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A review by charvi_not_just_fiction
If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
4.0
The way I felt seen in this book was just so incredibly amazing. It felt like a difficult soul-searching while also a heartwarming read about family friends and loved ones.
Winnie is fat girl I could relate to. On an average day, she's confident about herself and who she is. She's bubbly and cute, the responsible girl who everyone loves. But underneath that exterior she's always struggling to keep her anger in check, trying to stand up for herself while being respectful and doing her best to not be an anxious mess.
I thought this book did a beautiful job writing complex and difficult interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Each and every character is well-written and stands out. They're there for a reason and they make you take notice. Winnie's relationships with her family and friends aren't as perfect they seem and I love how real and messy they get. Every issue and obstacle that Winnie faced felt real and relatable. She herself was written like a teen who doesn't know everything there is to the world but knows enough to try standing up for herself and her loved ones.
Also, I love reading about cooking competitions and pageants so this book just checked off multiple boxes for me. I think this was the first time I was reading about queerplatonic relationships and one of the few times I came across polyamory so I'm still a bit uncertain as to how I feel about some events in the romance plot but I'm also not the best person to comment on this.
I could see myself in Winnie in so many ways so I grew really emotionally attached to this book. But that set aside, I would still say that this is an amazing read and I would definitely urge you to pick it up if any of the themes I mentioned are your cup of tea.
Winnie is fat girl I could relate to. On an average day, she's confident about herself and who she is. She's bubbly and cute, the responsible girl who everyone loves. But underneath that exterior she's always struggling to keep her anger in check, trying to stand up for herself while being respectful and doing her best to not be an anxious mess.
I thought this book did a beautiful job writing complex and difficult interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Each and every character is well-written and stands out. They're there for a reason and they make you take notice. Winnie's relationships with her family and friends aren't as perfect they seem and I love how real and messy they get. Every issue and obstacle that Winnie faced felt real and relatable. She herself was written like a teen who doesn't know everything there is to the world but knows enough to try standing up for herself and her loved ones.
Also, I love reading about cooking competitions and pageants so this book just checked off multiple boxes for me. I think this was the first time I was reading about queerplatonic relationships and one of the few times I came across polyamory so I'm still a bit uncertain as to how I feel about some events in the romance plot but I'm also not the best person to comment on this.
I could see myself in Winnie in so many ways so I grew really emotionally attached to this book. But that set aside, I would still say that this is an amazing read and I would definitely urge you to pick it up if any of the themes I mentioned are your cup of tea.