Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson – Juanita Asapokhai

 

In the vast world of YA novels and literature written to illustrate the worst parts of the adolescent experience, from tackling mental illness and friendships to the normal chaos of high school made beautiful by flowery adjectives to depict the mundane, Laurie Halse Anderson maintains her rule as a queen in the sub genre within her second to most recent book, Wintergirls, published in 2009. Through Wintergirls, Anderson provides readers an authentic and personal perspective into the life and mind of a teenage girl battling anorexia as well as the conflicts surrounding her through striking narration, an accurate portrayal of the theme, and a keen use of descriptive language that leaves readers pondering the book long after it closes - all ingredients in the recipe for a brilliant story.

    Starting in the first chapter of the novel, we are introduced to the simple, quiet voice of Lia Marrigan – and almost immediately afterwards, we meet a different, bodiless one; a second voice often follows Lia’s own thoughts, written in lowercase letters (“you left her alone.” pg. 97). This is the voice of an unidentified individual that throughout the novel, readers come to know as her twisted memories, as well as her anorexia personified. It taunts and insults Lia, and works as the constant anchor preventing her from full recovery - it reminds her to keep skipping meals and filling herself up with water to trick weight scales, and it often sounds louder than Lia’s own voice.

    While the voice of anorexia spins restlessly at the bottom of her empty stomach, another voice(/person/apparition/ghost/figment of a distressed imagination) appears in the novel, only to serve the exact same purpose, keeping Lia stuck in her illness, in the form of her deceased bulimic best friend, Cassie Parrish. “ ‘You’re a wintergirl, Lia-Lia,” she tells her. “...Soon you’ll cross the border and be with me. I’m so stoked. I miss you wicked.’ ” (pg. 196)

    Still more, Lia’s other voice – the one that misses food like nothing else, the one that wants to eat, as demonstrated through thoughts like “I am so hungry I could gnaw off my right hand.” (pg. 27) – makes brief appearances in between, with a strikethrough line in every statement expressing her non-anorexic desires. Together, Cassie, Anorexia, Lia’s Other Voice, and the Lia that tells the story battle for control over her life throughout course of the entire novel.

“One bite, please, and then another and another, crust and cheese sausage sauce another and another empty is strong and invincible. ‘I already ate.’ ” (pg. 68)

“I am a healthy girl in a diner, and I can sip a little more hot chocolate. And this feels so good and…” (pg. 96)

    This unique narration promises to keep readers on their toes, as well as increasing their sympathy for Lia, who is at the mercy of these voices. For the majority of the novel, she even allows them to dictate her life. Readers can hear her own voice, see exactly how her brain works, while simultaneously hearing the voice of the forces she cannot touch countering her every move.

    This intense and emotional narrative also fosters the right mood for the story to delve into its central theme, mental health. Specifically: dealing with anorexia as a mental disorder, and eliminating the stigma of the illness being regarded as a strange habit.

    Lia begrudgingly attends sessions with a therapist, Dr. Nancy Parker. She avoids answering questions honestly to both her parents, step-mother, and Dr. Parker (“ ‘What words are in your head right now, Lia? Pissed. Pig. Hate….Jail. Coffin. Cut…. ‘My weight is fine. I can bring in Jennifer's stupid notebook if you want.’ ” pg.116 ), views the sessions as completely unnecessary (“The couch faces a floor-to-ceiling wall of books. They are filled with crap.” pg.113), despite how obvious it is to the readers that she is need of medical help, and hides herself from any eyes attempting to look into her deeper than the surface. However, she only responds this way to protect herself from her biggest fear.

  “The second time they locked me up admitted me for my own good,” she explains, “...Wreaths of pus-colored fat were suffocating my thighs...but they couldn’t see them. They said I had to get fatter.” (pgs. 189-190).

Her battle against her Real Enemy, weight, would be totally lost upon her return to the hospital.

    Through her inner dialogue, destructive behavior, and conversations, Anderson presents this very important theme in a painfully honest way, to the point where, while readers are fully aware of the extent of her situation, they can truly understand her mindset: The mindset of someone seriously struggling with an illness. Her incorporation of the theme leaves a lasting impression on its readers and their perceptions of anorexia and the toll it takes on sufferers.

    

    Finally, Wintergirls earns the title of a Good Story with its expert use of stunning language to ease readers into Lia’s world and reality. Lia’s descriptions place you right with her through every harrowing, horrible experience.

“...0.85 makes me want 0.75. To get there I’ll need to crack open my bones with silver mallet and dig out my marrow with a long-handled spoon.” (pg. 190),

   Here, the dire nature of Lia’s state is exemplified and described so acutely you can almost see it: the thin, spindly girl so close to nothing she’d have to swap organs to lose any more weight.

     Anderson also utilizes this talent best in the scenes with the Ghost of Cassie, which deeply affect Lia for days afterwards. “She pops the glass in her mouth and swallows it, then wipes her mouth with her hand, staining her fingers with wax and blood.” (pg. 88). Quotes like these – where her brain animates the dead body of her best friend –  emphasize Lia’s descent into something very near, if not genuine insanity. In every chapter, readers are taken down lower and lower with her.

 In conclusion, Wintergirls is a tale well-told. It includes the key elements of a good story exhibited throughout the entire novel: memorable narration, an engaging theme, and a stirring style of writing that sticks to the brains of all who are lucky enough to come across it.