Sunday, March 5, 2006

Size 12 is not Fat



Size 12 is not Fat

Meg Cabot

**** ( 4/5)


From the author of Princess Diary and the " Email books" ( Every Boys Got One and The Boy Next Door comes a new lovable "mystery, crime fighting" chick Heahter Wells. Heather Wells is a former teen- pop star a la Brittney Spears whose mother ran off with her life savings and her manager and who just caught her pop-star boy friend (a la Justin Timberlake) in bed with another pop star (Jessica perhaps?). She then finds a job as the assistant director of dorm (excuse me) Residence Hall at New York College. When two of the residents are murdered in what appear to be “accidents”, heather goes on the hunt in sear of the truth, all while battling her love of Dove Bars, and not so normal boss, an expanding waistline (size 12 is not fat, it’s the normal size for American women), an annoying, trifling ex and a crush on said ex’s estranged brother.




It was really easy for me to relate to the main character, no I’m not a washed up pop star, but I am a size 12, and I was an RA lat year and came this close to becoming an Graduate assistant director, (but thank God I came to my senses). The stories about the residents hit close to home (crazy notes and the condoms, my life is still inundated with condoms. Try explaining to people (mom) why you have more condoms stashed around than most Health Departments. And at my school the word RA was to never be used, we were Community Assistant, used to foster the idea that we were a community.




Heather is an easily likeable character- cross between Stephanie Plum and ___________ (insert favorite chick lit character here i.e. Nan, Andrea Sachs or Rebecca Bloom to name a few). Although this is not as good (or funny) as the Stephanie Plum novels (Heather’s not a sleuth, she’s just a normal girl) I could not put it down and finished it in two days.

Sometimes the writing comes off as a little juvenile, almost like you’re reading a book made for the younger set. It’s an excellent book in its own merit. The characters fun and believable, the laugh numerous and although the climax was a little lacking, it keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.




I definitely recommend Size 12 is not Fat and I am looking forward to the forthcoming Heather Well’s mysteries in 07 and 08.

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