Truthfully, I was looking really forward to this book-- as I grew up in the 90's and the early 2000s when stick thin figures and diets were all the rage in pop culture. I was really looking into this, and seeing how this has affected our culture today.

However, I have been truly let down. Mekdela is a talented author, but I felt that she strayed from the topic of body weight. The majority of the book is recaps of movies, books, topics that she's come across, with a little small blurb about how she felt about it. Oftentimes-- it focused deeply on racial and LGBT issues-- which are important in pop culture too, but the topic was on weight.

Easily, I felt like Mekdela picked some of the most obscure references to cover--while ignoring huge mainstream topics like the Kardashians and their plethora of issues revolving body image or how one of the most popular television shows of all time had a really offensive use of a fat suit. I think the idea of actors wearing body suits could be positive, but is often poorly done-- so I thought it could definitely be a topic worth reading on.

Deep down, I would skip this book. It reads like a college essay, and not like a nonfiction book that's worth purchasing.

Thank you Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I rarely say this but this book was too thin! I needed more! I wanted more indepth of what the author was thinking, feeling, especially when it came to her personal life.
I wanted a thick big book about how her size affects her.
I am fully aware that I am using thin, thick, big in this context because of the subject matter.


I loved this book. I just wanted more. She is a great author and I can't wait to see what she does in the future.

This is the representation we needed! As someone who grew up with most of the shows/celebrities and events mentioned I was relieved to see someone echo and express my feelings.

Plus-Size is an interesting blend of memoir and cultural analysis. The essays are thoughtful and concise, making it easy to dip in and out of, and Mekdala is skilled at analyzing the cultural influences and manifestations of fat-phobia and the other biases that inform it. I would have loved to have this book be longer, and look forward to seeing more of Mekdala's writing in the future!

This was a quick informative read. I was drawn in by the fun cover and the title and Im glad I picked it up. It was fascinating to learn about the body positive movement from the 90's to today and how it has evolved and grew. A really informative read!

Such a gem of a book! Mekdela has done research and presents a look at how the media treats plus-size people. I could identify with a lot of the stories and recalled the shows and books and movies she mentioned. Very well done! Four stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy for the purpose of this review.

It was interesting to revisit some of quintessential items of millennial pop culture with an angle that was more than merely nostalgic. The part about the Spice Girls was really great.
I wish we had gotten a little more on the memoir side though because it seems like the author has done her fair share of interesting stuff.
I'm not super comfortable with the part about HP, I can sort of get why it was included but I'm not sure it actually added anything except maybe an attempt to maintain the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia over a piece of content.