Not That Bad by Roxane Gay

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read September 2020

This is a hard book to rate. It is also kind of a hard book to read as well. Requesting this so long ago I kind of went in blind, having forgotten what it was. I went by title alone.

"Not That Bad" is a compilation of essays by people who have been through rape and sexual assault. I appreciated that there was a wide demographic of authors, male and female, cis and trans, straight and not. Also a wide variety of stories, some very detailed, others less so. There were a couple of "famous" names in Ally Sheedy and Gabrielle Union but it transpired in the end credit list that the vast majority - if not all (I don't know if the numbers matched) - were published writers in one way or another.  Was there an assumption that average "Jane/Joe" off the street wouldn't write well enough or were these essays already written and just pulled together for this book?

Regardless of how this book came to be and who should or shouldn't be included it is almost a must read - although take care if you have personal experiences and stay safe. The pervasiveness of rape, assault and harassment in society must be stopped. It is not something I have personally experience - yet, I'm only 30! - and that sadly is a rarity. Too many women have some kind of story. Men in particular: read this book, absorb it and do better. Affirmitive consent. No hooking up with drunk girls, no "harmless" groping. Just no means no.

4/5 stars

Stef Out x

I am Elephant, I am Butterfly by Leslie Tall Manning

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read September 2020

I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first, especially as a fat person, since it is literally set at a fat camp. There is a lot of weight talk in the first few chapters and mentions of calories though not how many calories a specific meal has.

I'm not sure how sustainable the camp is compared to real life in terms of the exercise regime. An obstacle course often ran twice - that concerned me slightly - and aqua aerobics. There isn't a lot of variety and only the pool work is theoretically transferrable to outside life - providing a person's town has a pool since not all do. That could be a big reason for campers needing to return. Although it seems the friends they make are also a big draw for returning.

I did quite like the food side and the emphasis on the camp growing everything they eat and they seemed to have specific classes on nutrition which is so helpful.

The book was a nice change of pace from a lot of novels in that everything moved quite slowly to reflect the fact the real change often is a slow process and I really appreciated that. I do wish some of the chapters had happened a little earlier though in regards to everyone sharing their stories. It was also never particularly clear why Charlene hate neighbouring camp Felina so much either.

I liked the polarity of Simone and Phoebe coming together and how similar problems can affect people in such different ways. Overall a good book, just a little awkward in some of its plotting and pacing.

4/5 stars

Stef Out x