Massive [Paperback]

Julia Bell (Author), Andrew Biscomb (Designer)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2005

"I'm fat," I hear myself saying. I look in the mirror. My face has gone hot and red; I feel like I'm going to explode. "I'm fat." It sizzles under my skin, puffing me up, pushing me out, making me massive.

Weight has always been a big issue in Carmen's life. How could it not? Her mom is obsessed with the idea that thin equals beautiful, thin equals successful, thin equals the way to get what you want. Carmen knows that as far as her mom is concerned, there is only one option: be thin.

When her mother sweeps her off to live in the city, Carmen finds that her old world is disappearing. As her life spirals out of control Carmen begins to take charge of the only thing she can -- what she eats. If she were thin, very thin, could it all be different?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 8-11. Carmen, 14, is distressed when her mother, Maria, insists that they leave Yorkshire (and Carmen's stepfather) and move to Birmingham, where Maria's family lives. But Maria is wildly erratic because of her eating disorder, and as she starts her new life, she insists that Carmen ("Piggy") join her on endless diets and incessant exercise--until Carmen succumbs. In a casual nonreflective voice, Carmen tells her story, which, for the reader, will seem a bit like watching a car chase. The narrative is repetitive and nothing really happens, yet you're holding your breath the whole time, and can't turn away. Bell does a masterful job of describing what anorexia looks like from the outside: irrational, bewildering, compulsive. She lures readers into thinking that the illness will be observed from a distance, until Carmen almost mindlessly becomes bulimic. Some adult characters try to help--mostly ineffectually--but at book's conclusion there are still questions about how things will end for the mother and daughter. This has some nonexplicit sex and a little rough language, much of which is British slang. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Grim, gritty, real. Massive is an important, cautionary tale of the dangerous pairing of food and self-esteem. Thought provoking."

-- Deb Caletti, National Book Award finalist

"For every girl who's fat or thin or in between, Massive is terrific. Julia Bell's Carmen knows how it feels to want to scream but to grit your teeth instead."

-- Gail Giles, author of Shattering Glass and Dead Girls Don't Write Letters.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (December 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416902074
• ISBN-13: 978-1416902072
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Weight
  • #70 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > General
  • #78 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > Multigenerational

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars V. interesting!, May 25, 2004

By 

theshortmad1wivmessyhair "Amy" (essex, england) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Massive (Young Picador) (Hardcover)

MASSIVE deals with 3 generations of women with eating disorders. The Nan is a binge eater; the mother is an extreme anorexic, and the daughter, Carmen (who narrates) has been shaped by her mother to believe thin is beauty, thin is success, thin is everything and after being swept off to Birmingham she starts to believe it might be true.

Personally I really enjoyed this book. I think it's different from anything else I've read about eating disorders and deals with it in a different way. The main focus is on the mother and how it has changed her completely but it also deals with how she can pass these insecurities onto her daughter. She is always calling her fat and forcing her on diets with her, when Carmen has absolutely nothing to worry about.

Something I wasn't sure about was the age of Carmen. I think she's supposed to be 14/15 but at the beginning of the book I think it paints her as younger, for example she doesn't wear a bra although she's supposed to have a large chest and be "meaty" (personally I DO NOT think 8 stone is "meaty") and her mother bushes her hair, nagging her to wear it in plaits. But her friend is nearly "doing it" and when she moves to the city she thrown into sex, drugs and rock and roll.

I think the book can be a little weird in places but I liked that, I thought it made it different. I liked the way you saw anorexia from both the person who deals with it and seeing someone you love deal with it perspectives. It's easy to read and a short one too. It might have made me feel a little guilty for eating so much to begin with but as you see just what the consequences can be for extreme dieting I was very glad at the end that I have a healthy attitude towards food.

If you've ever felt a bit dodgy about your apperence or weight, or know someone who sufferers from an eating disorder, you should read this!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Massive, October 10, 2007

By 

Eileen Vesely - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Massive (Paperback)

I liked this book and it kept my attention but it ended so abruptly it felt unfinished. Also, this book seemed to target a younger audience rather than adults.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great word description with a not so happy ending, May 17, 2006

By 

Teen Reviewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Massive (Paperback)

Julia Bell's, Massive, takes place in England. The stressful life that Carmen has is taking its toll and making Carmen weak. Carmen is being pushed by her mother to be thin and stop eating, moving to a brand new place, and peer pressure smacks her in the face. All of this is going on at the same time, and to add to the chaos, Carmen is suffering from and eating disorder.
Bell's, Massive, has an intense and great word description. Every chapter left me wanting to keep reading.
The book never has one happy moment. At times, when you think that everything will be okay, it ends up being worse, or just plain bad.
I would not recommend this book to someone who loves to read books with happy endings, if your willing to read a harsh reality book with sour spots, then Massive is the book for you.