident and charismatic teenage girl - who happens to be fat. Super fun.
Short and sweet, this is a fun body positive romp through the life of a confident and charismatic teenage girl - who happens to be fat. Super fun.
A cracking book. A must read for all teens although it is definitely enjoyable as an adult too. It brought me back to my teenage years reading Adrian Mole. Bethany Rutter has put a lot into this, including her fashion wisdom and music taste. It is funny, serious, gentle, and touching. Some bits were way too real and weighed heavily on me, other bits had me laughing out loud. Definitely recommend this one!
i'm human, i have emotions and i'm not affraid to show these emotions in public
...more
Let me start by saying that you don't have to be fat or even really suffer with body image issues to appreciate the beauty of this book.
I myself have suffered with body image from a young age, which in turn contributed to eating disorders that I still struggle to maintain control on now. This story was beautiful, amazing, empowering, and gives a message that all girls regardless of age need to heed.
We follow Emily who although happy with her own body is made to feel like she should be ashamed ...more
I myself have suffered with body image from a young age, which in turn contributed to eating disorders that I still struggle to maintain control on now. This story was beautiful, amazing, empowering, and gives a message that all girls regardless of age need to heed.
We follow Emily who although happy with her own body is made to feel like she should be ashamed ...more
Perfect book about fat babes alert!
Emily is a smart, brilliant and effortlessly cool fat girl who hasn't dated anyone, until she meets Joe, the gorgeous guy who works in a music store. She decides that she wants to get to know him better. But her confidence and chill attitude is being slowly eroded -- by her newly slim best friend, by her mum's constant diet chat and pressure to join her fad diets, and the shitty girl in school Holly who always wants to bring her down. Will she and Joe get tog ...more
Emily is a smart, brilliant and effortlessly cool fat girl who hasn't dated anyone, until she meets Joe, the gorgeous guy who works in a music store. She decides that she wants to get to know him better. But her confidence and chill attitude is being slowly eroded -- by her newly slim best friend, by her mum's constant diet chat and pressure to join her fad diets, and the shitty girl in school Holly who always wants to bring her down. Will she and Joe get tog ...more
I wish I'd had this book growing up, but I'm glad I have it now. It was excellent and definitely reread worthy. Emily is now one of my favourite fictional characters.
...more
I wish I had read this book 15 years ago. It’s staying firmly on my bookshelf until my daughters can read it too.
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This was quite hard to read at times, but it was also really good. Hard to read, because it deals quite heavily with fatphobia. Really good, because it always always challenges that, and the main character had a great way of addressing it. I loved her tone of voice.
I also think this is a book that shows how much we need different kinds of books with fat rep, because I would die for something that's literally just fat positive, and I don't think I've ever gotten to read that. That's not this book ...more
I also think this is a book that shows how much we need different kinds of books with fat rep, because I would die for something that's literally just fat positive, and I don't think I've ever gotten to read that. That's not this book ...more
A brilliant, funny and assured YA book about believing in yourself, even if the world doesn't. I loved the protagonist, Emily - it's so rare to see a main character who's fat, happy with the size she is and confident in her beauty and intelligence. Literature needs more Emilies, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Bethany writes next. (12+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking ...more
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking ...more
The book I wish I had when I was 17. At one point I nearly cried because I was genuinely reading my own inner monologue, something that has never happened when it comes to feeling unloveable from being in a bigger body.
Thank you Bethany Rutter for writing this book ❤️
Thank you Bethany Rutter for writing this book ❤️
I absolutely adored this book. I wish I’d read about Emily as a teenager but I’m still delighted to have met her now, what a cool gal. Really uplifting read and I learned a lot from it. Definitely read it or gift it to a teenager in your life ❤️
I’d really like a lot of people, young and old, any and all sizes, to read this book.
This is a YA book, no doubt. But I’m a 35 year old crying in the dark because it spoke to me about dating - regardless of age.
I could be Emily. I’m a confident bad ass. I’m dating. I’m also being treat like shit while I’m under the impression I’m being modern and cool and ‘going with the flow’.
No compromises. No lowering of standards. All of the fireworks.
I could be Emily. I’m a confident bad ass. I’m dating. I’m also being treat like shit while I’m under the impression I’m being modern and cool and ‘going with the flow’.
No compromises. No lowering of standards. All of the fireworks.
A must read for fans of Dumplin'!
A really good, honest story about what it's like to be a teenager, "big boned" but confident, falling in love for the first time. The insecurities brought up in the story are genuine. The best part about is that Emilys personality is already very strong and she wants the world to stop judging her body that she is happy with already. She has her fair moments of weakness which make her an entirely relateable character and inspirational for young girls of all sizes. ...more
A really good, honest story about what it's like to be a teenager, "big boned" but confident, falling in love for the first time. The insecurities brought up in the story are genuine. The best part about is that Emilys personality is already very strong and she wants the world to stop judging her body that she is happy with already. She has her fair moments of weakness which make her an entirely relateable character and inspirational for young girls of all sizes. ...more
I wanted to love this book, but I ultimately didn’t.
I love the idea of a fat protagonist, but it was disappointing that all of the issues/plot points in this book stemmed from the main character’s weight. Can’t a chubby girl just... fall in love? Like literally everyone else?
As a plus-sized woman, I’ve had a lot of complicated relationships. Men have disappointed me. I have disappointed them. Shit has gone awry. But literally none of those situations have ever been because of my weight.
I love the idea of a fat protagonist, but it was disappointing that all of the issues/plot points in this book stemmed from the main character’s weight. Can’t a chubby girl just... fall in love? Like literally everyone else?
As a plus-sized woman, I’ve had a lot of complicated relationships. Men have disappointed me. I have disappointed them. Shit has gone awry. But literally none of those situations have ever been because of my weight.
I managed to snag this ARC unexpectedly in a charity shop - yes I know you aren't meant to buy them but it was 95p and it went to charity so I don't mind so much.
Ohh so much of this book made me angry - but not in a 'angry at the book' way but rather I was angry at the things that were said to Emily throughout this book whilst knowing that these are most definitely things that have been said to people before.
Emily is an amazing female lead; she is utterly confident and believes in herself unti ...more
Ohh so much of this book made me angry - but not in a 'angry at the book' way but rather I was angry at the things that were said to Emily throughout this book whilst knowing that these are most definitely things that have been said to people before.
Emily is an amazing female lead; she is utterly confident and believes in herself unti ...more
I very much enjoyed this book, but it wasn't until the last couple of chapters that I was punching my fist in the air going, "That's RIGHT!"
First of all, I super appreciate that we have a young fat protagonist who is mostly okay with being fat. (I say mostly okay, because I think even the most confident amongst us has trouble completely blocking out the messages of the world.)
Emily has a mother who is always on a diet, a best friend who's come back from holiday a couple sizes smaller, a low-gra ...more
First of all, I super appreciate that we have a young fat protagonist who is mostly okay with being fat. (I say mostly okay, because I think even the most confident amongst us has trouble completely blocking out the messages of the world.)
Emily has a mother who is always on a diet, a best friend who's come back from holiday a couple sizes smaller, a low-gra ...more
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I honestly didn’t realise how much I needed a book like this in my life. It was everything I wanted and more. Emily is such a strong character and has an amazing personality that it’s almost impossible to love her. As a big girl myself I connected so much with Emily and honestly wish I had her mindset, she loves herself and is so confident in her own skin.
This book is at times hard ...more
I honestly didn’t realise how much I needed a book like this in my life. It was everything I wanted and more. Emily is such a strong character and has an amazing personality that it’s almost impossible to love her. As a big girl myself I connected so much with Emily and honestly wish I had her mindset, she loves herself and is so confident in her own skin.
This book is at times hard ...more
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“Life is long and kind of boring sometimes. One of the best ways to make your time on earth suck less is to surround yourself with cool people. People who make you happy. People who you have fun with. People who make you feel important. And you're super smart and interesting, and you want cool things for yourself, and that kind of narrows down the pool of people who you'll accept into your life”
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“Life is long and kind of boring sometimes. One of the best ways to make your time on earth suck less is to surround yourself with cool people. People who make you happy. People who you have fun with. People who make you feel important.”
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