Wintergirls (Laurie Halse Anderson)

Once upon a time on a PAC-10 campus not far from here, an arrogant English professor named Dr. Donelson required his students (myself included) to read and write about what seemed like hundreds (but was probably only fifty or sixty) of young adult (YA) novels in one semester. Donelson read every YA book ever published, or so it seemed, and therefore proselytized that good English teachers needed to do the same. Maybe because we were afraid of his wrath, maybe because we were looking for As in his class, or maybe because we really loved those books as much as Donelson did, we read. And we read, and read, and read.

Many years and many credit hours later, Dr. Donelson retired. Still, though, I continue to read YA books--now for entertainment rather than for grades—and sometimes find that I like “kid books” better than those written for us adults. Wintergirls is one of those books.

Wintergirls is a book about two anorexics: one is dead, one is not. The dead one, Cassie, haunts the one still living, Lia, (who is also Cassie’s former BFF) and, in a bizarre attempt at rekindling the friendship, attempts to lure Lia into the afterworld. Cassie’s spirit appears unexpectedly and at inopportune times. She taunts Lia and encourages her to dangerously restrict calories and fluids which Lia does despite the fact that she was previously hospitalized and is being monitored for the same throughout the story.

Most disturbing to Lia is the fact that Cassie called her—thirty-three times—on the night she died. But because the girls hadn’t spoken in the months that preceded the tragedy, Lia did not answer the calls (we girls tend to hold grudges), consequently feels responsible for Cassie’s death (who wouldn’t?), and strongly considers joining Cassie in the spirit world (bad idea).

Wintergirls is a well-choreographed dance of opposites: living and dead, comfort and insecurity, friends and enemies, sanity and insanity. Even the words on the pages dance with each other as Lia’s true thoughts and feelings are often written, crossed out and then replaced by whatever she “should” be thinking. This self-editing, something most of us do unconsciously, is artfully illustrated (literally) throughout the book and reminds readers that while all feelings are authentic and valid, expression must be monitored at times.

If themes surrounding adolescent anorexia, afterlife, relationships, and complexities of modern life interest you, read Wintergirls. But maybe eat a sandwich beforehand.