The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
She feels like a creature out of a fairy tale; a girl who discovers that her bones are really made out of stone, that her skin is really as thin as glass, that her hair is brittle as straw, that her tears have dried up so that she cries only salt. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t hurt when she presses hard enough to begin bleeding: it doesn’t hurt, because she’s not real anymore.Publishes in US: Aug 28th 2012
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.
Source: netgalley
Sethie is obsessed about her weight and her body, and it comes across in this powerful novel about body image, eating disorders and friendship.
This hit home on a personal level because I dealt with eating disorders in high school and to this day I still struggle with body image. I think that Sethie's attitudes towards food and how she saw herself was very realistic.
I really liked Ben in this book, and I respected his mannerisms towards Sethie. I think that he was all that she needed even when she didn't get what she wanted. On the other hand, Shaw irritated me so badly, I just wanted to smack some sense into him. That said, I think that he is like so many guys out there, and I don't at all blame Sethie for seeing what she wanted to in their relationship.
The friendship element of this story also kept me glued to the pages. Jane is the type of friend that someone struggling needs. I admit, she did help along the eating disorder without really realizing how deep Sethie was, and later admits that she was only trying to impress her. How she kept calling and kept making the effort with Sethie really impressed me and I wish that I had someone like that in my corner when I was dealing with eds. It wasn't perfect, we also saw them hurting one another, mistrust, and other issues, but ultimately it came down to a nice friendship.
The only thing that I wished was that it was written in first person, because I didn't feel quite as connected to Sethie as I wanted to, and I think that if it weren't in third person, that would have been achieved. Don't get me wrong, I still felt for her and I think the emotion and the obsession definitely came through, I just think it could've been a bit stronger.
NOTE: Not only does this novel deal with eating disorders, it also has drug use, sex, and language. I recommend to mature teens or adults.
Bottom Line: Gritty and realistic novel about eating disorders that I wish was in 1st person to make even more powerful.
Have you ever had or known someone who struggled with an eating disorder?
This is deep, designed to stir up strong reactions from readers especially with the teen set. This was on Cimmaron'd DNF but I might like it.
ReplyDeleteNope, I haven't. One of my friends struggled with anorexia when she was in high school though. We only met in grad school, but she's told me some about it; she was an athlete and had a lot of pressure to be the right weight. She'll probably read this.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Although I haven't read this, I think I also might prefer a first person than third person POV. I'm glad you can still feel for Sethie from the third person POV.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any immediate friends that struggled with eating disorder, but a few were (and perhaps still are) onto diet hopping.
I think I'll probably read this book when it's released and then share it with my friends. Thanks for sharing :)
it sounds like an intense story. I realizes yesterday that I don't read many books like that. I don't know why but I need to give it a try to see how it is. thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think more people have someone they know that struggle with an eating disorder than they realize. It's not always evident by the size of the person or if you see them eating (or not eating) in front of you. I agree that a story like this seems like it would hit even harder if it was first person, though it still sounds like a good read!
ReplyDelete- Jessica @ Book Sake
Awesome review and quite surprised that it's not in first person, I noticed a lot of people DNF it. Maybe that is why. I am glad it was dark and gritty..since often the YA books take a lighter approach to these disorders. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you enjoyed this! Jane sounds like an amazing friend--I wish I had a friend like her, too. Too bad it's not written in first person, though. Certain books fit with first person POVs while others don't, so I'm guessing this is on that needs to be written from the perspective of the narrator herself.
ReplyDeleteGreat review as usual, Brandi! I think I might check this out when it's released. :)i
Great review! :) I also like books written in first POV more than third. This book sounds really interesting and I'm happy that you enjoy it! :)
ReplyDeleteA book with a cause is always good, something things should be written and talked about
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about not feeling as connected when the book is written in third-person; that keeps happening to me whenever I venture out of my YA first-person comfort zone.
ReplyDelete