Book Review: I am Big So What!?

This review was first published at The Tales Pensieve. Click here- http://thetalespensieve.com/2016/07/book-review-i-am-big/ to read.

As soon as I noticed the title of this book, I knew it will be fun. In a society like ours where body shaming is a regular practice and marriage is the only testimonial for a good girl; Shuchi Singh Kalra‘s I am Big So What shows a girl who fights against all odds and succeeds in vindicating an independent woman’s concept of life.

The story is of Roli – a freelance graphic designer, who is tired of explaining to people what her job is, turning down suitors for their weirdness and tolerating people who advise her to lose weight. Roli is a smart, sassy and a prudent girl who loves herself; and is looking for a man who will embrace her for who she is. Roli is a character that speaks for all obese girls who are not frustrated in their lives, love themselves and enjoy life to the fullest. I am Big So What breaks stereotypes in some cases.

Roli, a confident, independent modern woman, is a representative to all those who are fighting for their own identity, no matter if they are fat or not; but struggling to establish a point of view walking against the wind. Roli’s love life comes to an end when her boyfriend, Ronit, breaks up with her. She decides to give a chance to arranged marriage and finally decides to meet a boy who was introduced to her by a pesky neighbour. She likes the guy but finds him to be too familiar. Later, as the story moves, we get to know about the twist.

The characters fit into the story very well. The character of Monika, Roli’s best friend is certainly a strong one that needs extra attention. Ronit’s character, I felt, is a little ambiguous. Other than these two, there is Orange Aunty, a nosy, pesky, outlandish lady who loves to show off and is curious about others’ lives.

I like the story because of three reasons. First, the language is very simple; apt for young readers. It makes you relate to the characters a bit more. For this book in particular, I think the author narrates in the right way. The conservations narrated in the story are very realistic and relatable. The second thing I love about the story is, the story moves rapidly with each paragraph. It makes it really interesting and enjoyable. The pace of the story-telling is perfect to make it a casual read.

Lastly, I would say I like the story because the author makes sure the story seems real. Roli’s life is never narrated to be a dream life. She has her problems which she wants to deal with, sometimes ignoring them but it does not end in a dream life anyway. Roli remains Roli until the end and I liked it.

Overall, I would say I am Big So What!? is throughout an interesting and fun read. The flow of the story makes it more of a casual read, which I prefer the most. The story is filled with humour, emotions, feelings, and most prominently with love.1 If you are looking for something that contains all of these in 200 pages then this book is a must-have for you.