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deepower7's review against another edition
3.0
Really severely over written to the point of disaster, but an important story for me to read. Overall I think it handled the topic pretty well.
akdorman's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nora2085's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jess_mango's review
4.0
Let's call it 3.5 stars.
Wintergirls is a first person perspective novel about a teenager struggling with anorexia. Lia lives with her dad, step-mom and younger sister in New Hampshire. She has previously been in the hospital for her eating disorder and is now actively trying to trick her parents into thinking she is fine but she is still not eating correctly. Lia and her best friend Cassie both are "wintergirls" who are striving to be as thin as possible. When Cassie ends up dying by herself in a motel room, Lia begins feeling haunted.
The story was raw and was definitely not an easy-breezy read. The writing is almost poetic, which is consistent with the other books that I've previously read by the same author ([b:Speak|39280444|Speak|Laurie Halse Anderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529044298l/39280444._SY75_.jpg|118521] and [b:Shout|40519254|Shout|Laurie Halse Anderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1536542610l/40519254._SY75_.jpg|62882044]). However, I liked those other two books more than this one.
Wintergirls is a first person perspective novel about a teenager struggling with anorexia. Lia lives with her dad, step-mom and younger sister in New Hampshire. She has previously been in the hospital for her eating disorder and is now actively trying to trick her parents into thinking she is fine but she is still not eating correctly. Lia and her best friend Cassie both are "wintergirls" who are striving to be as thin as possible. When Cassie ends up dying by herself in a motel room, Lia begins feeling haunted.
The story was raw and was definitely not an easy-breezy read. The writing is almost poetic, which is consistent with the other books that I've previously read by the same author ([b:Speak|39280444|Speak|Laurie Halse Anderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529044298l/39280444._SY75_.jpg|118521] and [b:Shout|40519254|Shout|Laurie Halse Anderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1536542610l/40519254._SY75_.jpg|62882044]). However, I liked those other two books more than this one.
seymone's review
4.0
This book really opened my eyes to eating disorders and the mental anguish that one faces with these disorders. Really intense read.
kyliewhip09's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Incredible book. Main character really shows what having an eating disorder is like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
So powerful, so upsetting, so shocking.
Having never experienced an eating disorder, it feels very hard to put myself in the shoes of someone like Lia, but Wintergirls did make me think that I could understand what anorexia might be like. It doesn't condone it, glamourise it or make it in any way anything less than a frightening and deadly condition.
It could also potentially prove a very valuable book for the right reader.
Lia's best friend Cassie is dead. The two shared everything as children, as teenagers, including a competitive urge to be the thinnest. Lia didn't pick up the phone on the night her friend called. She rung 33 times before being found dead the next day... Lia cannot forget it. And she cannot stop seeing Cassie everywhere she goes.
And she cannot stop herself from continuing her obsession to become the Thinnest...
A truly chilling portrait of a vulnerable girl fighting her own instincts to stay alive. The whole thing felt realistic - from her clever sabotaging of the scales her family weigh her on, to the secretive night-time running to lose more pounds, to the constant negative thoughts about her own shape and wily methods of fooling her family.
It was so hard to watch her, to watch the pounds drop off Lia, and to see the story of her and Cassie as they first discovered how to be disgusted with their own bodies.
It is quite graphic in its depiction of bulimia and anorexia, and as Cassie's death is described in detail, this is one for secondary-aged readers only. It is very upsetting. Of course, it needs to be, and its one that will stay with me.
I recommended it to a group of Year 8s and one girl told me she had found the writing style difficult to follow - it is unusual, it has a stream-of-consciousness feel that flits from Lia thinking about food, her body, Cassie, then seeing her friend as a ghost/spirit. I found this appealing and thought it worked well, but it's a tough subject and a tricky narrative technique so may put some readers off.
I've read Anderson before, and am hugely impressed at the detail and depiction of eating disorders she portrays. Would be very useful for parents/teachers as well as the target age group.
Having never experienced an eating disorder, it feels very hard to put myself in the shoes of someone like Lia, but Wintergirls did make me think that I could understand what anorexia might be like. It doesn't condone it, glamourise it or make it in any way anything less than a frightening and deadly condition.
It could also potentially prove a very valuable book for the right reader.
Lia's best friend Cassie is dead. The two shared everything as children, as teenagers, including a competitive urge to be the thinnest. Lia didn't pick up the phone on the night her friend called. She rung 33 times before being found dead the next day... Lia cannot forget it. And she cannot stop seeing Cassie everywhere she goes.
And she cannot stop herself from continuing her obsession to become the Thinnest...
A truly chilling portrait of a vulnerable girl fighting her own instincts to stay alive. The whole thing felt realistic - from her clever sabotaging of the scales her family weigh her on, to the secretive night-time running to lose more pounds, to the constant negative thoughts about her own shape and wily methods of fooling her family.
It was so hard to watch her, to watch the pounds drop off Lia, and to see the story of her and Cassie as they first discovered how to be disgusted with their own bodies.
It is quite graphic in its depiction of bulimia and anorexia, and as Cassie's death is described in detail, this is one for secondary-aged readers only. It is very upsetting. Of course, it needs to be, and its one that will stay with me.
I recommended it to a group of Year 8s and one girl told me she had found the writing style difficult to follow - it is unusual, it has a stream-of-consciousness feel that flits from Lia thinking about food, her body, Cassie, then seeing her friend as a ghost/spirit. I found this appealing and thought it worked well, but it's a tough subject and a tricky narrative technique so may put some readers off.
I've read Anderson before, and am hugely impressed at the detail and depiction of eating disorders she portrays. Would be very useful for parents/teachers as well as the target age group.
drridareads's review
4.0
When I started reading this book it was more of a drag. But then I started liking it, the narrative voice was unique. The portrayal of a low self esteem person with a struggle with herself was definitively eye-opening.
socalledsookie's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, and Drug use
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
silver_linings72's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0