From the back cover- Meet Dolores Price. She's thirteen, wise-mouthed but wounded, having big her childhood good-bye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxius mother supplies. When she finally rolls around into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly up. There is all sorts of praise out there for this book, and I read it based on those recommendations. I was expecting an inspiring story of a lost woman who finds her way in life. You know what I got? A depressing book about a girl who does nothing (really nothing) to try and make her life better. She stuffs herself, gives in to others' pressure, and hides the truth because she's afraid the people around her won't understand. I didn't find this book funny at all; I found it extremely sad and depressing, especially since I'm sure this kind of story happens more often than we want to believe.
I'll give it to Wally Lamb that he can write. The book was written very well; you forget that a man wrote the book since it's from a woman's perspective. You really get inside of Dolores' head (even though I really didn't want to be there) and feel everything she is going through. It's too bad the good writing was a story I didn't want to read. I probably would not recommend this book to anyone because it's depressing and there are portions (e.g., lesbian sleepover) that I don't think are necessary for anyone to read. Overall, two stars for the writing. One star for the story.
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I also disliked this book. Oddly enough, I mentioned it in a book review of Magical Thinking right before popping over to read the Book Nook Club reviews.
ReplyDeleteThanks for warning me! Again, I've seen this book several times and thought I might give it a try. Now I know to stay away!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book! Read it several times in fact. Yes there there is a gross lesbian scene and it is pretty depressing in a way. But Dolores behaved like a normal person would, and I think that's why it's so appealing. We all screw up, and continue to screw up, and continue to screw up. It's kind of nice to know I'm not the only one. There are times you want to smack Dolores for doing something so stupid; there are also times you want to smack yourself. And her names is telling, Dolores means sorrow.
ReplyDeleteI read this in the 8th grade so from that perspective I did not like it either. I was used to reading books meant for adults too.
ReplyDeleteI've read this book through, twice. While it is extremely depressing and oddly disturbing, I found it thought provoking. Having survived numerous bouts of depression, I found myself alternately hating and loving Dolores at the same time. But I didn't like how it ended.
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