Though not completely satisfying, this important account provides a mirror where as yet there is none.
A fictional look at how seemingly minor childhood and teenage trauma can trigger anorexia and similar disorders.
It's the story of Punjabi-Canadian Lila's descent into and recovery from anorexia as told by her adult self; the "Faerie" of the title is the name Lila gives to her budding anorexia, envisioning within a winged self who will only be free if allowed to be divested of flesh. Though Lila’s ethnic identity is sometimes irrelevant, at others, as when Lila is experiencing the cognitive dissonance of living in one culture at school and another at home, it’s clear that the book adds value to the literature on the topic. Unfortunately, Marjara is not always able to convey how seemingly minor incidents—such as Lila’s crush on a teacher who later turns out to have molested a classmate—can lead to anorexia. The fact that the story is being told by an adult Lila looking back leads to a surfeit of telling instead of showing, blunting its impact and hindering readers’ abilities to connect with the character. The author's flights of achingly poetic description are the book’s other saving grace: her father’s camera “glistened against the dusty gold light of late evening, and the smooth glassy lens winked as if to welcome me into a substitute world.”
Though not completely satisfying, this important account provides a mirror where as yet there is none. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 7, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-55152-618-8
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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