Wintergirls

Right now I am going through a period of life where I make decisions that most people cannot understand the meaning why. They do not understand why I am staying with my boyfriend who struggles with the abuse of powerful drugs. So when I was reading this book I really connected because it shows just how powerless someone can feel. The crossing out of Lia's real thoughts every time food was present really showed the inner struggle that her disease can have on someone. It explained anorexia from a point of view that people who do not struggle with anorexia could gain perspective from. Because I know many people who do not understand just think "well why don't you just man up and eat" but as Anderson shares it way more than that. Lia felt powerful and strong when she was able to control her body weight or what she ate. Because she had no other control in her life. She could make decisions when she was around her mother because her mother wanted to make sure she was the perfect child and she could not control her fathers many affairs with other women. It also shows her desire to be normal but then parallels that with the want to become the perfect size. I think she did a wonderful job setting up the text to really let the reader not develop a relationship per say but to know the character and understand her. Overall I think this book really positions young adults to take a different approach to looking at body image disorders. It can inspire compassion and understanding and maybe even to recognition in some teens. Just like I applied this to other aspects of my life since I do not struggle with an eating disorder but have my own demons I was really able to connect with the story. And I feel like other teens also do the same. I would give this book an A. It shows that in order for real change to happen it has to be because it is something you want, and while you can have help and support from others like Lia does with her family getting her all the medical help possible she still does not change. And that is because she needs to make the decision on her own, she needs to feel like she has the control over her life to make the decision to change, just like drug addicts. They will never stop using until the want too and it doesn't matter what anyone tells them. That I feel like is the biggest lesson that I took from this book.