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Book Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

August 23, 2010 by Darlene


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson can best be described as a haunting and powerfully written novel. I know this book has been reviewed so many times but I’ve only now gotten around to reading it and I’m glad I did. It’s a disturbing look into eighteen-year-old Lia’s life – the life of an anorexic.

Lia wants to be thin – so thin that she disappears and her body is breaking down and dying because of it. She’s been hospitalized before, yet the power that wanting to be thin has over her mind is so strong that Lia can’t see the damage being done to her body and soul.

The book begins with the death of Lia’s ex-best friend who dies in a motel room all by herself. They haven’t talked in months but on the eve of Cassie’s death she tries phoning Lia several times – 33 times to be exact; a fact that leaves Lia feeling quite guilty. The two girls had been friends since grade school and they were also bonded together in their quest to starve themselves. It was a competition of sorts to see who could lose more or to what lengths they would go to lose the weight.

Everyone is worried that Lia will take a downwards spiral after the death but she continually tells everyone she’s ok, that she’s handling it. Really she isn’t though and her eating habits begin to take a dangerous turn again. Her stepmother weighs her regularly but like many with eating disorders they learn ways to mask their weight and Lia is no different, sewing quarters into her robe to make it heavier. To make matters worse Lia is being haunted by Cassie’s ghost and not in a good way. Even in death Cassie is encouraging Lia to push the boundaries further; to take herself closer to death and then they can be together again.

This novel is written in such a way that it really puts you into Lia’s life – literally into her thoughts and they are scary. She hates herself so much and is so unhappy that it’s very heartbreaking to read as she not only starves herself but she’s a cutter as well- anything to try to stop her pain. After a particularly scary episode in a motel room by herself, Lia has to decide what’s important to her – to continue on her quest to be the skinniest girl around and join Cassie in death or to choose life and move forward.

What I really liked about this book is that it is not sugar-coated in any way. It’s real and it’s in your face and shocking in how scary Lia’s thoughts about herself are. This is an all too real problem with young girls especially and I can only imagine how hard a book such as this could impact them and possibly help them. They aren’t alone in their struggles and as Lia says it’s small steps forward – there is no cure but there with one step at a time, there may be hope.

I’ll leave you with one quote among many in this book that impacted me…

“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 library aide who hides in Fantasy. I am the circus freak encased in beeswax. I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame. (pg 24, eBook edition)

Disclosure…my eBook copy of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson purchased by yours truly.

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Filed Under: 2010 Book Reviews, 2010 eBook Challenge, 2010-100+ Challenge

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Blodeuedd says

    August 23, 2010 at 9:45 am

    I should read this one, the truth is ugly, and I am glad it's not sugarcoated

  2. Thoughts of Joy says

    August 23, 2010 at 11:31 am

    I thought this was a very good book. It gives such a realistic picture of the disorder. Being in her head was definitely a scary place to be.

  3. christina says

    August 23, 2010 at 11:41 am

    LOVE THIS BOOK! I listened to it in audio format and it was interesting how they handled the crossed out lines (her inner voice).

  4. itsJUSTme says

    August 23, 2010 at 11:52 am

    Oh I like her, she is the one who wrote "Speak" right?

    Great review, sounds really good.

  5. JoAnn says

    August 23, 2010 at 11:59 am

    I really liked Speak and have been planning to read this one, too. Thanks for the great review!

  6. Kaye says

    August 23, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    I still can't bring myself to read this book. We almost lost our younger daughter to this disorder and it was the worst 4 years of our family's life and still 20+ years later, I worry about her. She's still, at barely 90 lbs, obsessed with weight,exercise and food. If this book can help one person or family understand this disease, I applaud the author.

  7. Zibilee says

    August 23, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    I have a copy of Anderson's Speak around here somewhere, but I haven't gotten around to getting this one yet. It sounds frightening, and in a lot of ways, very realistic. I am going to have to see if I can hunt down a copy. It seems like it would be a really compelling read. Fantastic review, Dar! I really liked hearing your thoughts on this book!

  8. Mary says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    I've only seen good reviews for this book. Sounds like you agree with all the others about this intense, honest and emotional book. Probably everyone knows someone who struggles with this horrible disease. Great review, Dar.

  9. Nise' says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    Great review. This was a good one. I just finished a book about bullying that is in your face real and very disturbing as well.

  10. Marie says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:22 pm

    Very nice review. I don't have this one yet, but it's been on my wishlist for awhile.

  11. bermudaonion says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    I bought this after reading Speak but haven't read it yet. It sounds like a very powerful book.

  12. Sandy Nawrot says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    I've been wanting to read this book since I first read about it. It sounds gut-wrenching but probably every mother of a teenaged girl should read it. I'm thinking that even my daughter should read it, so she understands how dangerous it is to obsess over weight.

  13. Shelley (Book Clutter) says

    August 23, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    I'm so glad it was Laurie Halse Anderson who took this project on. I don't know if it would have been so well done by anyone else. Powerful!

  14. Staci says

    August 23, 2010 at 11:40 pm

    This one was brutally honest and frankly, scary in parts. Especially the girls on the internet helping each other lose weight!!! Love that you finally read your E copy!!!

  15. Veens says

    August 24, 2010 at 12:54 am

    I know this author is greatly admired! I need to read Speak and then follow it up with this one! Great review< Dar!

  16. Toni says

    August 24, 2010 at 6:00 am

    I want to read this one Dar. I know so many families that are / and have been going through this. Thanks for the review. I too like that you mention it is not sugar-coated. The truth needs to be told. You know "important fiction."

    extra hugs bud.

  17. Amy says

    August 25, 2010 at 9:52 pm

    Wow, that's an amazing quote you ended your review with, Dar. It's chilling! I've read several books about anorexia and my heart goes out to any girl coping with it. It's a monster illness with a mind all it's own. Laurie Halse Anderson's book sounds riveting, intense, difficult to read but hard to put down.

    I'm glad you reviewed it. I didn't really read any other reviews of this book. But now I realize it's a book I would really like to read.

    Thank you for a great review!
    ~ Amy

  18. naida says

    August 25, 2010 at 10:08 pm

    This sounds like an intense read. Great review dar.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  19. Alice Teh says

    August 28, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    I've read many reviews of the book too and would like to, one day, read the book. I have SPEAK and haven't read it though.

  20. Anonymous says

    August 31, 2010 at 12:06 pm

    Great review. Powerful book.
    Would love to get the chance to read it.
    RJB
    loki304[at]tds[dot]net

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