I have always loved to read, and ever since I was a little girl, I could devour a book in a weekend! Here I share my book recommendations, reviews and suggestions for the best fiction books to read in 2020!
“She looked like a tiny androgynous elf or as if someone had waved a want and said, “Boy Scout, but make it tiny and cute and fashion”
— BIG SUMMER, JENNIFER WEINER
A Book Review Of Big Summer By Jennifer Weiner
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BIG SUMMER BY JENNIFER WEINER
Overview
Big Summer is the story of Daphne, a plus-size fashion influencer, who had a falling out with her best friend / frenemy from childhood in college, Drue, and then reconnects with her when Drue asks Daphne to be a bridesmaid in her flashy, Page-Six wedding on the Cape. Despite the many ways in which Drue has hurt Daphne, and made her feel insecure, Daphne just can’t seem to quit Drue, and agrees to be part of the wedding. A murder-mystery during the wedding weekend takes center stage for the second half of the book, as Daphne and her friends race to try and figure out what happened.
Trigger Warnings: Body shaming, eating disorders, food issues and insecurities
Review
Big Summer has been hailed as the ultimate beach read for Summer 2020, and has gotten rave reviews. And I honestly wanted to love it, but I ended up thinking it was only okay. The book was billed as this big behind-the-scenes-of-influencer-life (which obviously piqued my interest!) but that ended up being a very secondary plot line. The first half of the book lived in the past, while the second half sped forward at breakneck pace – almost as if the author hit rewind and then fast forward, but forgot to just let the story play at regular speed. The rapid pace of the second half of the book make it seem unrealistic and less believable, while the first half spent most of its time ruminating on Daphne’s childhood insecurities and body issues/experiences with body shaming. Now, these are important topics to explore but it felt like Jennifer Weiner was trying to cram three books into one – the plus-size fashion influencer dealing with the Internet trolls, the delicate hurt of an unequal female friendship, and solving a murder mystery. The threads connect fast and loose, which made me go “Really? Come on!” more than once during my reading session. That said, I breezed through the book in a weekend and it’s light, easy, semi-entertaining read but not what I would call “the beach read of the summer.” If you’re looking for something to read to pass the time for a few hours on a weekend, I’d still say give this book a try, but lower your expectations.
Grade: B
Looking for more reading inspiration? Check out my list of the Best Books To Binge-Read This Winter
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