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Wintergirls

by Laurie H Anderson

Wintergirls Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

"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.

Review:

"Acute anorexia, self-mutilation, dysfunctional families and the death of a childhood friend — returning to psychological minefields akin to those explored in Speak, Anderson delivers a harrowing story overlaid with a trace of mysticism. The book begins as Lia learns that her estranged best friend, Cassie, has been found dead in a motel room; Lia tells no one that, after six months of silence, Cassie called her 33 times just two days earlier, and that Lia didn't pick up even once. With Lia as narrator, Anderson shows readers how anorexia comes to dominate the lives of those who suffer from it (here, both Lia and Cassie), even to the point of fueling intense competition between sufferers. The author sets up Lia's history convincingly and with enviable economy — her driven mother is 'Mom Dr. Marrigan,' while her stepmother's values are summed up with a prcis of her stepsister's agenda: 'Third grade is not too young for enrichment, you know.' This sturdy foundation supports riskier elements: subtle references to the myth of Persephone and a crucial plot line involving Cassie's ghost and its appearances to Lia. As difficult as reading this novel can be, it is more difficult to put down. Ages 12 — up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

Six years after Cassie and Lia resolved to become the skinniest girls in their school, Cassie dies. Unable to bear the sadness and guilt following Cassie's death, Lia spirals deeper into her own eating disorder. Elijah, the last person to see Cassie alive, helps Lia find the strength to face her own demons and enter recovery.

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Jena, November 22, 2009 (view all comments by Jena)
If I were still teaching, I would have multiple copies of this on my classroom shelves. Laurie Halse Anderson has become a favorite YA author amongst both adults and teens alike, and with excellent reason. Her characters are those teens--especially girls--can understand, girls who are survivors of others' crimes or their own malicious webs, girls who develop their strength through the pages, through their own words.

If I have one criticism of Wintergirls (and some of her other "issue" books), it's that Anderson has a tendency to wrap her characters' problems up a little too neatly in the end. But because of the brilliance of the writing--and because otherwise, such books could go on forever--I'll overlook that. Wintergirls is the best Laurie Halse Anderson book I've read since Speak.
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starylove, June 7, 2009 (view all comments by starylove)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. It is one of my favorite books of all time!!!!

Wintergirls is about a girl struggling with an eating disorder. When I read this book I found myself as Lia. I felt as though Laurie (the author) painted this amazing world into my head full of the truth about losing a best friend and losing my life. I think that this book holds millions of truths and EVERYONE should read and discover what Lia's story has to say!!!!
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starylove, June 7, 2009 (view all comments by starylove)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. It is one of my favorite books of all time!!!!

Wintergirls is about a girl struggling with an eating disorder. When I read this book I found myself as Lia. I felt as though Laurie (the author) painted this amazing world into my head full of the truth about losing a best friend and losing my life. I think that this book holds millions of truths and EVERYONE should read and discover what Lia's story has to say!!!!

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780670011100
Author:
Anderson, Laurie H
Publisher:
Viking Books
Author:
Anderson, Laurie Halse
Subject:
Death
Subject:
Anorexia nervosa
Subject:
Social Issues - Adolescence
Subject:
Family - Stepfamilies
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General
Subject:
Social Issues - Depression & Mental Illness
Subject:
Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings
Copyright:
Publication Date:
March 2009
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Pages:
278
Dimensions:
8.48x5.95x1.00 in. .87 lbs.
Age Level:
12-12

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