Making it Big by Lyndsay Russell (2011)
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Okay so I started this book well over a year ago (February 2015). I only bought it because Amazon was selling it for £1 so why not. I've literally just finished it. I was prepared for something terrible, that will loose my interest very quickly.
I did loose interest right at the beginning. I hated how the main character, Sharron absolutely despised herself. She was only a size 18 in the book, a size I miss, and honestly the read was grating on me so much. I honestly hated reading it.
But then something weird happened. She went to see Dr Marvel (CAN HE BE REAL PLEASE?), once she left his practice, everything got very good. Albeit extremely predictable and fast, but very good. Maybe that's just how it feels when you become a supermodel in such a short amount of time. I was honestly happy for the character I had grown to hate, how she had become such a success, how she started to love herself. But then I started to hate some parts during her rise to fame.
Her friend Debbie. I honestly did not like her at all. In the beginning she was just a shit friend. Sharron knew it but somehow still put up with her literal shit personality. Then saying that she kind of becomes better.
Aside the shit friend, the way the author described how Sharron and others would describe skinny people, her friend, I honestly felt uncomfortable. Maybe it's because I don't think shaming people is a nice thing. Either way I didn't enjoy reading those parts. But it just goes to show how the media can change people's perspective SO easily.
I did honestly feel like the ending was rushed. And predictable. The actual ending was over in two chapters. I would have loved to see how she got successful again in more depth then just a memory her. Again it was VERY predictable.
The part just before the ending involving her dad and her step family really touched me. I hadn't been through the same emotional hurt with the "new" family, but with the decline of her fathers health was something I've personally experienced. The twist here. Oh the fucking twist here. I honestly loved how Sharron kind of got back at Carolyn, well I wasn't an intended thing but it was SO GOOD. I absolutely hated that old cunt, which she is if you read the book, seriously. I honestly wanted to see Sharron give her a slap but karma(?) definitely took its course on her.
What I loved: Honestly I would have loved to experience the characters new upside down world (That will be all down to how Lyndsay has described it). But here I am in reality, which is pretty much how the beginning of the book is, the skinnier you are the better. But at least there's more on the market for plus size women and even a fashion show dedicated to it. Maybe this reality is slowly turning into the one in the book? I also loved the sense of adventure we was taken along with Sharron! It was really great and gripping to read for the most part.
What I didn't like: how easy it was to predict the events and the ending (kind of)
Overall, Lyndsay does an excellent job of describing everything in this book. Seriously. I hated charters, and that's a big plus for me. Who doesn't like a story that pulls you in with some sort of emotion?!
