Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Penguin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 19, 2009
Pages: 288

Rating: A
Plot - 16/20
Characters - 19/20
Writing - 20/20
Originality - 18/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 10/10
Total: 93/100

Summary:
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Review:
Okay, just . . . Wow. This book is so freakin' amazing. It blew me away with such power. Lia's story is such a heart wrenching story. This one is so amazing, for me it surpasses Speak, which is hard because Speak is a favorite of mine.

In total, now, I've read four of Anderson's books. Two of which were very unsuccessful in impressing me, and now, two of which impressed with such force, they automatically became top books in my list. Anderson has done it again, right on time for the tenth anniversary for Speak also.

Lia is the moving main character. Being inside her head is torture. The energy and weakness she feels, I felt. Her thoughts about her weight, and her need to be smaller, smaller, smaller. Her feelings about her feeling huge, huge, huge. At being at the 90 lbs area, just imagine it.

Anderson's writing style is such a peculiar one that stands out. Her cryptic and suspenseful ways are defining. Anderson is one of a kind, her books plots and serious issues are unforgettable. She writes with force and power, there is no other writer out there that will compare to her.

This review was really hard to write, and I just feel like it did no justice to the novel, just know that this novel is up to standards with Speak, so that might give you an idea of how phenomenal this novel really is.