Beautifully and gut-wrenching
The poetic prose and non-linear story telling lends itself to the themes very well. You get a sense of Anna's voice in the narrative. I liked the medical forms used as a way of telling the story (especially when they were used to give big plot points).
While I don't have the experience to say if the eating disorder is portrayed authentically, it definitely felt real. I got frustrated when Anna was lying to herself. I desperately wanted all the girls to get better and knowing the statistics of the struggle made it so much more heart-wrenching.
The relationships were also well done, Anna and Matthias are adorable together, as is Anna's relationship with her father. The interplay with the other girls is intriguing as well.
All in all, this is one of those kind of books that are far too heavy in nature to allow for much rereading (although it is great for quoting), but you're still glad you read it.
While I don't have the experience to say if the eating disorder is portrayed authentically, it definitely felt real. I got frustrated when Anna was lying to herself. I desperately wanted all the girls to get better and knowing the statistics of the struggle made it so much more heart-wrenching.
The relationships were also well done, Anna and Matthias are adorable together, as is Anna's relationship with her father. The interplay with the other girls is intriguing as well.
All in all, this is one of those kind of books that are far too heavy in nature to allow for much rereading (although it is great for quoting), but you're still glad you read it.