Yes, it is a story about an overweight girl who loses weight and gets the guy. But, I have to say outside of that predictable plot line, the novel does not follow a formula. Cat begins her weight loss as a science project exploring the effect modern eating has on the body. She uses herself as the test subject of course. The story includes a 100% likable best friend, some periphery parents, a strong younger sibling character, and a few misses with boys before the right one comes along. I am not doing the book justice since it was much more engaging than this review. The story felt similar to Ten Miles Past Normal in that the female protagonist is looking for a niche, something she has let be buried under her weight issues. Once she deals with her health, she is able to deal with her life. There are still so many pressures on our young women related to body image that is is good to read a story with such a positive message about being healthy, both physically and emotionally, as the most important factor. The transformation is also not instantaneous, nor is it easy, which is another strength of the book. As much as I am drawn to dystopia stories, fantasy, and science fiction, I need to read realistic stories about happy people sometimes just as young readers do.
