I read a novel recently by Jennifer Weiner, the witty yet emotionally moving writer that produces those cheesy yet “make you think” novels.
Good in Bed is about Cannie Shapiro, an overweight beautiful writer from Philly that goes through a whirlwind life. Her mother’s a lesbian, she gets pregnant by her ex-boyfriend and she has a weird yet strangely cute little cross-breed dog named Nifkin. This novel makes you think…..you don’t need to be stick skinny to be confident and beautiful, Cannie shows us that confidences comes from the inside – so okay, you already knew that. You’ve heard it all before. But the novel is deeper that this and there is a meaning to all of her successes and failures. Maybe the meaning is not so hidden, but the real meaning lies in the dark moments of Cannie's messed up/sort of great life. Her father abandoned the family when she was a child, and this weighs heavily on her and her siblings. His disappearance is what affects all of her relationships throughout the novel, and it is not until she unexpectedly runs into him, that she comes to terms with the lasting effect he has on her life. Some other significant event happens ( I won’t ruin it for you, but she loses someone she loves) Cannie falls deeper into a place where she seems so out of character – she loses her charm, loses her humour and ultimately loses all of her weight. Yes, she becomes a size 4 envy but with a bitch of a personality.
But what’s the greatness of weight loss when she cannot enjoy her life and her achievements because of larger more pressing issues taking precedence? I guess losing weight isn’t all it’s cut out to be. But I guess you knew that? Read Good in Bed on the metro or on your front porch, its just one of those reads right after your read Skinny Bitch. Because although being skinny shouldn’t be the centre of your life, you should really cut out the crap...and eat your cake too.
Good in Bed is about Cannie Shapiro, an overweight beautiful writer from Philly that goes through a whirlwind life. Her mother’s a lesbian, she gets pregnant by her ex-boyfriend and she has a weird yet strangely cute little cross-breed dog named Nifkin. This novel makes you think…..you don’t need to be stick skinny to be confident and beautiful, Cannie shows us that confidences comes from the inside – so okay, you already knew that. You’ve heard it all before. But the novel is deeper that this and there is a meaning to all of her successes and failures. Maybe the meaning is not so hidden, but the real meaning lies in the dark moments of Cannie's messed up/sort of great life. Her father abandoned the family when she was a child, and this weighs heavily on her and her siblings. His disappearance is what affects all of her relationships throughout the novel, and it is not until she unexpectedly runs into him, that she comes to terms with the lasting effect he has on her life. Some other significant event happens ( I won’t ruin it for you, but she loses someone she loves) Cannie falls deeper into a place where she seems so out of character – she loses her charm, loses her humour and ultimately loses all of her weight. Yes, she becomes a size 4 envy but with a bitch of a personality.
But what’s the greatness of weight loss when she cannot enjoy her life and her achievements because of larger more pressing issues taking precedence? I guess losing weight isn’t all it’s cut out to be. But I guess you knew that? Read Good in Bed on the metro or on your front porch, its just one of those reads right after your read Skinny Bitch. Because although being skinny shouldn’t be the centre of your life, you should really cut out the crap...and eat your cake too.
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