Reading Unrequited is like seeing an old friend for the first time in years. She tells Molly she decided it was important for her to be there to support her sister. While her sister, Cassie, tells her to go for it and even face rejection, Molly feels that she has to be careful. What’s a Concierge MVP? Molly is not skinny. The strength of Upside is definitely its cast of characters. My heart squealed to no end when he insists on bringing Molly to the grocery store to get the best ingredients for her edible cookie dough. Molly is scared of her weight and this causes her to be anxious about what other people think. Meanwhile, Molly has started a new job at Bissel, an artsy gift shop that compliments her personality because she loves crafts and creative design. I mean that literally. How does it work? What the hell went wrong? She’s 17, she’s never been kissed, and she’s had a million crushes and counting. What consequences, if any, do the characters face for their unsupervised alcohol consumption? Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Or it’s misconstrued and all of a sudden the guy you like might think you’re obsessed with him rather than just cautiously optimistic he doesn’t think you’re a total weirdo. Her mothers are finally getting married, her twin sister has a girlfriend, she has a new job and she is having her twenty-seventh crush on a guy. Suggest an update to this review, The book will teach teen readers about the nuances of having same-sex parents; what it's like to be a teenager in the Washington, D.C., area (the book name-checks various clubs, eateries, and hangouts for young D.C.'ers); and the challenges of teens who are labeled "fat.". Molly is overweight and has lived with the fear of other peoples’ opinions and comments about her weight. Becky Albertalli’s 2017 book The Upside of Unrequited tells the story of Molly Peskin-Suso, a seventeen year old girl who is dealing with many changes. Molly is used to being the closest person to Cassie and has a hard time learning to. And although this is definitely Molly’s story, there are several other characters who are a part of the book in their own right, rather than to just act as catalysts for the protagonist. Molly's not rocking any big-and-beautiful or fat-acceptance labels; she's just not constantly trying to diet or obsessed with her weight. Through Molly's journey of discovering what falling in love feels like, Albertalli has given voice to a character so often ignored and pushed into the jolly sidekick mode: the chubby girl who's sure she'll die a virgin because adolescent guys, even in progressive Montgomery County, Maryland, are more likely to say "no fatties" or "you're pretty for a big girl" than to see how awesome she really is. Your privacy is important to us. There was an advanced screening near me but my class schedule overlapped with it I’m hoping to see it opening weekend! Stayed tuned for a review/discussion to hear more thoughts!