Wintergirls

Laurie Halse Anderson is a phenomenal story teller. I read her book Speak in 1 day, one of her best. This story was intriguing, disturbing, and heartwarming.

The one thing I didn't like is how they audibly handled what I assume are cross outs in the written from of the book. There are beeps and odd volume adjustments. I think I'd rather hear a vocal change rather than an "editing" change. I think Jeannie Stith could have acted the "cross outs" without the annoying beeps. I personally don't like that directorial? choice. I'm curious to see how other audio productions handle that challenge

Well written book. Definitely enjoyed it. My concern is the message it sends to others- really shames bulimics and almost romanticizes anorexia, or at least makes it seem like the "better" disease, that people who have it are more love able, angelic, etc... Fact is more people have bulimia than anorexia.

Such a great, addicting novel. You become so engaged in the madness. Would definitely recommend.

Beware - I had to listen to from beginning to end.
If you have read L H A, you know the power of this writer and her attention to honest detail. Wintergirls will not disappoint.

The beeps were annoying as heck and crossed out sections

find a different way to represent that besides beeps

used something else or a different voice to represent those weird sections

no because she got over her disorder

The listening experience was fine the book wasn't interested.

I've read a lot of eating disorder books but this book was repetitive and plain boring. It started off when her friend died, then it progressed to her being haunted by her friend's ghost and her relapsing from recovery. It didn't really keep my attention. It would've been more interesting if the book explained in better detail how her disorder started from the beginning and went into more depth about Cassie and Leah's friendship. Everything was in past tense. The book also mentioned Leah being a healthy 104lbs at 5'6 which is completely unrealistic.

When she spoke for masculine characters the voice change was just weird, and awkward.

Totally disappointed.

I found Laurie Halse Anderson when studying to become an English teacher and taking my first class called Young Adult literature. Previous to this my idea of YA was Sweet Valley High. I didn't even know this was a genre and Anderson, I believe, was a pioneer in making it what it is today. Speak was the novel assigned and I had never read anything like it. I was 21 and close enough to my high school graduation to remember exactly what it felt like, and often still felt like, to be a young adult girl and all that meant. Anderson's voice was spot on in Speak and she once again has captured the pain of adolescence in Wintergirls. As a mother now, I read this story through that lens and it shook me. Cassie or Leah could be my daughter. They could be one of my students. This novel was incredibly disturbing in the most important way. Thank you Laurie for your voice and the effort you take to conduct research on order to bring authenticity to your characters, especially in novels such as Wintergirls which tackles such difficult topics that plague so many of your teenage readers. I highly recommend the audible version of this novel which includes a Q & A with Laurie at the end and her reading a poem she wrote to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Speak. It is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Disturbing, fascinating, and well-written. Performance/audio production wasn't my favorite, but a good book, great ending.

This is a novel which very effectively communicates what a teen with an eating disorder goes through. You share her pains and struggles and understand her relationships. She speaks directly to the audience. You get to feel the complex nature of her emotions and root for her as she struggles between life and death. You care about her and that's what ultimately makes any novel worth reading.

It's a bit young also drawn out it would do best with an audience that can relate

Yes

Maybe with a big more speed