Book Review: "Big Girl" by Danielle Steel

Cover Description
In this heartfelt and incisive new novel, Danielle Steel celebrates the virtues of unconventional beauty while exploring deeply resonant issues of weight, self-image, sisterhood, and family.

A chubby little girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and ordinary looks, Victoria Dawson has always felt out of place in her family, especially in body-conscious L.A. Her father, Jim, is tall and slender, and her mother, Christina, is a fine-boned, dark-haired beauty. Both are self-centered, outspoken, and disappointed by their daughter’s looks. When Victoria is six, she sees a photograph of Queen Victoria, and her father has always said she looks just like her. After the birth of Victoria’s perfect younger sister, Gracie, her father liked to refer to his firstborn as “our tester cake.” With Gracie, everyone agreed that Jim and Christina got it right.

While her parents and sister can eat anything and not gain an ounce, Victoria must watch everything she eats, as well as endure her father’s belittling comments about her body and see her academic achievements go unacknowledged. Ice cream and over sized helpings of all the wrong foods give her comfort, but only briefly. The one thing she knows is that she has to get away from home, and after college in Chicago, she moves to New York City.

Landing her dream job as a high school teacher, Victoria loves working with her students and wages war on her weight at the gym. Despite tension with her parents, Victoria remains close to her sister. And though they couldn’t be more different in looks, they love each other unconditionally. But regardless of her accomplishments, Victoria’s parents know just what to say to bring her down. She will always be her father’s “big girl,” and her mother’s constant disapproval is equally unkind.

When Grace announces her engagement to a man who is an exact replica of their narcissistic father, Victoria worries about her sister’s future happiness, and with no man of her own, she feels like a failure once again. As the wedding draws near, a chance encounter, an act of stunning betrayal, and a family confrontation lead to a turning point.

Behind Victoria is a lifetime of hurt and neglect she has tried to forget, and even ice cream can no longer dull the pain. Ahead is a challenge and a risk: to accept herself as she is, celebrate it, and claim the victories she has fought so hard for and deserves. Big girl or not, she is terrific and discovers that herself.


Hannah BeDell's Review:
My husband bought me the book for a "just because" present which I love! I just finished reading it today in my comfy window seating while my husband did chores and errands and helped care for children and I had a break from reading while going out to a restaurant. After I read it I took a bath because I was rather disappointed. I though surely this woman who sounds smart would stand up for herself and face those remarks of unworthy notice easily. I thought they had no grounds since those characters were not fully believable. Even though I know of parents with children who were big boned and tried to "fix" them. But those parents did not just ridiculed in an UN-believable fashion.

Big girl is not about her size in this book, it sounded more about money or freedom. The "big girl" seems to think she is so poor but if you can afford everything she has in this story you are far from poor. It had a good story line to learn more on how you may be a "big girl" going off on your own and doing things your own way, after and if you had parents with enough money for college in the first place. That seemed like a big flaw there, with a major dependant issue upon who was denying you the love you needed in the first place. Finding the right people was a big part of the book too. Although it did emphasize on size a lot but that said being 20 lbs. or 25 lbs. over your weight is normal. While with American society now a days if you focus on work or anything before your own health. I'm guilty of that at times. I thought this book was insightful for freedom and weight-watchers was mentioned a lot. I wonder if they paid money for that? But my big sister uses them and has lost and kept off way more than 20 or 25 lbs.

Book Points for parts I learned, grew and loved....
Now I am joining a gym, not for anyone but myself like her.
Getting a treadmill at home, again.
I loved and have started the assignment ideas:
Write a short story after a Summer vacation ~ About what you would have wanted your Summer vacation to be like
What you want to be when you grow up ~ I like this because you are always learning even after school (living life is consistent with learning)
Write lyrics for your own song and play it on instrument for extra fun too

It was a good turn pager because it changes up every once in a while and gave me some good ideas for new learning. It ended with a saying of how it's good to be happy where you are now. Look ahead and do not stand by, LIVE!

Daily Yoga and Stretching (morning & through-out day)

My Yoga and Stretching are an essential part of my everyday. 

I will share my neck focused stretch routine...I do stretch as often as possible through out the day.
(below is the order I prefer to use)

• Starting with leaning my head down first
• Rotate towards a side leading the stretches downwards with my hand at each of the four side points (right and tilted-right; tilted-left and left) with switching hands as I go to another side (right sides, right hand; left sides, left hand)
• Slowly shrug and rotate Shoulders and Neck back and forth
• Cup my neck, tilting my chin up... an gentle pull upwards to stretch
• Stretch, rotate and shake out tension from Wrists
• Stretch, rotate and lengthen Arms
• Massaging my neckline helps complete the process 

Focus points for stretching out my whole body:

1. Neck
2. Abs
3. Arms
4. Chest
5. Back
6. Hips
7. Legs 
8. Ankles

Here is my son a couple years ago, coming down from a (helped by my husband) handstand!

I LOVE Yoga and Stretching Daily... I do alternative yoga moves since I'm 9 months pregnant but it all works great!

Today's Thoughts.... Moving... March 20th '09

Thank you, for taking the time to sit and read my blog!
(it takes me an hour to do each post, usually)

I made my son's Birthday Invites today! Also I photographed some good things today...

Today my Dad came on over, he has helped tremendously.... he brought a bunch of empty boxes over since they just moved last month they had a whole bunch ready for us to use! He managed to pack all of his big buckets and Tools to help for our move!

Right now my husband and Dad are setting up one of our Biggest Tanks (55 Gallon) at the New place! Thomas did the smallest tank (30 Gallon) this morning before my Dad arrived... now they only have the corner tank (~42 Gallons) left to do today. Recently my Dad he has found out he has a hernia, so he is not lifting really heavy stuff, which is why it is very good that they are doing the furniture tomorrow.... my dad would do too much heavy lifting if he was here then, since he is a very giving person.... Like me!

I am going to pick up my BF from High-school.... I just finished my tabata exercise a little bit ago... I'm amazed at how well it is working out for me! Everyday I do at least 15 minutes because I do stretches but I give myself as much time as I want to workout and stretch all through out the day... and Ice/massage my body any areas that are needing it.

Enjoy your day, make someones day!

Go for a walk and play around!

I really enjoy going outside... I had my husband watching the kids yesterday when I went out for my daily walk and started jogging and then skipping! After stretching and skipping/jogging and walking some more (I stopped to smell some beautiful flowers too), I decided to go play on the new playground being built near by. The park was still in construction but most of the playground was set up... It was alot of fun! I was so active, it replaced my daily exercises I usually do inside my house.

All around it is better to get outside no matter what the weather, just for some fresh air. And if it is nice, I like to go for a 30 minute stroll and play with my children at the park... what more could you ask for? I love to learn everything good about life!!

LEARN:
love
exercise
area
relaxation
nutrition

Practical Exercise Plan (PEP)

I do my core work out with weights.... There is an off-day (same routine, no weights) work out too. So I work out everyday, usually! Except I do not on Sundays, sometimes. It is a combination of 'Energy Yoga' and 'Escape Your Shape' books! I am planning on adding illustrations after I have it put together better. This is how I'm keeping in shape. Fitness is a Big change in your Lifestyle... Drinking enough water and Eating right is a big part of your Fitness too!

Exercise at Home!

I am going to do exercise photographs soon! All the different exercises I know and love doing!
Also oscillating exercises (tighten up my stomach whenever I think about my abs needs).

This is one below by someone else as an example of the of kind of exercises I'm going to do (click on for the link to how to do this exercise)!

Blessings

I have been thinking a lot lately about how many Blessings we all have and how Blessed I am!

Blessings, From My Dreams that Came True to Little Necessities I Absolutely Love!

Drinking and Eating Slowly + Healthy


Yoga, Exercise and Stretching

Helping People, Enjoy Life:

Spending Time with Family/Friends
Quality Time, Raising My Children
My Children's Lesson & Creative Learning Time

My Relaxation Time:

Photographed By: Kerrianna

Massages with Lotion after Ice/hot Pack
Staying up Late and Sleeping In
Choose What I Watch (Movies & TV)
Listen to the Music that I Like and Dance to it!

Work and Recreation:

Photographed By: Steve Scott

Photography (Modeling and Photographing)
Creating Art Pieces for My Art Collection
Going Outside and Play or Walk with the Kids + Picnic at the Park!
Cleaning and Bathing
Organized & Clean
Internet - Chatting, Adding Art & Photographs along with Organizing website, Surfing, Blogging Inspirational Journals, Thoughts and Work