Book review: 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad

13 chapters tell the hidden truths of women's lives. I'll guarantee that at least two of these chapters will hit so close to home that you'll wince. I started reading 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl in a bus shelter and one scene hit so hard that I turned red in the face and wanted to hide. "No, don't tell them that. Not that." I was so convinced that the person sitting beside me would read the words and know everything. This book isn't for the fate of heart.

Photo by LDyck

Publisher:  Penguin Random House Canada

Published in 2016

Buy this book

I admire novelists who take a different path when writing their books. Awad is another example. She uses a variety of POVs--best friend, lover, etc. But it's more than that, some of the opening chapters made me wonder if I was reading a linked short story collection or a novel. Later chapters confirmed it was a novel.

First-time authors are warned:  Don't play loose and easy with the rules. Later when you're an established author have-at-her. But. Not. Now.

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl is Mona Awad's first novel.

Huh?

More...

The Vancouver Sun discusses 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl

Next post:  Shakespeare and Snorri

Sunday, July 16 

Published at approximately 5 PM PT

In Support of Canadian Publishing (list) by Leanne Dyck

How readers and writers can keep Canada in books.

What can you do to keep that maple leaf waving?

Writers...

-set your stories in Canadian places
sea to sea to sea
We have 10 beautiful provinces and 3 amazing territories. The world wants to hear about them. Let's tell our stories.
Your Canada:  Geography


-use Canadian words like "skookum" and "toque"
-use Canadian terms like "keep your stick on the ice"
Canadianisms

-use Canadian spelling "tire" and "neighbourhood"
Canadian, British and American spelling

-what's it like to be disabled in Canada--a visual minority, an ethnic minority, a person of faith, gay, straight, an angry old white guy? Tell your story. Your fellow Canadians want to hear it.
Government of Canada
Country Guides:  Canada

-give your characters Canadian names
Canadian baby names that show off your national pride
Top 100 baby names in Canada for 2016

Readers...

-buy books written/published in Canada


-support Canadian authors by attending author readings and visiting author websites
The Writers' Union of Canada:  Member Directory

-review Canadian books

To read all my reviews, please click this link. It will take you to my book reviews page.