I'm going to preface this by saying that I don't read poetry. And I know that I should read poetry...I have just never figured out how (unless it has an obvious rhythm and it rhymes). And this isn't a collection written for basic readers like me. But still, I did enjoy it. I felt the emotion, the humour and the honesty in these poems and enjoyed them to the limit my experience enabled me to. It was the title of this book that grabbed me, being in a bigger body myself, and I appreciated the poems that related to that issue. But this collection covers so much more than the fat experience, and actually I think some of my favourite pieces were those which explored her biracial identity. This is a deeply personal collection and I feel touched that she has shared this with us.

A pretty light and sweet spot-on! This collection of poems reads like a positivist anthem for all young girls out there.

I really enjoyed this. There were some I didn’t enjoy as much as others but I really liked the honest vulnerability of the poems. She’s unapologetically queer and fat and chooses self love in the face of racism, misogyny, and body shaming.
I highly recommend this.

Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this book because I found the poems to be very weak and surface level. This is a collection that could have been much stronger with better editing. I appreciate the idea behind this collection and I love that the author seeks to focus on topics such as fat shaming and body diversity. Unfortunately, as a poetry collection, I do feel it lacked depth and substance.

Thank you so much NetGalley for giving the chance to read this book. It took me a while because I couldn't open it till I found the right app. Most of these poems are very relatable to me, epscially "Letters to My Body," I loved that this book talked about plus size women; this is not something we see offen.

"My excuse is my body needs no excuse to be loved,
No excuse to be seen,
No excuse to be touched, enjoyed, celebrated."

Oh this was intersectional AF and I loveeeeeeed it omfggggggg. I loveeeee Rachel's discussions on being fat, queer & mixed all at once and how she has enough privilege to be just fine in certain situations.

I love how blunt Rachel is. She said things with her whole chest. She's unapologetically queer, fat and bi-racial and it really shows in her pieces.

The writer captures the thoughts of plus sized women and girls effortlessly. The words float off the page as you are caught up in her memories. Some of the poems read like prayers while others a warm stiff drink on a cold night. Understanding is sought and acceptance for one's size.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book completely blew me away. I have never read any Rachel Wiley stuff before, but I'm glad I did now.

I love her unique perspective and her words are truly powerful and inspiring. In this collection, the author explores fatphobia, racism and sexual assault in a raw and touching way and every poem hit me hard. Some of them are hilarious, some are hopeful, some are empowering and some are tragic, but they all left a mark.

I highly recommend this to anyone who ever felt like they weren't enough. I promise, you are.

Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this early.

I liked this collection. there were some poems I liked more than others. I felt like some poems I loved and some I just hated. it was a back and forth relationship for me throughout the book, often finding one great poem followed by one I'd wanna skip.

5.0 out of 5 stars Unflinching and unyielding -- a great collection of narrative poems.
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2020
This is a book of poems for people who want to explore poetry with a strong personal narrative focus. It’s unflinching and unyielding, each poem driving into a personal experience or observation. Wiley doesn’t hold back, and her body and mind are used to explore interpersonal spaces, physical spaces, and emotional spaces with a lot of courage and heart.

You don’t need to want to meet an author to appreciate her/his work, but in this case, I’d like to meet Ms. Wiley. I found myself curious about her experiences, wanting to read more of her work, see how she’s grown and what she’s lived since completing FGFS. I loved this, it reminded me of other powerful voices, and yet was unique and really compelling. Highly recommend if you are looking to explore an experience of a fat-bodied person or a person who has a sharp eye for b.s.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R37EQ6T75TNZ87?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a beautiful and heartfelt book of poems about many different things so I felt the book title was unjust for the book of poems it entails.

My absolute favourite poem in this book was the Brass Knuckles one which I read three times and will read many more.

These poems are like a story unfolding within your heart and mind, some funny, some sad, some full of hurt and some with kiss ass vibes!

I really enjoyed this book and the only criticism I can give is that the title and the cover do not do it justice at all.

I'm not the biggest fan of poetry but I was blown away by this. I've never read any of Rachel Wiley’s poems before but I feel like I've been missing out! Some of the poems are raw and moving, while others made me laugh out loud. However, all of them are really impactful. A stand-out for me was Wife Material, I read it three times in a row.
All of Wiley’s poems are so current, and I think that makes them even more brilliant, when I thought of what was currently happening in the USA as I read Blood Tongue I got goosebumps.
Poetry is hard to review since it’s so subjective, but I personally really, really enjoyed this collection and would not be surprised if I found myself reading it again in the future.

Rachel Wiley’s writing is the perfect balance between wit, ferocity, and vulnerability. She manages to portray important topics like eating disorders, body positivity, race, and feminism in a way that speaks both to her personal experiences, and the bigger picture. Her poems themselves are beautiful and the message they manage to send is one that everyone deserves to hear. As a queer biracial woman, she offers a perspective that is uniquely intersectional, but nonetheless speaks to every person in some way or another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for making this inspiring collection of poetry available.

I don't read a lot of poetry. Years and years of studying English Lit kinda ruined poetry for me, I think. But this was simply amazing.

I didn't realise I had seen a video of Rachel Wiley perform her 10 Honest Thoughts on Being Loved by a Skinny Boy years ago, until I came across that poem in this collection. I remember crying during her performance years ago, and I cried this time when I read it to myself.

She combines wonderful vulnerability with biting anger and wit. You're left wondering what does happen to a KFC that runs out of chicken, and then you turn the page and are bowled over by the brutal and unapologetic honesty of what it means to be a fat, biracial, queer woman in the world today. Her words make me feel seen.

GOD this was so good. I’ll be honest, the only poem by Rachel Wiley I’d ever heard was the most famous one. But this collection was a treasure trove of gems. Some were hilarious, some were tragic, all were intensely relatable. I came out of reading this book feeling genuinely more confident and self assured than when I started reading. Love it when that happens. This is one of those ARCs that I’ll probably buy physically. Button Poetry never disappoints, and this book was no exception.

Rachel Wiley writes poetry enthusiastically and in a way that shares insight, as well as surprises. I recommend this book for readers of literary and lived experience, and those looking for strong poetic voice.

Fat Girl Finishing School by Rachel Wiley is an empowering collection of poetry focused on body positivity and non-conformity, and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever struggled to fully allow themselves to love the skin they are living in, without condition or judgement. Ms Wiley's conversational prose was both relatable and accessible, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. This is a collection that is equally affirming, thought-provoking, and relevant.

Thanks to NetGalley and Button Poetry for the opportunity to read this collection.

This was such a fantastic read, timely and so necessary. Thank you for making this happen Rachel Wiley.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fat Girl Finishing School is the first full-length collection of poems from Rachel Wiley, the Queer-Biracial-Feminist poet, performer and body-positive activist whose work spans from body image, to love and loss, and feminism. Fat Girl Finishing School is a love letter to the body. When confronted with fatphobia, sexism, misogyny, and shame each poem chooses self-love, despite society’s expectations. This is a book steeped in experience, every story is striking, powerful, and unmistakably palpable.

Fat Girl Finishing School - Button Poetry
I can very much relate to this book. Unfortunately, eating disorders and anxiety are very real issues that are really hard to talk about and tackle, but this book did a great job of it. As a woman who deals with many of these issues every day, many of these verses resonated with me deeply.

Wiley’s poems create a striking and very real commentary on important issues in our society. But this collection of poems covers much more than just eating disorders―gender, race, and faith are just a few of the various themes these poems touch on.

Some of the best poems in the collection are the most difficult to read. Shutter calls out selfie culture while Gorgon calls out the fashion industry, and Wife Material provides a grand commentary on stereotypes within the home.

Brass Knuckles is an ode to feminist activism: “We are not done yet.” These poems force us to face reality for what it is, showing us exactly why the world makes us feel less-than on a daily basis, and why we can not stand for it. Wiley has a wonderfully simple way of expressing politics through poetry; identifying the problem and rejecting it. “We are meeting the horizon line to tell it our demands.“

The Love Letter To My Body poems are some of my favorites in the collection. These poems know what it feels like to be judged, and what it takes to rise above. Instead of showing us what is wrong with the world, these poems show us what is right within ourselves. They tell the reader it is okay to accept yourself as you are. Full of acceptance and confidence, they proclaim you are worthy. You are enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry publishers for providing a free ARC!

https://thewandererliteraryjournal.wordpress.com/2020/06/07/fat-girl-finishing-school/

t's really hard to review poetry. Especially if you've always had love/hate relationship with poetry.

While reading Fat Girl Finishing School I realized that I've heard some of the poems before! One Google search later I found multiple videos of Rachel Wiley reading her own poems and, oh boy, it only made reading this book better! I read her poems in my own voice and then listened to her reading them in her voice and she is so powerful and vulnerable at the same time and I love it so much! If you have a couple minutes, do listen to: 10 Honest Thoughts on Being Loved by a Skinny Boy; Paper Babies; Conversations With My Father In A Dunk Tank.

I wish there was a recording of her poem Blood Tongue because it's so, so, so relevant to the current situation in the USA.
"There is danger in being black in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
Wrong place: America.
Wrong time: All the time."

As I mentioned at the start - it's hard to review poetry. But I loved this collection so much! I can see myself rereading Fat Girl Finishing School. And that's rare.