Lara's life takes a drastic turn when she is diagnosed with a rare disease called Axell-Crownes disease. This disease causes her to gain weight (in Lara's case 100lbs) and she is unable to stop gaining. Once Lara gains the weight, her life starts to fall apart. She is bullied and teased at school, her boyfriend gradually becomes less and less interested in her, and her parent's marriage is falling apart. Lara begins taking drastic measures to lose weight such as restricting food, over exercising, and taking laxatives.
The story is about Lara's journey and learning how to accept herself.
I think this story is especially poignant for teen girls who are constantly struggling with their bodies. This book does not, in any way, glamorize the life of an anorexic or bulimic. It dictates the harsh reality and severity of this disease and digs deeper into the root of many issues. I think Lara is a character that many teens girls will be able to relate to.
I think that many teen girls would be able to easily relate to Lara's story. Even though it seems rare that someone would have this exact experience, body image issues are - as you say - constantly on the minds of many, if not all, teens. Your review hints that Lara comes to accept herself, and I think that girls could gain much from reading this story with such a strong main character. Not only does it help for authors to introduce relatable realistic struggles like body image, but also to present models and ways to deal with and overcome these issues. I have a feeling that this book does both.
ReplyDeleteA lot of teens, if not all teens, have issues with their bodies. Even adults have issues with their bodies. I've never heard of the disease the main character in this book has, but I'm sure that it would be a nightmare to anyone because people do care about looks and appearance even if they pretend they don't. This book would probably be helpful and interesting to many teens who struggle with sculpting their bodies to look like the models. Maybe by reading about someone else going crazy over their weight and body, teens will come to realize that they need to just accept their bodies, the appearances of others, and themselves for what they are.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this book is for young adult teens, it seems like it touches on an issue I still feel insecure about all the time. Perhaps, I'll check it out!
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