Compared to Laurie Halse Anderson's previous books, I found this particular book significantly more depressing. Anderson spends an almost unhealthy amount of time cataloging her character's disorder, so that her reason for writing the book is almost lost in the details. The book spends a lot of time detailing the main character's anorexia routine - how many calories she eats, how much she exercises, how she systematically hides her eating disorder relapse from her parents. It's both tedious and heavily depressing ... and it's a lot to cram into a fairly short book.
Of course, with all of Anderson's books, there is a positive message at the end. I will admit, the book did make me feel significantly less guilty about eating that extra cookie at lunch. Ultimately, the book has a good message, and it does an excellent job presenting how anorexia affects girls so profoundly that they are incapable of rational reasoning where their bodies are concerned. .... But in this particular case, it felt like too little, too late. I'm not saying that the book shouldn't have been written - obviously it's good to make girls aware of how destructive anorexia can be. However, the book allows the reader to get so wrapped up inside the main character's twisted mind, that I wound up depressed for two days afterward. Not sure if it was the subject matter, or the writing .. most likely it was a combination of both.
Of course, with all of Anderson's books, there is a positive message at the end. I will admit, the book did make me feel significantly less guilty about eating that extra cookie at lunch. Ultimately, the book has a good message, and it does an excellent job presenting how anorexia affects girls so profoundly that they are incapable of rational reasoning where their bodies are concerned. .... But in this particular case, it felt like too little, too late. I'm not saying that the book shouldn't have been written - obviously it's good to make girls aware of how destructive anorexia can be. However, the book allows the reader to get so wrapped up inside the main character's twisted mind, that I wound up depressed for two days afterward. Not sure if it was the subject matter, or the writing .. most likely it was a combination of both.
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