Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is Crystal Maldonado’s debut novel. It was released in February 2021 by Holiday House. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is a contemporary YA novel.
Synopsis
Charlie Vega is a high school junior living in Connecticut. She’s a beautiful girl who struggles with being a fat, brown girl in a white community. She misses her dad, as he was the only one who seemed to truly get her. She fights with her mom a lot, especially about her weight. Her best friend, Amelia, is the total opposite of Charlie. She’s slim, athletic, and everyone wants to be around her. A boy finally pays attention to Charlie and wants to date. All goes well until Charlie learns he asked Amelia out first.
Will Charlie learn to love herself? Will she learn she’s loved and worthy of love as she is?
Positives
The diversity of characters is great. Charlie is Puerto Rican. Amelia is African-American. Kevin is Korean. I assume the majority of the remaining characters are white, as their ethnicity isn’t mentioned. Also, Amelia is pansexual, and Kevin has two moms.
The fact that Charlie is the focus of the story is refreshing. So many coming-of-age stories seem to have the plus-sized characters as the side character, the best friend. In this book, she’s the main character! Love it!
Negatives
Maybe it’s just me, but hearing the word fat so much kind of bothered me. I know it is one way to describe a person, and probably better than fluffy or plump, but not one I’m used to hearing so much. Oh, and I am overweight, have been most of my life as a matter of fact. But saying someone is fat, even if they are, was always considered a rude thing.
While Charlie does grow and mature throughout the book, she is very whiny at the beginning of the book. She constantly complained about how everyone prefers Amelia to her. Part of me is like, forget them, and move on with your life. Easier said than done, I know.
My Opinion
Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is a modern coming of age novel that features the diversity some lack. It is a YA contemporary, as the main character is a high school junior. Thus making me not the target audience, which may be why I had some issues with Charlie herself. I found her whiny, needy, and a bit over the top. When I was in high school, I don’t think I was so into wanting boys like me that I went out and bought fancy/frilly bras and bragged to him about it after one month of dating. I still don’t go out and buy fancy/frilly bras because they aren’t practical.
I am a plus-sized woman and have been plus-sized the majority of my life. Sure I got down on myself; who doesn’t? But I don’t remember ever thinking that just because people prefer spending time with someone else doesn’t mean they don’t like me too.
Do I think this is a book people should read? Yes. But keep in mind that Charlie may seem a bit immature for her age; I mean, she is 17 and at times acts like she’s 7.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
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