Thursday 5 May 2016

Dietland - Sarai Walker

The wickedly funny feminist revenge fantasy that takes on the beauty industry, gender inequality and our weight-loss obsessed culture with fists flying. 

Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you're fat, to be noticed is to be judged. Or mocked. Or worse. But when a mysterious woman starts following her, Plum finds herself involved with an underground community of women who live life on their own terms. At the same time, a dangerous guerrilla group called "Jennifer" begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women. As Plum grapples with her personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot, the consequences of which are explosive.

Part coming-of-age story, part revenge fantasy, Dietland is a bold, original and funny debut.

My thoughts:
I have been meaning to write this review, but I was thinking about the review. I want to say something profound, but yeah, that is not how I write reviews. I may try, but it does not happen. *insert fabulously smart words*

Seriously how to start this? Look at the cover, it looks all chic-lit, well except for that is a grenade! Boom! Yes it starts of sort of chic-litish. The fat girl, Plum dreams of being thin and people liking her. She thinks her world will change if she is thin, she lives in the future, not in the present. She does not even get to work at the office with the thin pretty people, instead she works at home, since she only answers emails anyway.

"When I was around women who had grown-up lives, the kind of life I thought I should have, I felt suspended in time, like an animal floating in a jar of formaldehyde."

But then, then things change. Darker.

"Who has the problem here: women who have committed the heinous crime of merely existing, or men, who choose to objectify women? If the sight of uncovered women offends you, stay at home or wear a blindfold. Better yet, pour acid into your eyes. Then you will never have to see anything that offends you again"

We get a chapter of someone taking things into their own hands. Why should only women be naked in media. Why should there be boobs everywhere? And then London starts to change, and men are suddenly embarrassed. 

"We're told not to go out by ourselves late at night, not to dress a certain way, not to talk to male strangers, not to lead men on. We take self-defense classes, keep our doors locked, carry pepper spray and rape whistles. The fear of men is ingrained in us from girlhood. Isn't that a form of terrorism?"

She touches everything from rape-culture to fat shaming. And it gets dark, and I get angry at our effed up society. Yes why is it like this? Why do teenagers who gets raped get blamed for it? Why do towns stand by the men who did it?`It happens,  it is messed up, and it makes me angry.

So yes the more I read the angrier I got. And when bad things happened to bad people, well I was not sad, it may not be the best way to go after them, but let's take back the power!

Plum then, well she will change too. And I liked that, she gets happy. How, well that I will not say.

Inside this chic-lit cover and start there is a hidden depth. It gave me a lot to think about.

Conclusion:
Good book!

Paperback, 320 pages
Published May 5th 2016 by Atlantic Books (first published 2015)
Fiction
For review

34 comments:

  1. This sounds like a smart, sassy book. I want to get my hands on a copy.

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  2. I love this: *insert fabulously smart words*

    That's how I felt when I read this too. How to talk about such a shockingly deep book?! I need to read it again.

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    Replies
    1. I just can't put down the words, I had to let quotes speak for me

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  3. oh Victim Shaming is the WORST thing ever. I live in a area where it happens so much and it can be so depressing.

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  4. This one does sound good, and I bet I'd get pissed off as well. *shakes head*

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  5. This is my kind of read, gimme! lol

    But seriously, I think it's more us women that's doing this to ourselves than men. We're harder on ourselves and on each other, men don't see the nuances we nitpick on, they don't care if your lipstick or highlights compliments your skin tone. It's US.

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    1. That's is true, she worked in an office with women, but she did not fit in their cos the other women would not like it. That is BS from us women. But the men sure has their blame too

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  6. WOW! that's a lot to take on. I like the "Jennifers" haha

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  7. Victim shamers. GRRRRRRRR.

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  8. Sounds like a book that covers a lot of topics. Makes me curious about the plot now...are they a group of underground activists who take matters into their own hands?

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    Replies
    1. ...short answer yes ;)
      And all those topics are news stories that she hears

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  9. I saw someone reading this book on Instagram, and for some odd reason, I thought it was some sort of a self-help, dieting book. I really should read it. It might teach me a thing or two about loving my own self.

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    1. There are explosions hidden under that, there are many layers

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  10. I would get angry, too. I felt angry just reading your review. I'm with Renee. The shaming stuff gets me mad.

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    1. We would rather believe grown men than someone who is still a girl cos she does not act like it, what? Grrrrr

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  11. It sounds nice, it's a new one to me

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  12. Should go on a list of books all women should read.

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  13. Sounds like a very interesting book. All those things you mention that make you angry make me angry as well. I always here about ways for women to prevent rape, but there is very little talk about men/boys just not doing it in the first place. Men need to take responsibility for this crime. I'm not normally a chic-lit person, but I might have to get this a try.

    Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads

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    Replies
    1. Do not dress in a short skirt, Do not get drunk outside your own home...srsly?
      I guess then all men in shorts or men that are drunk should get raped too. It sure is not the clothes, it is MEN who rape.
      And that is our shitty culture.

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  14. I hear you on writing profound reviews, I sometimes try but that's just not my style either! This sounds like a really powerful book that approaches a seriously rage-inducing topic in a funny way...which is good, because just hearing about rape culture makes my blood boil!

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    Replies
    1. Rage alert!

      But yes on those profound ones, they are just not my writing style

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  15. Fantastic review Linda..you have me angry, and wanting to read this :)

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