Tag: laurie halse anderson

Book Review: WINTERGIRLS

I loved SPEAK. The book floored me from the first page. As a writer, the quality of the work and the unique voice of the narrator are things to strive for. As a reader, the gorgeous symbolism and heartbreaking story tugged at the teenager residing in me. So when I picked up Laurie Halse Anderson’s WINTERGIRLS, you better believe I had high expectations. Thankfully, Ms. Anderson lived up to them.

The cover features a haunting image of a girl’s face shielded and obscured behind a wall of ice, a perfect visual symbol of the heart of the novel. WINTERGIRLS takes you inside the ice, allowing you to experience what life is like for Lia, a girl suffering from anorexia. With a skill that appears effortless, Ms. Anderson captures the dichotomy of an illness that is about taking control and losing it all at the same time. Lia and her best friend, Cassie, once competed to see who would be thinnest, but when Cassie dies, Lia’s guilt and illness send her spiraling alone into a world where her worth is painfully measured in calorie intake and the number on her scale. Her helpless and dysfunctional family fail to notice as the pounds drop off until Lia feels “I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.”  Poetic language and techniques are used to illustrate the obsessive nature of this eating disorder, and the flowing narrative feels real, never flinching from the ugly thoughts we all have.

While the novel focuses on eating disorders, Lia’s insecurities and heartbreaks are universal ones. Don’t be surprised to find yourself relating to her pain, and be prepared to find yourself delving into your own wounds.  Stark and heavy, WINTERGIRLS is no light read, but a work that sticks with you for weeks after you’ve finished it.