Can a Fat Girl Get a First Kiss, by Sudesna Ghosh

I was caught by the title of this book. In our super politically correct world, I was dumb struck by the term fat used so openly on the cover and so often throughout the book. The story is an introspective confession of an eighteen year old Indian girl, going through the tough years of grade school and trying to fit in. It’s a candid look inside of a very unhappy teen with more than just the challenges of making it through the social maze of high school and battling her weight. She describes how she develops major issues with food, her difficulty relating to her family, her piers, and even potential friends. I likened it to the very popular Netflix series, Never Have I Ever, and I could almost see it like episodes in my mind. The story will make anyone who never quite fit in revisit the traumatic years of their social evolution, and hopefully come away unscathed. My heart broke for poor Pamela. kids can be so cruel without realizing the permanent effects of their actions. I wasn’t in Pamela’s shoes with weight challenges, but I felt a lot of similar misfit, awkward scenarios throughout my high school years. The book filled me with empathy for Pamela, and I too hoped for a couple extra chapters detailing her transition to college. A book about self awareness and climbing to achievements through changing perspective and accepting encouragement from others. I hope to see more empowering stories from Ghosh.