Release Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website
Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.
Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.
Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.
Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.
Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.
I've read quite a few books here and there about eating disorders, but I don't think I've ever read a book about someone being treated for one. Usually the book ends with the person admitting they need help and there's a bright future ahead of them (or, if the book is super dark, *bad things* happen). It was interesting to see a character in rehab for anorexia/bulimia. Paperweight reminds us that healing is not a straightforward process, and things are most definitely easier said than done.
One aspect I really liked in this book was how it got into the physical and emotional strain a process such as this can have on your body and mind, respectively. We can see how Stevie fluctuates between healing and hating; how her thoughts oscillate between positive and negative. While I wasn't too big a fan of her character, I thought it great that she was flawed. It added more to the layers of the story, making this a lot more profound to read.
As I mentioned previously, I liked how the story and Stevie's progress wasn't a straight line. It takes her a while to come to terms with her condition as well as some other problems she has with her past. I enjoyed the switch between past and present–we get to see her before and after, and see how the eating disorder culminates over time. There's a bit of a build up to the night of her brother's death, which wasn't too much of a shocker, since you know he's already dead from the start, but the details of how start to come together to piece a tragic story.
Paperweight is a poignant portrayal of a girl healing from emotional and physical scars. Meg Haston's novel is moving and swept me away from the start with the promise of a small mystery, unlocking the past, and hope.
If you like this, try...
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson ● Goodreads
- Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick ● Goodreads
Sounds heavy but well drawn out. Not necessarily my thing but in the right mood, this can hit the right spot
ReplyDeleteI haven't read a book about someone afflicted with eating disorders. I'm glad you found it realistic and enjoyable in a way that these type of books can be enjoyed.
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