In Her Shoes : A Novel (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Baby," groaned the guy-Ted? Tad?-something like that-and crushed his lips against the side of her neck, shoving her face against the wall of the toilet..." (more)
Key Phrases: honey bun, Simon Stein, Golden Acres, Michael Feller (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Feller sisters are equal but opposite. Maggie is the good-looking, dyslexic little sister who knows how to get anything she wants--but not how to keep it. She "felt as if somewhere between the ages of fourteen and sixteen she'd walked off the edge of a cliff and had been falling ever since." Rose is the plump, practical, responsible older sister who knows about law but not much about her own happiness: "What did she like, besides shoes, and Jim, and foods that were bad for her?" When Maggie's latest eviction lands her in Rose's apartment, and Maggie insults Rose by seducing one of her sister's rare boyfriends, what follows is a chain of events by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. Embarrassed Rose evicts Maggie and begins a work sabbatical leading to a new livelihood and way of living. Maggie flees and runs away to Princeton. Masquerading as a student, she learns to love poetry and saves money for a trip to Miami--and a visit to a long-lost grandmother named Ella who might offer her a last shot at sanctuary. But In Her Shoes, the second novel from Good in Bed author Jennifer Weiner, is about more than the sisters' latest sibling rivalry; Maggie and Rose must sort out the childhood vulnerabilities and family mysteries that still linger two decades after their mother's death. In less capable hands, the plot might grow corny, but Weiner's humor and affection for the characters ultimately helps them transcend both neuroses and grief and learn the redemptive power of love. --Jane Hodges --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Weiner, whose debut novel Good in Bed was an instant bestseller, is back with another exuberantly confident offering. Twenty-eight-year-old Maggie Fuller relies on her looks and size zero body to flirt her way through life while working dozens of dead-end jobs and dreaming of stardom. At the other end of the spectrum is her older, larger sister, Rose, who relies on her intelligence and is an accomplished attorney at a large Philadelphia firm. The only things that these two seem to have in common is their shared history, a loathing for their "stepmonster," Sydelle, size six feet and a passion for luxurious shoes. When Maggie is evicted from her apartment and loses yet another job, Rose takes her in and tries to endure her closet raids and endless insults. But her patience abruptly ends when Maggie crosses a line so sacred that Rose kicks Maggie out and all but terminates their relationship ("Her sister was like a fucking Weebel, [Rose] thought. She'd wobble, she'd screw up, she'd steal your shoes... but she'd absolutely never fall down"). The sisters go on with their lives and Maggie discovers that she has a brain and a will to learn, while Rose learns to loosen up a bit and finds that there is more to life than work. The two sisters also get to know their maternal grandmother, Ella Hirsch, who they haven't seen since their mother's funeral more than 20 years ago. With Ella's love and support, Maggie reaches out to Rose and the two begin to repair their relationship. In the end, these three remarkable women learn that they are stronger than they thought they were, that family ties are worth preserving, and that there are perks to sharing the same shoe size. Weiner, a marvelously natural storyteller, blends humor and heartbreak to create an irresistible novel.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (July 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743418204
• ISBN-13: 978-0743418201
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (280 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,791 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Good In Bed Follow Up, February 2, 2003

By	"beachrunnerjkn" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Her Shoes : A Novel (Hardcover)

Ms. Weiner's debut, Good In Bed, left me eager for her next book, and In Her Shoes did not dissapoint. ... from the moment I opened this book, I was hooked, captivated by real and compelling characters who are just like so many people you know. Including yourself.

Jennifer Weiner has a gift for creating characters who's greatest weaknesses are also what makes them so charming and likeable. In this particular book, the focus is on sisters, Maggie and Rose. Rose is the heavy set, intelligent, highly succesful one. Maggie, two years younger, is beautiful, outgoing, but not school or book smart (at first) and jumping from one job failure to the next.

The relationship between Maggie and Rose is at the crux of this book -- complex because of a difficult past shadowed by a family tragedy. Jealousy threatens to tear these two apart, particularly through an act of deceipt. However, these two sisters find out that the ties that bind them are stronger than anything threatening to tear them apart.

More than a Bridget Jones type story, this book will tug at your heartstrings, make you cheer for these likeable, perfectly imperfect girls all the way. Also parallel to the story is a Grandmother who links them to their past, and draws them toward a happy future. If you like happy endings, funny anecdotes, and great characters, this book is for you.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Try it- You might like it, February 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: In Her Shoes : A Novel (Hardcover)

I read the first review on this page and decided to get the book anyway. I had read Good in Bed on a recent vacation after I picked it up with some other books on a whim. Never heard of Weiner or the book, and I loved them both. It was one of those great books--you know, the kind where when you finish, you don't want to let go of the characters. So, I heard that In Her Shoes was something of a sequel, so I rushed out and bought it. While I was disappointed that I didn't have much of an opportunity to learn more about Cannie, Joy and Nifkin, I was so distracted by my interest in Rose and Maggie that I hardly remembered why I bought the book in the first place.

Weiner does such a great job of writing about human, likeable characters that I was completely caught up in their lives. As quickly as I read the book, and as anxious as I was to see how it all turned out, I dreaded turning the final page because I didn't want to let go of these characters either. To me, that is how I judge a good book. If the characters show up in my dreams or if I just find myself wondering about what happened to them weeks after I finished the book, then it is a winner on my list.

Good job Weiner! Can't wait for the next one...

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mindless drivel, November 22, 2005

By	Avid Reader JKK "jkayk" (Stoneham, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Her Shoes: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I got this book because the women in my book club voted on it (not because I wanted to) and the only reason I read the whole thing is because I always finish what I start reading. So there's my excuse (and I feel like I need to make one) for why I wasted several hours reading unadulterated crap.

The characters are one-dimensional, the plot loose and shallow, the dialogue silly...and the writing is atrocious....

...but even worse is the pathetic editing (that is if anyone edited it at all.) Example, Weiner uses the phrase "swallowed hard" about a billion times. (I think I know someone who wants a Thesaurus for her birthday!) In the larger paperback edition (the cheesy Cameron Diaz cover) on the second page of Chapter 58, she says "swallowed hard" 3 times! Just on one page! Inexcusable...

Sadder yet is the message the book gives (and it is not one of those deeply ironic ones that is meant to disturb and invoke thought). The author said in an interview that she hopes her book will help change the way we look at/judge women by their bodies, but her book does just the opposite. The way Weiner treats her heavyset character is with a subtle disgust and disrespect. Read the book and you'll see - there are no positive messages here. Looking at the back cover - I wonder if Weiner hates herself for being Rose-like. So sad...I hope Weiner uses the money she made from this travesty (aka "In Her Shoes") to get some counseling and learn not to hate fat people (including herself).

Don't waste your time with this book. Read something by John Irving, Isabel Allende, Robertson Davies, Tom Robbins...okay, read anything by anyone but Jennifer Weiner. She is one more example of the "dumbing down of America".

However, if you want to publish a book just like her, grab a piece of paper, pick your favorite cliches, throw in a couple of designer names, "swallow hard" and write!