Diary of a Mad Fat Girl: A Book Review

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you picked up Bridget Jones from England, took away her accent and plopped her into Bugtussle, Mississippi?  You can find out if you meet Graciela “Ace” Jones from the newest Blogher Book Club selection Diary of a Mad Fat Girl.  In fact, it might be fun if  Ace Jones met Bridget Jones, although possibly they already met studying abroad in Italy.  They'd have had a good time smoking and drinking their way through Florence and Rome.

Stephanie MacAfee, the author of Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, must have laughed outloud while writing this novel and peppering it with characters that resonate with all the fun and oddity that come from living in a small Southern town.  Ace and her two best friends, Chloe - a good Southern junior leaguer and Lilly, a man-eating former-lingerie model, have no ordinary days playing local school board politics, saving their teaching jobs from the vicious principal of Bugtussle High School, and navigating roller coaster love lives with hunky motorcycle riders, old boyfriends, cheating husbands and the good-looking men of the local police force.  Ace’s strongly Southern voice is hilarious and her observations are a riot.  In a favorite passage, Ace wonders why gyms don’t take a hint from department stores and have plus-sized section so that more generously proportioned women don’t have to exercise with the skinny people. 

While Diary of a Mad, Fat Girl wasn't my favorite book, I had several hours of fun reading it and getting great visuals in my head.  I could hear the characters' voices and by golly, I found myself looking forward to seeing this book as a movie with its funny dialogue, fast-paced plot and charming characters.  In fact, I started casting the movie in my head and finally came up with Brooke Elliott (assuming she can do a good Southern accent) as Ace.  And, maybe whatever dog plays Buster Loo will be as big a star as Uggie.  

I was compensated for this book review by BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are all my own.  

http://www.blogher.com/bookclub/now-reading-diary-mad-fat-girl