If you feed a starving woman, what will she grow into?
That is the overarching theme of Supper Club by Lara Williams. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this novel recently in exchange for my thoughts on the book. It was an exciting opportunity, especially since I've been trying to keep up with sharing book reviews on this blog this past spring. Have I been successful in that? Maybe somewhat, kind of...
But anyway, back to Supper Club. When I read the book description, I was immediately interested. It had all the elements I love in a book - a nearly-30-year-old protagonist, sick of holding back on her true passions, breaking free and finding the way to let herself blossom into her true self? AND with a lot of food!? Yes, PLEASE!
Roberta meets Stevie and together they create the Supper Club to embrace being women, letting their freak flags fly, and going to town on some delicious food all the while. Supper Club is about taking up space - eating with their hands, gaining weight, spreading themselves out when sitting in that space, gorging themselves, dancing freely, etc. Essentially, fighting the limitations put on women to be dainty beings who politely nibble and sit with their legs crossed politely, etc. After reading the book, all I can say is....how the HECK do I join?
When I sat down to start reading, I devoured over 100 pages in one sitting (pun very intended). I loved how we got to read the backstories on the Supper Club members throughout the story and what led them to want to join the Supper Club. The best part? All of the descriptions of the food! Oh my gosh, I'd get so hungry reading about each Supper Club meeting and all the delicious food they'd make and eat. Yum!
I also related BIG TIME to Roberta. Her perspectives on quite a few things really hit home and there were many times where I'd read her opinions or preferences and think "Uh am I reading about me right now?" For example, she points out how she typically hates fruit in her water as she hates the stringy bits of pulp and the "half flavor." YES! I get so annoyed when water comes with a lemon slice in restaurants. It just ruins it for me.
I decided it was time for this Emily & Fin dress to be mine. After admiring it for months but not springing for it (I was in Buying House mode all spring as we saved every penny in preparation), it was 50% off last week in part of Modern Millie's Emily & Fin sale and while I would have felt better getting a large to have a bit of breathing room (or eating room, let's be honest), I went with the medium and it fits like a glove.
The colors are A DREAM and conveniently work very well with the cover of Supper Club. I knew I had to snap some photos having a picnic, a fearless Supper Club of my own...sort of.
I'll leave you with my favorite line in the book, which is an extremely powerful and feminist statement, if I do say so myself: There's nothing more terrifying than a woman who eats and fucks with abandon.
