Winter Reading

Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Twisted, Catalyst) settled right in and took over my life for a bit.  The book is both disturbing and engrossing...much like anything that portrays adolescents honestly.

As a pre-teen and early teen, I read a lot of novels about girls with eating disorders, and really felt like there was nothing new to be said on the topic.  Because the author includes myriad other "issues," and this is not a typical anorexia/bulemia novel. 

Halse-Anderson wraps the package with appealing text tricks that consistently fit the narrative.  There's intrigue, mystery, and a lot less whining than I expected.  The fears, the longing, the determination, and the affection among characters feels real.  The inner dialogue is effective, and must have been fatiguing to write.

It's fascinating how some authors are able to make me relate to characters with whom I share no common ground. Halse-Anderson has that gift. 

I'm wishing some of my seniors hadn't graduated this month.  I'd love to pass this book along to one who's found her way out of eating issues, near-death scenarios, and the related hospitalizations.