Certain Girls (2008) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

show spoilers

Characters/People edit see section history

• Candace "Cannie" Shapiro: One of the two narrators; first appeared in Weiner's novel Good in Bed. Plus-sized writer married to a doctor. They live in Philadelphia.
• Joy Shapiro Krushelevansky: Cannie's daughter from a previous relationship. She is 12, almost 13, in the beginning of this book. She was born prematurely and as a result has a bilateral hearing loss and wears hearing aids.
• Dr. Peter Krushelevansky: Cannie's husband, a doctor of bariatric medicine.
• Bruce Guberman: Cannie's ex-boyfriend and Joy's biological father.
• Tamsin: One of Joy's best friends; twin sister of Todd.
• Todd: One of Joy's best friends; twin brother of Tamsin.
• J. N. Locksley: Cannie's pen name under which she writes scifi novels.
• Sasha: One of Joy's friends from school.
• Duncan Brodkey: Joy's crush at school. He dates Amber Gross.
• Amber Gross: Ringleader of the clique of girls Joy calls the "Certain Girls" at her school. Amber befriends Joy after years of them being in the same classes probably because she knows that Joy's mother is friends with Maxi Ryder.
• Samantha: Single friend of Cannie's who is always looking for a nice Jewish man.
• Grandma Ann: Cannie's mother; Joy's grandmother
• Lucy Beth "Elle" Shapiro: Known as Lucy in the first novel; Cannie's younger sister. She lives in New York City but visits Cannie on occasion, usually when she needs money. She is portrayed as the more fun of the Shapiro sisters, and is idolized by Joy for her seemingly glamorous lifestyle.
• Tyler: One of Joy's cousins on the Guberman side. He lives in New Jersey.
• Lyla Dare: Protagonist of the Star Girl series of scifi books that Cannie writes under a pen name.
• Maxi Ryder: A movie star who is friends with Cannie. She was first introduced in Good in Bed.
• Mona: Anne's new life partner.
• Josh Shapiro: Cannie's brother
• Mrs. Marmer: Todd and Tamsyn's mother.
• Alden Langley Chernowitz: Cannie's roommate during her freshman year at Princeton. In the novelized version of her life, she renames her Baldwin Carruther.
• Tanya: Cannie's mother's former life partner
• Dr. Neville: A fertility doctor whom Peter and Cannie consult
• Mr. Shoup: One of Joy's teachers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Philadelphia
• Los Angeles
• California
• Pittsburgh

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Good in Bed.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Jennifer Weiner (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.54

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › United States
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history