One of the most interesting personal touches in “The Skinny On” book is Lisa Villemaire’s take on the topic of nationality. At one point in the book, she identifies being British by her nationality as an advantage, then later argues that her national identity has been a liability. The character lives in both England and Scotland, yet identifies with neither. Her marriage to an American is characterized by an identity crisis, which causes her to detach emotionally from her husband and from her family. Her status as a Scottish National is mentioned at one point in the novel, but never discussed in detail.
This discussion of national identity, and its implications for a woman’s personal and professional path through life is a timely one. A new documentary film called “Nikki for baby” addresses the issue of low-paid jobs for dozens of various nationalities, particularly African-Americans, and suggests that the lack of cultural capital results in some not reaching their potential in life and work. Lisa Villemaire sheds light on the issue of cultural capital, and how it relates to working-class women in the United States, and the issues of gender, age, size, accent, and so forth that affect what gets written about in the New York Times.
Villemaire draws attention to the often invisible aspects of nationality, thus painting a portrait of an existence that is neither understood nor desired. Her focus on family, gender, size, age, and accent, provide vignettes of a more complex person, rather than the simple images created by those who would seek to categorize people into national, ethnic, or socioeconomic categories. While Lisa Villemaire’s short novel is a quick read, it presents interesting insights into the ways identity and personal choices affect the choices we make in life. For anyone interested in exploring identity and moving forward in life, Villemaire’s debut novel provides an insightful and thought provoking introduction to the world of literature.