coffeesnob318 | Nov. 21st, 2003

So...finished Jemima J last night. It was a really easy read. I kept telling myself at every chapter (and every hour) that I was going to put it down, but that was a lie. I knew I wasn't going to - had to find out what happened to the characters. Look at me, all growing an attention span!

I liked it. I probably would have liked it even better about 7-8 years ago - I would have related more to it then - but it hadn't been written yet. Fun book for anyone who has ever been overweight and lost it and experienced a peculiar emotional mixture of being both happy and appalled with all the attention that it brings. Or for people who are looking for inspiration (encouragement? Perhaps "inspiration" is a bit much) to do so.

What I liked most about it was the way she carried snippets of the happy/appalled theme throughout the book without overdoing it. I know that feeling so well, even though the happy part (deliriously ecstatic is more like it) usually won out. I mean, it's nice when people notice, especially those who see me every day, because they really have to be paying attention to notice such a gradual change. Compliments are always nice. But what's appalling is that people treat me differently when I'm thin (or made up, or dressed up, or whatever) than they do when I'm not. All I do is change the packaging - not the actual person I am - and, suddenly, I'm worthy of their time? I mean, I wasn't surprised to get that reaction from men; I expect them to be superficial (my apologies to the few men who actually read this. I'm sure you're one of the exceptions. I'm working on my bitterness. Promise). But why do women do that to each other?!?

Anyway...I liked it. Perhaps you will, too. It only took me about 4 hours total to read it, so there's not a big time commitment there.