In 'Big Brother: A Novel,' Lionel Shriver delves into the complexities of familial love, the challenges of marriage, and the sensitive topic of obesity. Pandora, whose love language is expressed through her culinary creations, faces a marital rift as her husband Fletcher rejects her food in favor of a stringent fitness regime. The situation is further complicated when her older brother, Edison, a New York jazz pianist who was once slim and trendy, arrives for a visit having gained an overwhelming amount of weight. As Pandora grapples with Edison's transformation and the strain it places on her relationship with Fletcher, she confronts a harrowing choice between her spouse and her sibling. This narrative explores the profound question of how far we are willing to go to help the ones we love and whether it’s possible to truly rescue them from their self-destructive behaviors. 'Big Brother' combines Shriver's razor-sharp wit with a piercing examination of an issue that is both socially significant and personally agonizing.