Certain Girls

by Jennifer Weiner

Attention all fans of Good in Bed: Cannie Shapiro is back!

Well, that's the good news. The bad news: Cannie's back, but she has a 13-year-old daughter named Joy, whose bat mitzvah she's planning. She's a frumpy, dumpy, minivan-driving, always hovering mommy. She's really not the Cannie we all know and love from Weiner's first novel.

Told in alternating voices, this is the story of Cannie's daughter and her coming of age, which includes discovering her mom's bestselling (and semi-autobiographical) novel, Big Girls Don't Cry. It's also about Cannie coming to terms with her past and present, which includes her husband's current desire to have another child.

Oh, Jennifer Weiner! Why couldn't you stick to chick lit? If only! I would be your devoted fan. Alas! I just can't get into the neurotic mommy thing.

5/24/08