Book Summery:
“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 were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether. -goodreads.com
Book Trailer:
Book Review:
I had just finished reading Laurie Halse Anderson's first novel, Speak, when I knew I had to read more of her work. I promptly went to the bookstore and picked up a copy of Wintergirls. Honestly, this one was a little harder for me to get into. I think I was able to identify a bit more with the main character of Speak. Also, I am not a big fan of reading about eating disorders. However, once I was completely enveloped into the story, it was damn near impossible to set down. I would get home after working a 12+ hour shift and settle into a good hour of reading before I couldn't hold up my eyelids any longer. This may not seem significant, but let me tell you when you are working 12 hour night shifts, an hour of reading before bed is practically a miracle.
I found Wintergirls to have a rather haunting tone. My biggest issue (as stated above) was my difficulty with identifying with the main character, Lia. My biggest obsession was two-fold. One, I desperately wanted to know what actually happened to Cassie. This is what pressed me to flip page after page, even when I was dog tired from work. Two, I wanted to know the underlying issue(s) that were going on with Lia. Why was she starving/hurting herself? What caused this behavior? Would she be able to stop this behavior and start living the life she deserved? Overall, this book left me speechless. Though I had a difficult time understanding Lia, I was definitely able to empathize for her. It takes an amazing writer to be able to do that and Anderson delivers. Her haunting prose are beautiful and will leave you thinking about the story long after you turn the last page.
Favorite Quote:
"WhatWhyWhenHowWho?WhatWhyWhenHowWho?WhatWhyWhenHowWho?
What am I afraid of? Why cant I even want to get better? When am I me and how do I know that and who would I be if I did what they want?
How did I get like this?" (p. 215)
Cover Art Commentary:
My favorite thing about this cover is the color. I also like the concept of the girl trapped in ice. It reminds me of Lia, trapped in her own body, unable to control her thoughts and actions at times.
Overall Rating:
I really enjoyed this book as well, and I'm so glad you decided to read more of Anderson's work!
ReplyDeleteI adored this book. Lia, while I might not have been able to sympathize with her or understand her mindset, absolutely haunted me and still does. I have yet to read anything else by Laurie Halse Anderson, but I definitely want to do so!
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard when you can't connect with the main character. Thanks for the honest review :)
ReplyDeleteI think this book sounds really really good. I am waiting to get Speak in my mailbox, can't wait to read it. But this really does sound good as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I actually liked this one more than Speak.
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