In Her Shoes

by Jennifer Weiner

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Synopsis

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Rose and Maggie Feller agree on very little except for their love of shoes and their mutual contempt for their stepmother, Sydelle, and her daughter, Marsha.

In her 2002 novel In Her Shoes, best-selling author Jennifer Weiner introduces readers to Rose and Maggie Feller, two sisters who could not be more different. Rose, the elder sister, has always been more responsible than her sister for whom she has cared since their mother died. Rose is 30, single, and overweight; she envies her sister's carefree nature, naturally thin body, and luck with men—until, that is, Maggie's indiscretion and inability to hold down a meaningful job interfere with Rose's stable and successful life. Soon, the sisters' circumstances change dramatically.

The sisters' lives diverge even more as they go their separate ways. Rose finds love with Simon Stein, the perfect Jewish man of her dreams. Ironically, Rose also decides to quit her job and finds happiness as a dog walker in spite of her Ivy League education.

Maggie decides to track down their grandmother, Ella, who was kept away from them as children. Imagine Ella's shock when Maggie appears at her door wanting not only a place to stay but also a relationship. The unlikely roommates embark on a journey of discovery as they get to know one another and Maggie discovers upsetting information about her past. Soon, Maggie finds rewarding work as an aide at an assisted living facility and, ultimately, as a personal shopper for the residents of Ella's complex.

The Feller women eventually reunite and make amends for the past. Rose marries Simon, Maggie finds direction for her future, and Ella reconnects with her long-lost granddaughters. In short, the women finally learn what it feels like to be in one another's shoes, which results in mutual admiration, respect, and love.

Told through Weiner's trademark shifting point of view, In Her Shoes is instantly engaging to anyone who has ever struggled through family relationships, sought emotional fulfillment instead of a regular paycheck, or simply hoped for happiness.

Made into a major motion picture in 2005, In Her Shoes starred Toni Collette as Rose, Cameron Diaz as Maggie, and Shirley MacLaine as Ella.

Summary

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Jennifer Weiner's second novel, In Her Shoes, introduces readers to Maggie and Rose Feller, sisters with little in common besides their love of shoes. The girls were raised by their father after their mother died an early death in a car accident. The Feller girls are different in every possible way. Rose is an Ivy League graduate and successful lawyer in Philadelphia. Maggie is a party girl who never attended college and cannot hold down a job, but is extremely popular with men.

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