Fat Girl on a Plane

Cookie Vonn dreams of becoming a fashion designer but faces constant discrimination in the industry due to her plus-size body. The story follows two timelines - one where Cookie is a fat aspiring designer, and another where she has lost weight and achieved some initial success. As Cookie navigates the cutthroat fashion world, she must balance her ambitions with complex relationships, including a romance with a famous designer. Her experiences in both timelines reveal the stark differences in how she is treated based on her size. The narrative explores tensions between self-acceptance and societal pressure, authenticity and conformity in the fashion industry. The dual timeline structure demonstrates how weight impacts not only Cookie's career opportunities but also her personal growth and relationships.

Readers note this book tackles body image and fashion industry themes but falls short of expectations. Many found the dual timeline structure confusing and the character development inconsistent. Liked: - Fashion industry details and insider perspective - Discussion of size discrimination - Strong beginning chapters - Realistic portrayal of complex family relationships Disliked: - Romance subplot feels forced - Main character becomes less likeable as story progresses - Fat-shaming messages despite anti-fat-shaming premise - Unresolved plot threads - Rushed ending Reader quote: "Started strong but devolved into problematic messaging about weight loss and self-worth" - Goodreads reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (120+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 3.4/5 (40+ ratings) Multiple readers mentioned wanting to DNF (did not finish) after the halfway point, citing inconsistent character choices and muddled themes around body positivity.

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The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and Fierce by Angie Manfredi This anthology collects essays from fat creators about their experiences with body image, fashion, and self-acceptance in a weight-obsessed world.

🛫 While writing Fat Girl on a Plane, Kelly deVos was inspired by her own experiences as a plus-size passenger who was required to purchase two airline seats. 👗 The author worked in the fashion industry for nearly two decades as a digital designer, giving her unique insight into the world her protagonist Cookie navigates. 📚 The novel's structure alternates between "Fat" and "Thin" chapters, showing Cookie's life at different weights and challenging readers' assumptions about size and happiness. 🎓 Kelly deVos wrote this book while pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. 🗣️ The book sparked important discussions about fat-shaming and size discrimination in both the fashion industry and commercial aviation, leading to features in Teen Vogue and Bustle.