Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Summary
Lia is alive, but just barely. Her former best friend, Cassie, has died, and Lia is not far behind her because well she has anorexia. No one around her understands her need to not eat, and no one sees how easily she pretends that she does. It would be nice to just not have to deal with any of it anymore.
Commentary
In one word, this book was intense. I thought it was an excellent portrayal of what goes on in the mind of someone who is anorexic. Having been through a less extreme case of this, I empathized very deeply with what Lia was going through in this book, and this is a big part of why I found this book so
While this seems like a diary, it is really written more as a stream of Lia's thoughts as she battles with the need to eat and the fear eating. I can see how this style of writing may be off-putting for some, but I think it emphasized the war raging inside Lia's head.
Lia comes off as pushing away all those who want to help her, but at least from my perspective, it seemed more a sign of anger because those closest to her were so easy to fool. That may be me projecting, but hey, that's how I read the book.
This book may be triggering for those who are anorexic/bulimic so I don't recommend any sufferers read this book, but for those who are recovered it's a strong reminder of how far we've come. For those who are not sufferers, you should read it to better understand anorexia (especially for anyone dealing with someone close who has anorexia). It may not really offer solutions, but it definitely gives you an intimate glimpse of the warning signs of anorexia.
Star Rating: 4.5/5.0
For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.
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9 comments: Jump to Comment Form
I recently bought this book and have been looking very forward to starting it. This review makes me want to read it even sooner! I am glad you were able to overcome the less extreme case that you had with it!
This sounds like an important book. I'm lucky enough to have never had any issues with food or weight so I can't imagine what it must be like. It sounds like the writing style of the book really helps to bring that across.
This is the only Anderson book that I've read, but I can see why she is such a beloved writer with teens and young adults--she totally gets their moods and their fears and their frustrations and their passions.
I read this last year and really enjoyed it. I agree that it's a very intense read (as are all the authors books). I really love everything Laurie Halse Anderson writes though nothing is just as good as Speak. Great review!
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@As the Crowe Flies and Reads and Khadija I'm thinking about reading Speak, but don't have a copy of it currently. Anderson, at least in this book, definitely hits the feelings on the nail so I look forward to the day when I have a copy of Speak and get around to reading it heh~~
Great review. I've had this on my TBR but it sounds pretty intense and like something it might be well worth reading about.
Thanks!
I'm just not sure about this one! I've never been much into 'issue' books...
@Ashley yah issue books can depend on whether you care about the issue or not heh~~
I really like Anderson's work and how she tackles very real, very painful topics that are relevant to girls everywhere.
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