Jennifer Weiner’s novel Big Summer is set in the world of influencers, reality TV, and product placement, where monetizing one’s life is, well, everything. The protagonist, Daphne, was “the fat girl” in high school, befriended and used by the rich and beautiful Drue, queen of the mean girls. Part of the story is the complex relationship between these two characters. Something occurs during college that causes Daphne to break free from Drue’s influence in a dramatic and public way that results in Daphne becoming a presence in social media. She becomes the hero of the plus-sized and insecure. She develops a following, picks up a few sponsors and makes a little money, but not enough to quit her day job. Then two things happen – she’s approached by a woman, Leela, to promote a “size-inclusive” clothing line and Drue returns to her life. Drue wants Daphne to be her bridesmaid in the most excessive and expensive wedding imaginable. The plot unfolds, Daphne is sucked deeper and deeper into Drue’s life. and as layer upon layer is unpeeled, we learn as much about Drue as we do about Daphne. Then, in the middle of the book there’s a murder, the solving of which drives the second half of the story. There’s a lot of precise and evocative description of clothes, makeup, food, and settings, and, when Daphne meets Nick during the pre-wedding festivities, romance and sex. There’s also a lot about the inner conflicts women feel regarding weight and society’s enormous pressure to conform to a certain body type. Jennifer Weiner is a best-selling author of seventeen books. Here’s what Kirkus Reviews says:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jennifer-weiner/big-summer/
