Description: “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.
In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.
Language: Moderate
Violence: Moderate (about
eating disorders, death, etc.)
Sexual: Mild
This book touched a lot of
issues, not just my own but for many other teenage girls (and some boys) who
feel as though they will never be perfect until they lose that last pound. There
was a time that I was a bit like Lia was— not as bad as she was with her eating
habits (counting calories, stepping on scale and checking weight twenty times a
day in hopes of achieving those goals, etc.), but if I continued there would be
a high chance I would be like her today, or worse.
I believe that the beginning of
the story can be a very big trigger for someone who is immune to or struggling
with an eating disorder, and especially someone who is bullied or just wants
this for themselves. If you want to begin this story, I feel I have to be
honest with this. Eating disorders are not something to play around with; they
are very dangerous and can very well leave you alone in a dirty old motel room
dead, such as Lia’s friend. Because I know more about eating disorders than I’d
care to admit and I know how it works extremely well by now, this novel did not
affect me as much as it could others who are new to this or struggling with it.
But it still had a large significance to the reason I had to stop telling
myself what I was doing was wrong and to stop doing it. Even though I still
feel bad about eating, whether it is a larger portion or a minimum, I know what
could happen if I stop overall and I definitely know I do not want this to
happen.
This being admitted, just beware
before you begin this. But I do believe that this is a good book for someone to
read. It touches on a level that many people are afraid to get into, and I respect
the author for going into the deepest depths of the story. If you are as empathetic
as I am, you will be swimming in the wide sea of transitions and countless
issues that you have faced or are on the weak level of fronting.
Cover: I like the cover,
because it is unique and has that feel to it that makes you want to crack that
spine and read the book from start to finish.
Setting: The setting was
never mentioned, but as it was snowing and the author is also from this
specific location, I would assume the novel takes place in New York.
Characters: The lead
character in the story, Lia, although a strong girl, obliviously forces more
problems onto herself instead of washing them away in the sink her blood goes
down the drain into. She cannot go to her father, who watches her every move as
though she were some spectacle until wary observation, nor can she go to her stepmother
or her real mother, the woman who basically abandoned her. Her younger sister
is adorable and tries to help Lia in ways only a young child will try. Although
their commitment to her is unwavering, Lia shoves their love and help away from
her as she continues on, not wanting to be the girl everyone labels fat and
ugly. She doesn’t accept any help until it is forced upon her by those she
never expected would enter into her life and would comfort her the way they did.
Storyline: The storyline
is a sad but relatable and touches on issues some authors have been afraid to
pursue. It is quite helpful in some aspects, but you should beware with the
beginning because it can be a trigger to the gun that is bulimia and
depression.
Writing: The descriptions
in the book enthralled me, especially the ones about food and her cutting (as
horrible as it may sound, this has always interested me), and the imagery was
utterly amazing. It has just the right amount of simplicity in some areas and
the perfect amount of definition in others.
Surprises: There might be
a few surprises to many others who have never read reviews or heard about this
specific story before, but considering I have foolishly done this, the ending
was a bit spoiled for me. It did, however, end the way I would have liked for
Lia and those who care about her.
Overall: 4.5 stars. A very
moving piece, this story is not one that anyone can easily forget after
reading. Do not pick this book up if you are squeamish, for it has cutting and
several disorders mentioned.
Recommended: I would recommend this story to the
older teen crowd or those who are more mature, as it has serious issues
involved in it, and those who are either struggling with the same problem or
have a friend or family member who are, so they could help and advise them.