Sethie Weiss is hungry, a mean, angry kind of hunger that feels like a piece of glass in her belly. She’s managed to get down to 111 pounds and knows that with a little more hard work—a few more meals skipped, a few more snacks vomited away—she can force the number on the scale even lower. She will work on her body the same way she worked to get her perfect grades, to finish her college applications early, to get her first kiss from Shaw, the boy she loves, the boy who isn’t quite her boyfriend.
Sethie will not allow herself one slip, not one bad day, not one break in concentration. Her body is there for her to work on when everything and everyone else—her best friend, her schoolwork, and Shaw—are gone.
Sethie will not allow herself one slip, not one bad day, not one break in concentration. Her body is there for her to work on when everything and everyone else—her best friend, her schoolwork, and Shaw—are gone.
This one wasn't an easy book to read. Sethie is altogether too real, to me. She is a perfect example of how quickly a teenager (girl or boy) can slide into an eating disorder without any one noticing or saying anything until it's nearly too late. It starts out as a game, a challenge, then it becomes central to your life, more so than breathing.
Self-discovery shouldn't be so dangerous. It shouldn't consume you, and destroy you. I would've liked to seen more...resolution. Admitting there is a problem is a good start, but I think teenagers need a little more. But then, I always need more closure than an author gives me. I do appreciate that Sheinmel didn't go the "classic" anorexia/bulimia route for Sethie's problems. Eating disorders aren't that black and white, cut and dry.
It really is an excellent story, very well done. As you read it, you feel like you're in Sethie's head, really seeing what she is.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Alfred A. Knopf BFYR through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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