Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls - where do I start?  Admittedly, Laurie Halse Anderson is the queen of tackling difficult subject matter and Wintergirls is no exception.  Wintergirls was published in 2009, ten years after her seminal work Speak.  In Wintergirls Anderson dives into the world of eating disorders.  Lia has anorexia, while her best friend Cassie struggles with bulimia.  The insight that Anderson offers into the mind of those experiencing trouble with eating disorders could have only come from thorough research and interviews.  From the outside looking in, it is very easy to assume what is going on inside the mind of someone with an eating disorder, but Wintergirls shatters all preconceived notions.  Such insight is visible on almost every page - Example - As Lia and her mother delicately dance and debate about Lia eating, her inner monologue is this, "I am so hungry I have to stay strong - bend, but not break. 'One muffin'."  The relationships within the novel are tenuous at best, artfully explored, and absolutely realistic.  But the stand out of the book, the thing that stays with you, is how tortured Lia is, how lost and confused, how set in her ways, and how frighteningly easy it is for her to believe the distorted thoughts in her head.  I will be thinking about this one for a while.  A must read for anyone interested in the psychology of eating disorders, or for those who may want to educate their kids about the dangers of eating disorders.  It's relatable, not preachy.