Kelly BarsonCritiques

2013/07/31
Slow going for me.
I guess I'm not that invested in issues which, honestly, I haven't faced with.
(My thanks goes to fast metabolism. Plus I was never into junk food or eating sprees to begin with. Books were -and still are- one of my several venues of escape. And I think more clearly when I'm doing Stuff. Which basically means that I'm more likely to climb a mountain, or a tree, or go for a walk/run, exercise some etc. So yeah...)

Shelved for now, I think.

Unfortunately time and perspective did nothing to improve my opinion.
You may like it.
I ain't.

Ann has struggled with weight all her life and been on tons of diets that never worked. But this time she is determined to lose 45 pounds (more or less) before her Aunt's wedding which is just 10 weeks away!

I would rate this book 3 to 3.5 stars. I like that the book addressed issues of obesity and self image that many teens face, but I did get annoyed with the main character's mother in the story. The mom did not set good examples for healthy eating for her daughter. I did enjoy the end of the book because it was nice to see that once Ann adopted healthy eating habits and an exercise routine she was able to build more confidence and a better self image. -SB

I loved this book. I requested it at 2:30 (from my library) and got it at 4:30. I started reading it when I got home at 6:30 and finished it at 11. I love Ann and understand the love/hate relationship she has with food at the beginning of the book. I get the way she struggles with her mom. I love that the thing that changes her idea about food and dieting is her desire to set a good example for her little sister.

I wanted to read this one because I am overweight myself and figured that I would connect with Ann. I was right, I understood her battles with self-control, letting food control my thinking and schedule, as well as wanting to be thin but not being able to stick with the dieting.

Ann's character growth, realizing she wants to be healthy rather than striving for skinny. Her relationship with her mom and her little sister, and how their body image issues and food talk was effecting her at age 4. Ann's mom is thin but feels fat and talks about how she can't eat another bite. Further family relationships including feeling left out from her father (parents are seperated), her brother going off to college and not staying in touch, to feeling like both families have started over with another spouse and smaller children. It is so realistic and easy to relate to if you have any sort of similar issues.

It is pretty gritty and Ann's internal dialogue is true to life. I am overweight and can connect with how much she waivers, and how it isn't glossed over. The issues with eating are handled well and fleshed out.

I also felt a kinship with Ann because of how close she is with her grandma. I lived with my grandmother a lot when I was a kid, when my mom was busy, moving or having her own issues. This made us so close, she shared my love of reading and always was a safe place. Ann's grandma was more hip and louder than mine, but that just added some humor and wisdom to the book.

Ann and her friendships were also a little dysfunctional. She was semi manipulated by Cassie who used to be her best friend. Not only that, but when she gets a job she is working with some of the "cool kids" from school. One of them is more different and actually liked Ann for who she was, not worried about body image, etc. Raynee was so sweet and glad that she was in the book and was accepting. But I like that she wasn't a complete outcast, and she made it worse for herself because of self-doubt. A lot of people were nice to her and talked to her, and I think that she could have been more popular if she would, because she has a funny, real personality and easy to like.

There was some romance and although it didn't take the front seat, it was sweet. I like that he didn't care about her size, he cared about her personality. He was also understanding, he pursued her, and a generally good guy.

I liked the ending and the place where Ann left off. She had a better understanding of health and although she didn't meet her goal, she made progress.

Bottom Line: Realistic look at an overweight girl dealing with self image and trying to lose weight.

45 Pounds is a realistic fiction novel about a girl who just wants to lose weight.

Ann is overweight. Her mother is thin and athletic and constantly seems to judge Ann every time she eats. She'll comment, "Are you eating again?" and even offer to "help" by being her trainer and food nazi. While Ann wears a 17, her mother will bring her size 8 while shopping for clothes, refusing to believe Ann wears a larger size. Dealing with her mother, Ann feels the least amount of time she can spend with her judgement and "Im fat" comments, the better. When she sees an infomercial for Secrets 2 Success Weight Loss System, Ann wants to order it. She's determined that she'll lose weight successfully this time despite all the previous failures. In forty-five pounds, she'll look great for her aunt's wedding.

In order to pay the monthly fees for S2S, Ann gets a job, working with the "Knees," Courtney and Raynee at the pretzil place in the mall. Courtney is a mean girl, but Raynee is very nice. Ann begins to learn things about her former best friend, her step-sister, her father and his new family, as well as Raynee, changing her life completely.

I had a hard time relating to this book because weight has never been an issue for me. Ann was very whiny and was her own worst enemy. The epiphany she finally has was a little forced but maybe that's how someone changes her life to be healthier. There are a lot of really good things about the book--it's got some funny parts, especially Ann trying on clothes, and it has a great message by the end.

Very sweet. Bittersweet at times.

Review to come.

This is a story of a girl who has to lose the weight to be in her aunt's wedding. She doesnt have to but she is sick of being fat. She is sick of her skinny, perfect, and beautiful mother always trying to conform her into a form of herself. She is determined to lose the weight. She starts buying these disgusting meals, gets a job to pay for them as they are way too expensive considering they're barely edible and tries exercise. She makes a friend and soon the weight is falling off. It was quite funny too. I loved Gram. She cracked me up again and again. I wanted to strangle Courtney as I've met girls like that in my fat past too who are just mean for no good reason. And that guy at the pretzel stand!!! I would of broke his nose! Not really, in my mind, but I would have shot him a look to let him know if he wants to keep all his teeth he better walk away. I just think Ann was perfect and I think soo many people can relate to her. At first I got a little annoyed with Ann because I thought she should stand up for herself more, SPEAK UP! (like I wish I did at the time), but now I see this book is about Ann learning to be strong and stick up for herself, fat or not. I love Ann's Aunt and partner Chris, I thought that was a nice element in the book and it was nice seeing a family so close and open. In the end, she doesn't lose all the weight but she learns that self love is more important, continues losing weight but doesn't beat herself up over her weight anymore.
Ugh it was just so good.

A heartwarming story. We all have to grow into ourselves, which includes an awareness of the people around us and their needs. I suppose that's what won me over. I loved seeing Ann come to a point where she saw her family and friends through a wider filter.

For those concerned about content, there is some "mean girl" action, real world language, and a gay wedding. (That wasn't an aspect I was prepared for based on the blurb.)

Definitely a sweet read.

Recensione su: http://wp.me/p3X6aw-3w
Review at: http://wp.me/p3X6aw-3w½

If you've ever been an overweight teen, you know exactly what Ann is going through. Only it may have been worse. She's a size 16. Her perfect mom is a size 6 and is obsessed with her weight. When her aunt is to be married, Ann succumbs to a infomercial for a diet program. Getting a job to pay for it, she meets a pretty neat guy, but her insecurity weighs heavily on her. As Ann slowly loses weight and finds a good friendship with one of her co-workers at the Pretzel place where she works, she starts seeing that her mom's obsession about getting fat is weighing on her little 6 year old step-sister. It takes a talk with Ann's grandma to discover what has led her mom to this need to be skinny and perfect. A good story showing how personal perception and self-love is important.

Ann's tried numerous diets and nothing has stuck permanently, but she's back on the diet yo-yo once her Aunt Jackie asks her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding (side note, I was thrilled that Aunt Jackie was gay and marrying another woman, and that practically no one [except for one impossible to please woman] made a deal about it). Ann tries another fad diet and manages to lose some weight, but she's still obsessed with food.

I really liked this book. The author clearly showed that Ann had some deep-rooted issues with food, and Ann's struggle with overeating was very genuine, as was the character in general. As someone who has been in Ann's shoes for most of her life, I could totally relate to the binging, the emotional overeating, and the guilt and shame of being overweight in a size-obsessed society. I like that Ann eventually transitions from being focused on her weight to being focused on being healthy.

Ann's relationships with her classmates were done well. She's not a social pariah because of her weight; she's not popular, but she has friends, and people are (mostly) nice to her. She fears judgment from others, but for the most part, Ann is the one who is visibly judging herself.

I also liked that, unlike many YA books, everything didn't come magically together at the end. Ann was still "overweight" at the end of the book, but she was coming to accept herself and her body, and it didn't seem to be such a primary focus anymore. She and the guy who likes her don't get together in a spectacular way, although it's clear more will probably happen after the book ends. Ann's distant brother and father are still distant, although there's a little hope for her relationship with her brother (not so much with her father, who seems to be an unrepentant jerk). Although I do like happy endings, some books go out of their way to make everything rainbows and sunshine, and this book didn't, which was really a breath of fresh air.

Recommended.

About a teenage girl who needs/wants to lose weight and finds out it is so darn hard. I felt for her through the whole book. But I must say the ending was terrible!!

Wow! An excellent read!

So what do you do about a mother whose half your size and is always wanting to mother and daughter Weight Watchers with you?
From the opening scene of Ann being besieged by her mother to buy an orange polka dot bikini as a weight loss 'incentive' I was hooked.
The further into this excellent YA novel the more I was drawn into the dislocatedness of Ann's life-- her overweight life, her friendships and her negative self image.
The image of Ann trying to fit into a dress in the trendy shop is at once heartfelt and heart rendering with an overlay of humour.
The sad, sad episodes of trying to fit in, to be accepted. Battling the demon of seemingly overweightedness are telling. And of course the family life issues surrounding all of this.
One of the most poignant moments is when Ann hears her little sister Libby telling her dolls that they couldn't have cakes as they would get fat. Modelling disorders and food issues it seems is passing on down through the family.
Dealing with the sensitive issue of being over weight, the despair and embarrassment of being unable to fit into friendship groups, into those funky, trendy clothes, of being on the outer circle, of feeling worthless--this novel tackles the issues raised with insightfulness, humour and hope. School libraries should definitely stock this!

A NetGalley ARC

It got to me. And I'm sure it will get to anyone who has ever had any low self body image (and we all have). Not just about weight, but anything that lowers our self esteem.

As this book states more than once (more elegantly that I can), it is only once you are happy with your own self that you can appreciate how others see you as well.

I related closely to Ann and her situation. I've struggled with my own body image for years, and I also felt self conscious loads of times in my teenage years. It's nice to have a support group though. Raynee was great and Jon was adorable. Ann's mom drove me crazy and I really wanted to wring her neck a time or two.

But other than her, this book is great for any young lady struggling with body image issues.

Weight issues in YA are generally really poorly handled. In fact, I can only think of a couple of heroines who aren't very skinny. Considering what a big issue weight is in American society, it's rather startling how few books there are that take that perspective and deal with it in an open, feeling, non-shaming way, and the only book I can think of aside from 45 Pounds is The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, which isn't remotely our society. Though I know there are some others I haven't read, 45 Pounds is still a much-needed book that takes a heartbreaking look at insecurities, where they come from, and what to do about them.

K. A. Barson's debut novel has incredibly strong characterization. From page one, Ann's personality shines through. She's rather funny and intelligent, but, more than anything, she's a mound of insecurities and self-hatred. If, like me, you hated pretty much everything about yourself at some point in your life, you will feel for Ann; I ached and part of me was right back in that place. If you never went through that, I suspect it will be really hard to really comprehend how Ann could think that way about herself. From my own experiences, Ann's thought patterns are wholly accurate. They are also frustrating. She makes so many bad choices, but not for the sake of the plot, the sort of well meaning bad choices that are a part of growing up.

Ann really does have a problem with food, and Barson shows this very well. The root of Ann's dietary issues stem from her family. Any stressful situation sends her to the food, a response programmed into her from childhood, one she can't quit, though she wants to. Unhappy with the way she looks, Ann tries fad diet after fad diet, losing a few pounds and then falling off the wagon. These diets aren't sustainable, so she can never stick to them. I've seen this same issue with friends who try to follow this or that diet. They work, but they're so strict that they're not manageable long term.

With regards to weight, Barson's messages are very positive, if slightly preachy. She promotes health above all, and happiness. Ultimately, the most successful diets will be ones of moderation, but of real, day-to-day food. Also, when Ann really comes to dieting, she comes at it from both a personal and a psychological standpoint, rather than just the desire to look better, which tends to be outweighed by the deliciousness of burgers and the ease of not exercising. Barson emphasizes that a person cannot be forced to change their thinking, and that putting too much pressure, one way or another, on someone's diet is liable to make things worse rather than better. What's great too is that, though Ann does want to lose weight and be skinny and pretty, her goal weight is actually always set a couple of pounds above the high end of "healthy weights" for her height, showing that those are just numbers and that varies from person to person.

For readers who have been disappointed by the lack of familiar focus in young adult fiction, 45 Pounds has a very strong focus on that. Ann's parents are divorced, and she lives with her mother, step-father, and twin siblings. Her brother, Tony, fought with both sets of parents and has been a no-show since he left for college. Ann has huge issues with her mother. Though her mother really does care, she ends up being a really unhealthy influence on Ann and the kids. It's a great example of how even loving families and good intentions can come out skewed. The resolution between Ann and her mother was really satisfyingly handled.

On top of that, there's also a wonderful aspect that deals with friendship. First of all, I am happy to inform you that Ann isn't a social outcast because she's a size 17. In fact, most people are really nice to her and like her; she's not popular, but she can sit at just about any lunch table she wants. So many authors make the fat kid an outcast, but that's really not always the case, and not a healthy attitude to model. Anyway, Ann's best friend, Cassie, changed schools, which has led to them growing apart. At her summer job, Ann has befriend Raynee, a much more popular girl. Watching those two form a bond as they realized just how terribly their supposed best friends treated them was touching.

Even more exciting on some levels, Ann actually gets a boy! A cute one, at least to her, though I suspect from a couple of hints that he's likely not model hot or anything like that. He sounds like a sweet, average boy to me. She meets the boy on her first day at work when she messes up his pretzel, and he's so polite and kind about that. He never looks down on Ann for her weight, but he's also not a manicpixiedreamboy, because he's sort of awkward and really takes his time about things. Their romance is kept on the backburner to the rest of the plot, but I found it convincing and really liked the moral that there's someone for everyone. All guys aren't attracted to thin girls, and I say this as someone who has sat in on guy talk on multiple occasions. Though generally I don't think romance needs to be in every book, I'm very glad there was one here.

My one reservation with 45 Pounds is that some plot elements did seem to disappear or not get as fully resolved as I would have liked. For example, there was a big build up of stuff with Ann's brother, but very little actually happens with that. Similarly, Ann's father and his step-family comes up a couple of times, but I felt like there should have been more to it. These are very minor issues and were not huge detractors.

K. A. Barson's debut is full of heart and encourages both healthy diets and relationships. Barson tackles weight issues in a sympathetic way, while also covering themes of friendship and family. 45 Pounds is an excellent novel for young adults, both well-written and well-characterized.

It took a while for the story to catch for me but, eventually, her story of trying to lose weight was a sweet one. Not an earth-shattering book but ok.