Systematic Student:
Psych

I know I haven't been posting about it much, but this review is also a part of Once Upon a Bookcase's Body Image and Self-Perception month. Head on over and check out all the other wonderful reviews available.

In my mind, an eating disorder is the ultimate manifestation of both poor body image, and a distorted self-perception. I graduated with a BS in Psychology last December, and in one of my undergrad classes, we devoted a large percentage of time to discussing eating disorders and where they stem from. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the best books I've read this year, and I would say that it is the best book I've ever read that handles eating disorders.

Lia is a young girl who has been suffering from anorexia for several years. She's been hospitalized twice, and the family tries to help keep watch over Lia, and make sure she is eating. They weigh her regularly and prepare meals and 'watch' her eat. But Lia is clever, and she is unable to give up her disorder. She cleverly lines the pockets of the robe she is weighed in with quarters and smears food on a plate before dumping it down the garbage disposal to give the appearance of having eaten. For a long time, Lia feels like she is in control and that losing all this weight makes her powerful. However, after the death of her former best friend, Cassie. Lia's world begins falling apart and she loses control over her life. Toward the end of the novel, she begins to make observations and gains new understanding that gives the reader hope she will overcome her illness.

I think one of the most telling sentences in this book is when Lia really starts to realize what this disease is to her, and where her motivation to starve herself comes from. She keeps obsessive track of her weight, and gives herself goals — I'm 105 lbs? I need to be 100. And on from there. She steps on the scale one day and the number reads 89. Her thoughts, "I could say I'm excited, but that would be a lie. The number doesn't matter. If I got down to 070.00, I'd want 065.00. If I weighed 010.00, I wouldn't be happy until I got down to 005.00. The only number that would ever be enough is 0. Zero pounds, zero life, size zero, double-zero, zero point. Zero in tennis is love. I finally get it. (emphasis added, pg. 220)

I think that there is too much focus placed on the body-image problems facing people who suffer from an eating disorder, and not enough attention given to their warped views of themselves. In one of my undergrad classes, we discussed this at length, and talked about new research being developed that suggests the root causes for many people suffering from eating disorders stem from far more than the desire to be skinny or even the desire to control at least one aspect of their lives. Although both of those play a role in the formation of the disorder, the new research suggests that these eating disorders actually stem more from the desire to disappear. Subconsciously they view themselves as unworthy of love, and that because of their flaws or imperfections, they are not worthy to take up space. So, they are literally trying to starve themselves out of existence. They don't necessarily want to die, but neither do they wish to live. It's scary research, but it's research that makes a frightening amount of sense. That LHA was able to grasp that idea and articulate it so well with just a small paragraph, and a simple sentence speaks volumes to me about her skill as a writer, and her ability to develop believable and realistic characters. Lia just breaks my heart.

One of the most powerful aspects of the novel is also potentially distracting. LHA uses the strike through text to signify the difference between what Lia was thinking and what Lia actually said. Or, it could be what Lia thought vs. what she knew she was supposed to think. Either way, the strike through offers additional insight into the mind of Lia, and enables us as readers to better understand what she's really thinking.

I recommend this book to everyone, even though I know it won't be for everyone. LHA doesn't pull her punches with this one, and I really felt that I was living the life of an anorexic teen along with Lia. And let me tell you, it was not comfortable. It was scary, painful and terrifying. I can only imagine how much worse it would be for someone actually suffering through this. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book as soon as possible. But I warn you, don't pick it up expecting a light read that will fill a few hours. This novel is gripping, intense and horrifying. It is one of the best books I've read all year and I just can't bring myself to give it anything but my highest rating. It is basically amazing in every way. Way to go Laurie, for creating a book that gives us such a vivid portrait of a young anorexic girl who suddenly understands what it is to live.

Father of Lies by Ann Turner is set in Colonial Massachusetts, just before the start of the Salem Witch Trials. 14 year old Lidda is struggling to find her place within her family and Salem Village. She's always been different. She's a dreamer who loves to dance beneath the trees and hates the restrictive garb she is required to wear but she lives in a time period that expressly forbids each of these behaviors.

As if her life isn't hard enough, Lidda has suddenly begun hearing the voice of a man inside her head. She doesn't know what's going on, but she knows it isn't good, and more importantly, she knows she cannot tell anyone. Especially when the charges of witchcraft start flying around. Lidda's new internal friend has enabled her to distinguish between truth and lies and her newfound insight is creating problems. She believes that these so-called 'afflicted girls' are nothing but bored and powerless girls spreading lies to gain importance and power for themselves. But, she also knows that if she says anything, the repercussions will be devastating.

As soon as I heard about Father of Lies, I knew I was interested. The Salem Witch Trials has always been one of my favorite periods of history to learn about, and I love historical fiction interpretations of the Witch Trials.

Somehow, when I read the description initially, I picked up on the Salem Witch Trials, and missed the fact that our main character is bi-polar. When I started reading the book, several of Lidda's traits struck me as strange, and I thought to myself that Lidda seemed Manic Depressive (the correct diagnostic term for bi-polar disorder) or in the early stages of Schizophrenia.

I'm going to interrupt my review of the book to make a comment about research. My Bachelor's degree is in Psychology. I found myself questioning the research Ann Turner did on Manic Depression. It wasn't that her information (the symptoms of Lidda) was wrong, exactly, more like incomplete. I felt like her research came more from a google search than legitimate, peer reviewed research. Her cycles of mania and depression were more what popular culture tells you should be happening than what current research says is what happens. I felt like much of Lidda's symptoms are pop cultural misconceptions, and not what is actual research tells us happens. I also felt that the symptoms Lidda demonstrates are more indicative of the beginning stages of Schizophrenia than Manic Depression. I don't want to take up my entire review with the current research on Manic Depression, so if you want to know more, shoot me an email and I'll discuss it with you in more detail.

Anyway, other than my minor annoyances with inconsistencies in Lidda's symptoms, I really enjoyed Turner's perspective on the Salem Witch Trials. I've always believed that the 'afflicted girls' were making it up. There are a lot of theories out there about why these girls made the claims they did, but what has always made the most sense to me is the idea that the girls made up the initial stories to keep themselves out of trouble, and things spiraled out of their control. Once things got so out of hand, the girls knew they couldn't stop it because they would be in even more trouble than the initial trouble, and they were, for the first time in their young lives, important, influential and listened to. These young girls, with ultimately no control over their own lives were able to control and dictate the fate and future of their entire village.

This is very similar to the viewpoint Turner takes, but the eyes in which she has us view that world is incredibly unique. Lidda really is hallucinating. She does experience many symptoms, that if mentioned, would make people believe she was either tormented by a witch, or in league with the devil herself. So, it was very interesting to watch a young girl who was 'afflicted' in the midst of the 'pretenders'. Her perspective and evaluation of the girls who claimed to be tormented by witches was very intuitive and insightful. At one point, while talking to Ann Putnam, long believed by historians to have been the ringleader, and driving force behind the accusations, Ann tells Lidda that she is afraid of what is happening, but her eyes and facial expression instead show excitement. It is the same with each of the girls Lidda talks to. They claim to be afraid, but each of them is clearly caught up in the drama and undeniably excited by the attention and newfound power.

Lidda's interactions with her hallucination are also intriguing, and are somewhat designed to make us question whether it is a legitimate hallucination, or an actual demonic possession. I felt strongly for Lidda. Colonial Salem would have been a difficult and frightening time to live for anyone, but it would have been made far worse by the addition of a disorder that no one understood, that makes you question your own sanity.

Overall, I did truly enjoy this book. As I mentioned, the examination of the afflicted girls by someone who truly did have a mental condition was fascinating, original and well done. I personally would have liked the story better for several reasons if the author had not labeled it 'bi-polar' but it worked very well as a plot device. The characters were strong and their relationships believable and well thought out. The descriptions of live in Salem Village were believable and well thought out.

This book boasts an original main character in a story that's been told before. If you are at all interested in the Salem Witch Trials, I do recommend this book.

(Note, this might not be the actual final cover, but I don't care — I like this one better, so I'm using it.:) )

*Disclaimer: This book was received through Around the World Tours.