I just love when a book is centered on a strong, fat-positive character. Even better when it claps back at the diet industry and calls them on their BS. More and more YA books are giving us protagonists that reject the body shame placed on them by family and friends, living life strong, powerful, and unashamedly FAT.
Recently, my work best friend, who happens to be the school librarian, added such a gem to the stacks. She was like, “Take this one. You will love it!” Empowered fatties, problematic diet supplements, parental forced “fat camp”… ZOMBIES?! Uhhh… yes, please!
Enter Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos. This book was so much fun, I consumed it in one afternoon. The YA story pokes fun at common zombie movie tropes in a self-aware way (think Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland) with a lot of body-positive fun and heart (like Dumplin’.) Hidden throughout the story is a warning about the dangers the diet industry and Big Pharma bring in their quest to make the world skinny at any cost. (Watch out Ozempic!)
The story takes place at Camp Featherlite, a weight loss camp outside Flagstaff, Arizona, during a freak winter break blizzard. The book’s protagonist, Vivian, is a confident, colorful, fat high school student who is also an accomplished athlete. She doesn’t feel like she needs to lose weight at all, but is forced by her mom and new PE teacher stepdad. She is paired up in a pod at camp with a cast of unlikely characters… including her ex-best friend, the camp owner’s son, a girl with a big secret to hide, a computer genius, and their super-buff leader.
Not long after they arrive at camp, it is clear that something is NOT right. The snow shows no signs of slowing down, the power is out across the camp, there seem to be no adults in charge, and a camper has gone missing down by the lake. They are instructed to stay in their cabin, follow emergency instructions, and make sure they eat the new diet bars they are testing at the camp, marking careful results. Something doesn’t sit right with Vivian and the crew, and soon they find themselves in a dark, snowy, post-apocalyptic hellscape of a campground overrun by zombies. As the story progresses, they uncover dark, sinister secrets about where the zombies originated and fight for their very lives.
The story is campy, cliche, and ridiculous in the most wonderful of ways. Beneath the layers are messages about standing up for your self-worth, your right to take up space, the power of forgiveness and friendship, and a cautionary tale about not every diet being a well-meaning or beneficial solution. It will definitely make you laugh and feel a little stronger. It’s the perfect book for a gloomy, rainy day.
Forty Fat and Fabulous 