A review by janetlweller
Waisted by Randy Susan Meyers

2.0

I loved the first few chapters of this book. It focuses on Daphne and Alice, two women who have struggled with weight most of their lives. The beginning explores their efforts to lose weight, the cultural (and familial) pressures to be thin, and the effect this has had on their lives. However, despite the major differences of the characters (Alice is biracial with a supportive Jewish Mom and not so supportive husband, and Daphne has a hovering Mom who only sees her for her size, but her husband loves her for herself) I had a hard time keeping them straight, they really didn't seem very different. They meet when they enroll in a reality show type documentary that promises to help them lose weight. The book loses its charm for me after this. They discover they are being deliberately humiliated to see how much abuse women will take to lose weight, and plot an escape from the facility. In addition to the ridiculous plot, the dialog is leaden. The book certainly touches on interesting topics in how our society views overweight women, but it seriously missteps by often implying that facial beauty makes up for being overweight!