Wintergirls: Let’s Talk About Eating Disorders

Posted March 17, 2009 by shooting in Uncategorized / 8 Comments

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson is a March release. I’m almost finished with it, and should have the review up in the next day or so. For now though, let me say this: It really is an amazing, well-written story.

Since I’m not finished with the book, I wanted to talk about anorexia, and eating disorders in general. Obviously, it’s an awful thing, but it affects a lot of girls. I know a lot of people who think they aren’t skinny enough and I just look at them and wonder, “How could you even think that?”

This past summer, I fell in love with a show called Hollyoaks. It might not sound familiar to most of you because it’s a UK show. I started following one character’s storyline as best as I could through sites and videos they found on Youtube. Through this, I learned about the character Hannah…as time goes on, she becomes bulimic, which leads to anorexia when she becomes friends with a model named Melissa. The two of them become friends and encourage each other’s bad habits. In the end, Melissa dies of a heart attack, and Hannah finally begins to recover.

I have a couple fan-made videos that shows actual clips of Hannah and Melissa’s journey. I think they are interesting and I’ll post those with my review. Right now, I just want to post two videos where Emma Rigby (who plays Hannah) talks about eating disorders and her role playing a girl with one. Please check it out, and leave your thoughts in the comments on this book, the videos, eating disorders, etc.

First Video:

Second Part:

8 responses to “Wintergirls: Let’s Talk About Eating Disorders

  1. I also really need to read this book. It’s gotten to a point where I think I know more young girls with less than healthy eating patterns than with healthy ones.

  2. can i recommend a couple other books for you if you haven’t read them yet. skin, which is older (sorry i forget the author) and jane in bloom, which i am reading an ARC of right now. both also deal with anorexia – both in sisters of the main character. jane in bloom focusses on a much younger main character and is about her own healing process.

  3. Insert: Oh, it’s great. The review should be up tomorrow, thanks!

    Nymeth: Wow, that’s so awful, but it’s true…I’m always hearing about weight, and I know I talk about it too…and I just wish it wasn’t that way.
    Definitely read the book. It’s amazing.

    Cupcakewitch: It’s a horrible disease, I know, but I can see how people might go on that path.

    Sharon: Thanks, I haven’t read either of those, so I’ll definitely need to check them out. I like reading about these type of issues in books, b/c they are so common and a part of life.

    -Lauren

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