Miki B. (MikiOz) reviewed on + 43 more book reviews
The Cinderella Pact is a fast-paced, duplicitous twist on the traditional Cinderella story. When main character, Nola Devlin, is immediately rejected for the columnist job she wants at the magazine where she is a low-level editor, presumably due to her weight, she submits an application under the false identity of Belinda Apple, who is skinny, stylish, and British (according to the picture Nola photoshops).
Though this novel borrows heavily from the much-used Jennifer Weiner emphasis on the insecurities of overweight women and the related societal cruelty and indifference they face on a daily basis, including the extreme deprivation felt during a diet and exercise regime to lose the weight and "change their lives", the rest of the story keeps your attention through the ever higher stakes faced by the main character in the course of hiding her secret identity and trying to find true love.
The vignettes of Nola's flawed family ring true, as does her close female friendships. For anyone who identified with the Devil Wears Prada, there's also an evil boss thrown in for good measure.
Though this novel borrows heavily from the much-used Jennifer Weiner emphasis on the insecurities of overweight women and the related societal cruelty and indifference they face on a daily basis, including the extreme deprivation felt during a diet and exercise regime to lose the weight and "change their lives", the rest of the story keeps your attention through the ever higher stakes faced by the main character in the course of hiding her secret identity and trying to find true love.
The vignettes of Nola's flawed family ring true, as does her close female friendships. For anyone who identified with the Devil Wears Prada, there's also an evil boss thrown in for good measure.
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