Synopses & Reviews
The diet revolution is here. And it’s armed. 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. With her job answering fan mail for a popular teen girls’ magazine, she is biding her time until her weight-loss surgery. Only then can her true life as a thin person finally begin.
Then, when a mysterious woman starts following her, Plum finds herself falling down a rabbit hole and into an underground community of women who live life on their own terms. There Plum agrees to a series of challenges that force her to deal with her past, her doubts, and the real costs of becoming “beautiful.” At the same time, a dangerous guerrilla group called “Jennifer” begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women, and as Plum grapples with her personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot. The consequences are explosive.
Dietland is a bold, original, and funny debut novel that takes on the beauty industry, gender inequality, and our weight loss obsession—from the inside out, and with fists flying.
Review
"A writer of innate brilliance."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Jennifer Weiner's bestselling novels twist humor and topical issues into can't-put-down stories."
--The Houston Chronicle
"Hilarious, heartbreaking, and insightful, Weiner shows she can write with exquisite tenderness as well as humor."
--The Miami Herald
"Weiner balances romantic formula with fresh humor and literary sensibility."
--Elaine Showalter,
Review
"Utterly engaging." —Time
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Weiner is coming off a year in Hollywood, and she puts the experience to excellent use in this utterly engaging story of a showrunner who, after six years of slogging, finally gets a series on the air, only to discover that her troubles are only beginning--meddling studio execs, egomaniacal actors and one crushable but unobtainable boss." -- andlt;Iandgt;Timeandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
"An entertaining story about the dream-crushing compromises on the road from page to screen." and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;People andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;A knockout. Perfect comic timing meets effortless dialogue and an engaging plotand#8230;. Enjoy your place on top of the lit world, Jennifer Weiner. You've more than made it.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Miami Heraldandlt;/iandgt;
Review
"Jennifer Weiner is funny and dead-on when it comes to building a satisfying summer read.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;New York Daily News andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"A fun romp that casts a sharp eye on how this town treats women." and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Hollywood Reporterandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;A fascinating glimpse into the television industryand#8230;Weinerand#8217;s strong sense of comedy comes through in her charactersand#8217; witty banter and Ruthand#8217;s writing. You will cheer her on in her quest to find success and love.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Fort Worth Star-Telegramandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Weinerand#8217;s snappy new novel showcases her humor and style." and#8212; andlt;Iandgt;The Washington Post andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Ruth is a multidimensional heroine, and Weiner gives her real heart and soul. Readers will root for her to get everything she ever wantedand#8212;not to settle for the next best thing. This is contemporary womenand#8217;s fiction at its finest.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Booklistandlt;/Iandgt; (starred review)
Review
"Weiner is a chick-lit writer with chops--and she puts them to expert use in this funny, feel-good tale." --Better Homes
Review
and#8220;Jennifer Weiner proves once again that her bestseller status is no accident by delivering another intriguing page-turner. She gives us sassy, sardonic Ruth to root for as well as plenty of zingers aimed at Hollywood's tweaked values. Readers are likely to enjoy a fascinating peek into the politics of television culture, coupled with a lively plot and a satisfying love story.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Bookreporter.comandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;A juicy fictional account of life behind the scenes for a female TV showrunner.and#8221;
Review
"Weiner is coming off a year in Hollywood, and she puts the experience to excellent use in this utterly engaging story of a showrunner who, after six years of slogging, finally gets a series on the air, only to discover that her troubles are only beginningand#8212;meddling studio execs, egomaniacal actors and one crushable but unobtainable boss." and#8212; andlt;Iandgt;Timeandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; "Spares no bon mot in exposing Hollywoodand#8217;s sexism, ageism and incurable penchant for extravagant silliness." and#8212; andlt;Iandgt;Kirkusandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; "Full of warm and interesting characters as well as a wealth of insider industry detail (Weiner was a cocreator of an ABC Family sitcom), this is a must-read for Weinerand#8217;s many fans and anyone who enjoys smart, funny fiction." and#8212; andlt;Iandgt;Library Journal andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Weiner is a chick-lit writer with chopsand#8212;and she puts them to expert use in this funny, feel-good tale.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Better Homes andamp; Gardensandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;A writer of innate brilliance.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Philadelphia Inquirerandlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Jennifer Weinerand#8217;s bestselling novels twist humor and topical issues into canand#8217;t-put-down stories.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Theandlt;/iandgt; andlt;iandgt;Houston Chronicleandlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Hilarious, heartbreaking, and insightful, Weiner shows she can write with exquisite tenderness as well as humor.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Miami Heraldandlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Weiner balances romantic formula with fresh humor and literary sensibility.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;Elaine Showalter, andlt;iandgt;The Guardianandlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;One of her generationand#8217;s best literary voices.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Boston Heraldandlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Weiner has a brilliant eye for social stratum, character sketches, and renderings of suburban atmospherics.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Washington Postandlt;/iandgt;
Review
June 2015 Indie Next Pick An Amazon Best Book of May 2015
A Publishers Marketplace Buzz Book
“Walker’s first novel leaves chick lit in the pixie dust, treading the rougher terrain of radical critique and shadowy conspiracies — territory closer to Rachel Kushner than Helen Fielding.”—New York Magazine, One of Vulture's "8 Books You Need to Read This May"
“Plum Kettle, a ghostwriter for a popular teen mag, is lured into a subversive sisterhood in this riotous first novel. Finally, the feminist murder mystery/makeover story we’ve been waiting for.”—O, The Oprah Magazine, One of "10 Titles to Pick Up Now"
"Read [Dietland] not only because it’s smart and timely, but because it’s heartbreaking and tragic and very very comic (as long as you like your laughs dark) and because it will guarantee that you never look at a lipstick or a pair of stilettos or a bathroom scale the same way again. Sarai Walker is some kind of twisted sister. And of course I mean that as the highest possible compliment."—Sara Nelson, Amazon Editors' Top Picks for the Best Books of May
"This novel is like a roller coaster. Before you know it, you’re racing through an edgy and exciting mix of mystery, crime, and social critique of gender and beauty standards at breakneck speed. Vivid characters and sometimes surprising acts of violence make the story pop." —Library Journal, starred
“Through her protagonist, debut novelist Walker gives a plaintive yet powerful voice to anyone who has struggled with body image, feelings of marginalization, and sexual manipulation. Her robust satire also vibrantly redefines what it means to be a woman in contemporary society.” —Booklist "Hilarious, surreal, and bracingly original, Walker's ambitious debut avoids moralistic traps to achieve something rarer: a genuinely subversive novel that's also serious fun...Part Fight Club, part feminist manifesto, an offbeat and genre-bending novel that aims high—and delivers." —Kirkus, starred
"Sarai Walker has written a call to arms. Devious, subversive, delightful, Dietland is a SCUM Manifesto set to a pop music beat and Plum Kettle is a feminist hero for the modern age.”—Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones
"Sarai Walker's audacious, hilarious-yet surprisingly touching-novel begins by spoofing the weightloss industry and moves on to a devastating fantasy in which an avenger known as 'Jennifer' targets men who prey on women. Through it all marches Plum, a fat woman who learns to love herself as she is, and whom I loved at all stages of her education. Keenly intelligent, daring, and original, Dietland has something important to say to us all."—Alice Mattison, author of When We Argued All Night and The Book Borrower
"The first rule of Dietland is you should definitely talk about Dietland. And I suspect you’ll want to. Gather your book clubs, gather all the Jennifers you know! At first you’ll think you’re reading a familiar story: a woman who works at a women’s magazine tries to lose weight. And then POW! Dietland lithely moves in ways and to places you won’t expect. Sarai Walker has a wonderfully curious mind, and this is an impressive, ambitious first novel.”—Gabrielle Zevin, bestselling author of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry
"Dietland is a book I have been waiting for someone to write all my life, and it hit me hard right where I live, right where so many of us have wasted too much time living. It's courageous, compassionate, intelligent, pissed off and much more fun than it has any right to be. I can think of twenty people I want to buy it for,
without even trying." —Pam Houston, author of Contents May Have Shifted
"Sarai Walker is an immensely talented writer and her debut novel, Dietland—filled with wit, wisdom and wonder—is a pleasure." —Jill McCorkle, author of Life After Life
Review
An Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far A New York Post “Best Novel to Read This Summer”
An Us Weekly “Hot Summer Novel”
O, The Oprah Magazine, "10 Titles to Pick Up Now"
A USA Today “New and Noteworthy” book
One of Vulture's "8 Books You Need to Read This May"
One of New York Daily News's "10 Books for Your Summer Reading List"
An Indie Next Pick
“Dietland completely blew me away. It's audacious and gutsy and heartbreaking and I want to grab women on the street and shake them until they promise to read it—and also buy copies for their daughters.” —Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good In Bed, In Her Shoes, and others
“Walker’s first novel leaves chick lit in the pixie dust, treading the rougher terrain of radical critique and shadowy conspiracies — territory closer to Rachel Kushner than Helen Fielding.”—New York Magazine, One of Vulture's "8 Books You Need to Read This May"
"If Amy Schumer turned her subversive feminist sketches into a novel, dark on the inside but coated with a glossy, palatable sheen, it would probably look a lot like Dietland—a thrilling, incendiary manifesto disguised as a beach read...It’s a giddy revenge fantasy that will shake up your thinking and burrow under your skin, no matter its size."—Entertainment Weekly (
Synopsis
Blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner returns with an irresistible story about a young woman trying to make it in Hollywood...
Actors aren't the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood....At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie's going to be the showrunner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmother's impending nuptials.
Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider's ear for writer's room showdowns and an eye for bad backstage behavior and set politics, Jennifer Weiner's new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, a heartfelt story about what it's like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.
Synopsis
Actors arenand#8217;t the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood.and#8230;At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, andlt;iandgt;The Next Best Thing, andlt;/iandgt;has gotten the green light, and Ruthieand#8217;s going to be the showrunner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmotherand#8217;s impending nuptials. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insiderand#8217;s ear for writerand#8217;s room showdowns and an eye for bad backstage behavior and set politics, Jennifer Weinerand#8217;s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, a heartfelt story about what itand#8217;s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.
Synopsis
A fresh and provocative debut novel about a reclusive young woman saving up for weight loss surgery when she gets drawn into a shadowy feminist guerilla group called "Jennifer"—equal parts Bridget Jones's Diary and Fight Club
Synopsis
An Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far A New York Post “Best Novel to Read This Summer”
An Us Weekly “Hot Summer Novel”
O, The Oprah Magazine, "10 Titles to Pick Up Now"
A USA Today “New and Noteworthy” book
One of Vulture's "8 Books You Need to Read This May"
An Indie Next Pick
"Witty and wise."—People
"A giddy revenge fantasy that will shake up your thinking and burrow under your skin, no matter its size."—Entertainment Weekly (
About the Author
Jennifer Weiner is the #1 andlt;Iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/Iandgt; bestselling author ofandnbsp;eleven books, which have spent a combined five years on theandnbsp;bestseller list, with over 15 million copies in print in thirty-six countries. Her iconic debutandnbsp;andlt;Iandgt;Good in Bedandlt;/Iandgt; is now in its fifty-ninth printing. andlt;Iandgt;In Her Shoesandlt;/Iandgt; was turned into a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, Toniandnbsp;Collette, and Shirley MacLaine. andlt;Iandgt;All Fall Downandlt;/Iandgt; has become one of the best-reviewed novels of 2014, and is hailed as andldquo;compulsivelyandnbsp;readableandrdquo; by andlt;Iandgt;Theandnbsp;New York Times Book Review. andlt;/Iandgt;A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.