Liza Palmer Conversation with a Fat Girl

Conversation with a Fat Girl

Liza Palmer

5 Spot (Warner), Sep 2005, $12.95

ISBN: 0446693952

They met at twelve and became best friends, as both Maggie and Olivia share in common being fat girls. However, at twenty-two, Olivia undergoes gastric bypass surgery and begins to lose the pounds. Five years later, she is engaged to an obese hater, but selects the still overweight Maggie to serve as her maid of honor, in spite of the horror in her groom's eyes.

Ever since Olivia became skinny, Maggie has felt like an outsider to her pal. Making matters worse, Olivia has consistently let her down since the fat girl hater entered her friend's life. He is insulting, as he does not hide his loathing of the overweight set, including his disdain and scorn of Maggie. Angry over the latest put-down and her self-esteem lower than the ooze beneath the food chain, Maggie explodes at her once best buddy, but also vows to improve herself, starting with the help of a trainer. Her need to improve leads to an opportunity for her first boyfriend with a man she has desired for ever, but first she must believe she is worthy of love.

CONVERSATION WITH A FAT GIRL is a deep character study that focuses on Maggie who feels alone, betrayed and shunted aside, when Olivia gains a boyfriend but fails to warn him to stop his snide behavior towards her friend. The deep Maggie blames her low self regard on her weight, until she no longer accepts disparagement. Her first step towards self-assurance is mental, which is more critical than any pound she may or may not lose. Liza Palmer provides a strong look at a person struggling to accept that she is an okay person regardless of her size.