Wintergirls

By: Laurie Halse Anderson

Narrated by: Phoebe Strole

The New York Times bestselling story of a friendship frozen between life and death.

“A fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness.” —The New York Times

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in fragile bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the thinnest. But then Cassie suffers the ultimate loss—her life—and Lia is left behind, haunted by her friend's memory and racked with guilt for not being able to help save her. In her most powerfully moving novel since Speak, award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's struggle, her painful path to recovery, and her desperate attempts to hold on to the most important thing of all: hope.

Critic reviews

“Anderson writes a beautiful, heart-wrenching, and important novel with Wintergirls.”—Detroit Free Press

“A fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness.” —The New York Times

“Laurie Halse Anderson is the reigning queen of teen tumult. [Wintergirls] is a fierce novel.”—Newsday

“A startlingly crisp and pitch-perfect first-person narrative.” —SLJ, starred review

“As difficult as reading this novel can be, it is even more difficult to put down.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Anderson perfectly captures the isolation and motivations of the anorexic.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Anderson illuminates a dark but utterly realistic world . . .This is necessary reading.”—Booklist, starred review

“Readers will be absorbed by this gripping tale.”—BCCB, starred review

“Wintergirls cracks open the riddle . . . of eating disorders. Anderson plunges readers inside the head of 18-year-old Lia.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer

“What makes Wintergirls different? Three words: Laurie Halse Anderson.”—South Florida Sun Sentinel

“This chilling tale acutely conveys Lia’s powerful psychological battle.” —Chicago Tribune

“All of [Anderson’s] books have a driving force; they can’t be put down. A poignant and lyrical novel.”—Raleigh News & Observer

“A vivid expedition inside the mind of a girl who is dying to be thin. Anderson offers a gripping perspective of Lia’s inner turmoil and her isolation.” —Buffalo News

“With naked emotion, brutal honesty and a narrative that’s simultaneously captivating and claustrophobic, Wintergirls gives readers a haunting window into the disordered thinking behind eating disorders.” —BookPage

“Lia’s struggles will touch your heart and make you think about this book long after you set it down.” —Justine magazine

“Anderson presents a tale every bit as haunting and immediate as her debut novel [Speak].” —Shelf Awareness

Insightful

Having a child with anorexia is so very hard. This really gave me insight into my daughter’s mind. Thank you for writing it.

well written

Major ED trigger warning, but it really dug into the meat of how all elements change the mindset of the person affected. Many parts were hard to listen to because how easy it is to relate. I liked that the author showed that not all endings are happy. but not all are tragic either. I wish the author had delved more into Elijah and Jennifer, but I was interested all the way through. The performance was excellent.

I just liked it

It was definitely emotional, almost too much
She makes it

I found it relatable in different ways I felt so much compassion for her… maybe I deserve that too

TW: Mental Health and Eating Disorder

I felt like the writing was quite repetitive. It is a good book for anyone struggling with eating disorders and mental disorders in general, especially teenagers that are going through it. I think so often that teenagers are dismissed in what they are dealing with mentally, but this book does a really good job at showing what it is for both viewpoints.

Sad. Beautiful. Haunting.

A poem in book form. The story is captivating. The flow and word choice are peak Laurie H.A. I have no words. Cried several times.