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3 verk 171 medlemmar 8 recensioner

Om författaren

Jen Larsen is the author of the adult memoir Stranger Here: How Weight-Loss Surgery Transformed My Body and Messed with My Head, which chronicles her own real-life journey with weight-loss surgery. Her first novel, Future Perfect, was published in 2015. (Bowker Author Biography)
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I read this because a friend gave it a rave review. It's not something I would have picked up on my own and to be honest, I expected to be annoyed by it. Instead, I found that I couldn't put it down and I hope that Jen Larsen writes more books for me to read!

It's a simple book describing her decision to have weight loss surgery and then the adjustment period afterwards but it's really about insecurity and finding a way to be comfortable and happy with yourself when you are not perfect and the world you live in isn't perfect either.

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hmonkeyreads | 6 andra recensioner | Jan 25, 2024 |
It's hard to "review" this brutally honest memoir. I had to put it down a number of times; I don't know how Jen could be so vulnerable. But I picked it up again at once. It's a hard read, but a good one. I'm glad I stuck with it; I'm glad she wrote it.
 
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CatherineBurkeHines | 6 andra recensioner | Nov 28, 2018 |
3.5 stars (liked it a lot)

I wanted to read Future Perfect because the premise. Her grandmother offers big incentives to try to get Ashley to lose weight, and a college ride, this year's offer, is extremely hard to pass up. But Ashley is okay with how she looks, she knows she is bigger than the average person, but she is smart, funny, and motivated, and she wants that to be enough.

I am a larger person, and I do not have near the confidence and acceptance of my body as Ashley does. And I think that is a beautiful message-- weight just being a number, and really accepting that what makes you who you are is on the inside, your personality, and your drive in life, and she doesn't want to let what is on the outside, her size 20 to define her. But she faces pressure from all sides, her friends, teachers, her grandma to accept this. She understands they are just trying to help, but that is a hard thing when no one seems to be able to just let it go, and love her for who she is, not what she looks like.

I liked how she was strong, and put on her brave face. Ashley surrounded herself with her friends, and family, and she is able to stay pretty confident about who she is. She is a people pleaser when it comes to her grandmother, and it turns out that she feels obligation to her because of how much she has done for her dad, her and her brothers. I appreciate that at one point, she tried to see it from her grandma's point of view as well as how it might change her health and future. But she realized a lot about herself, and that it is okay for her to stand up for it.

The premise played out well, and I liked how the romance wasn't the main thing. She does have a boyfriend, and I appreciate that he didn't seem to care about her size, rather who she is and her personality. Rather, her friendships and family as well as her college dreams and decision about her birthday proposition.

While it dealt with some heavy issues, it didn't get bogged down. It was all about the characters and their development.

The ending was well done, and I liked the way Ashley made decisions for her best future.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.

Bottom Line: Good one on body image.
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brandileigh2003 | Sep 9, 2015 |
When Jen Larsen underwent weight-loss surgery, she was partially cognizant that she was doing something drastic and that she was being reckless. It is not that she did not understand that this was major surgery and that her life would be different, it is just that she buried her head in the sand. Neglect is a recurrent theme throughout her memoir.

Before the surgery, she neglected her body by over-eating, drinking too much, and smoking. She introduces the reader to Andy, her boyfriend, whose lack of intimacy is telling and crushing for Larsen and that she avoids facing. After the surgery, not much changes. She continues to neglect herself by eating poorly, drinking too much, making poor dating decisions (although she was wise enough to end her relationship with Andy), and remaining ambivalent about becoming self-aware.

By the end, Larsen realizes her errors. In hindsight she knows that she was looking for a quick fix to the wrong problem. Weight was a symptom of her unhappiness and low self-value. It was only after losing the weight that she realized that she was making weight the culprit. Since losing the weight, she still struggles with happiness and healthiness. If nothing else, losing the weight showed her that she wishes she would have seen while heavy – it takes work to look within and choose a self-actualized path that leads to a better outlook and self-improvement.
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Carlie | 6 andra recensioner | Nov 22, 2013 |

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Statistik

Verk
3
Medlemmar
171
Popularitet
#124,899
Betyg
½ 3.7
Recensioner
8
ISBN
10

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