Publisher: Wintergirls was by Penguin.
Genre: The genre of the hard-hitting novel is realistic fiction.
Where I Got It: I found this book while looking through Anderson's works after reading her novel Speak, which had affected me so much with it's beautiful writing style and edgy topic that I was very interested in reading more by the author.
Single Sentence Summary: Cassie and Lia are best friends and wintergirls, but when they enter in a deadly competition to see who can be skinniest, Cassie succumbs to the pain and pressure, and Lia is left haunted by her best friend’s agitated ghost and forced to overcome her inner demons and thaw from the brittle sheet of ice that confines her.
First line:“So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked on her coffee.”
First Chapter Summary: The first chapter starts immiditely engrossed in the story with no introduction to the characters whatsoever. It is made evident that a tragedy has occurred, stating:"...body found alone in a motel room..." and then furthermore, "It's not nice when girls die." It's obvious that the character is conflicted about the event because she speaks about not letting herself hear this (the news) and "...my walls go up and my doors lock," to show that she is trying to shield herself from the topic
Verdict: This book keeps the reader in stitches and entices them to come back for more. It is masterfully written with grace and delicacy even when describing the grave topic of self-destruction and eating disorders. The novel provides tremendous insight to the mind of Lia who struggles to deal with the loss of her best friend and the anorexia that stifles her. Wintergirls, like Speak, gave me a greater understanding and appreciation for the strength, and resilience of those affected by these destructive disorders. This is a book that I will carry with me for a long time and that, with the passing of the years, I will continue to come back to.
Cover Comments: On the cover there is a depiction of a young woman's face covered by ice. This symbolizes the frail and fragile bodies Lia and Cassie were trapped in, Cassie never got out. The ice also emphasizes the "Winter" part of the title suggesting that the girls aren't dead or truly alive, but in a state of hibernation.
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