Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

A while ago I mentioned my love for Jennifer Weiner. I have enjoyed reading all her books and have been patiently awaiting her latest, Certain Girls. I finally got the book earlier this week and have been able to concentrate on nothing else. Certain Girls is the sequel to Weiner's first novel, Good in Bed. If you will recall, Cannie Shapiro is a "festively plump" woman who ends up pregnant by her ex-boyfriend, Bruce, who published a humiliating article called "Loving the Larger Woman." In Certain Girls, we are back with Cannie and her daughter Joy, who is now 13 and about to become a woman (having her bat mitzvah). Cannie is now married to Peter (who is the "diet doctor" she met in the last book), and the two are contemplating having another baby. Joy is the typical 13 year-old: moody, sullen, obsessed with her appearance, embarrassed by everything her mother does or says. The chapters are alternately narrated by Cannie and Joy, so we hear each one's feelings and secrets. Initially, I thought the book was just OK. Weiner's clever wit is present and she tells a good story, but Joy is just a typical teenager and their lives are fairly mundane. Nothing that really shook things up. Until the last 40 pages. I will not tell you what happened, but I totally did not see that coming. Some drama comes into the picture, which livened the book up and made it more interesting. I did like the book quite a bit. It's not my favorite of hers, but it was a satisfying read.

Jane Smiley's review of the book for the Philadelphia Enquirer is somewhat critical, but she makes an interesting point that Weiner's book is obviously being published for a certain audience. The book is clearly being pushed as "Chick Lit," which is evident from the pink, fluffy cover. But this is not what I call Chick Lit. There is humor, but it deals with some serious family issues and Smiley is right that her book would appeal to a larger audience than those just looking for a fun fluff piece.