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Zoe Letting Go
A girl's letters to her best friend reveal two lives derailed by anorexia in this haunting debut that's Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls meets The Sixth Sense.
Zoe knows she doesn’t belong in a hospital—so why is she in one?
Twin Birch isn’t just any hospital. It’s a strange mansion populated by unnerving staff and glassy-eyed patients. It’s a place for girls with serious problems; skinny, spindly girls who have a penchant for harming themselves.
Zoe isn’t like them. And she can’t figure out why she was sent here. Writing letters to her best friend Elise keep her sane, grounded in the memories of her past—but mired in them, too. Elise never writes back.
Zoe is lost without her, unsure of how to navigate tenuous new friendships and bizarre rules without Elise by her side. But as her letters intertwine with journal entries chronicling her mysterious life at Twin Birch, another narrative unfolds. The hidden story of a complicated friendship; of the choices we make, the truths we tell others, and the lies we tell ourselves. The story of a friendship that has the potential to both save—and damage beyond repair. And Zoe finds she must confront the truth about her past once and for all, before she can finally let go.
Nora Price’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching meditation on the bonds of friendship with a gripping psychological twist.
Zoe knows she doesn’t belong in a hospital—so why is she in one?
Twin Birch isn’t just any hospital. It’s a strange mansion populated by unnerving staff and glassy-eyed patients. It’s a place for girls with serious problems; skinny, spindly girls who have a penchant for harming themselves.
Zoe isn’t like them. And she can’t figure out why she was sent here. Writing letters to her best friend Elise keep her sane, grounded in the memories of her past—but mired in them, too. Elise never writes back.
Zoe is lost without her, unsure of how to navigate tenuous new friendships and bizarre rules without Elise by her side. But as her letters intertwine with journal entries chronicling her mysterious life at Twin Birch, another narrative unfolds. The hidden story of a complicated friendship; of the choices we make, the truths we tell others, and the lies we tell ourselves. The story of a friendship that has the potential to both save—and damage beyond repair. And Zoe finds she must confront the truth about her past once and for all, before she can finally let go.
Nora Price’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching meditation on the bonds of friendship with a gripping psychological twist.
279 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2012
63 people are currently reading
5206 people want to read
About the author
Nora Price
3 books58 followersI'm a writer living in Brooklyn. My debut YA novel is "Zoe Letting Go", published by Razorbill in June 2012.
Are you a YA blogger? Want a review copy? Send a message to noracprice@gmail.com
(or message me on Goodreads, but sometimes I forget to check my Goodreads mail! eep)
Are you a YA blogger? Want a review copy? Send a message to noracprice@gmail.com
(or message me on Goodreads, but sometimes I forget to check my Goodreads mail! eep)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
July 13, 2016
I don’t know where I got this one or where I even heard about it but it is highly likely that I was suckered in by the blurb. Stick “haunting” in your cover copy and this sucker is likely to buy it.
A girl's letters to her best friend reveal two lives derailed by anorexia in this haunting debut.
Zoe knows she doesn’t belong in a hospital—so why is she in one?
Maybe I’ve read too many books or maybe I’ve developed a super smart brain in my old age (hey, it could happen) but I think I know how the major plot twist is going to turn out. I hope I’m wrong. I’d rather be wrong than to predict the twisty-twist before I even get to page 50.
Here’s the quickie synopsis. Zoe finds herself being driven to some sort of recovery center by her mom. She has no idea why. She doesn’t have any problems requiring recovery, so says she (if only to herself). But does Zoe ask why any of this happening? No sirree. She sits there passively, letting whatever will happen just happen. She has no fight in her. What kind of teenager is this and why couldn’t I have given birth to two of them?! Just kidding kids, if you’re reading this ;)
So mom leaves with nary a word and Zoe is left with three staff members (the owner, a chef and the counselor) and five painfully thin and mostly unfriendly girls. The staff takes her phone and cuts off her access to the outside world. Still, continuing in Zoe fashion, she asks no questions of the staff or the other girls and instead steals a brochure of the facility to find out more. Because, why do things the simple way, right? The brochure, of course, is vague so Zoe just goes with the flow, wondering why she’s there and why she’s being forced to eat mounds of food. She knows she has some food quirks but she’s clearly not as troubled as the other girls. She spends her free time wracked with anxiety and writing journal entries and letters to her best friend Elise.
The story is told through these letters and journal entries and Zoe, I’m very sad to say, does not have a very compelling voice. She’s clearly depressed, extremely passive and an unreliable narrator and though the story was well written, her voice didn’t always feel authentically teen to me. She uses words I had to look up (not that that’s saying much!). Instead of being properly nosy and asking all of the questions that were bugging me, Zoe spends a lot of time musing on the preparation of food, the eating of the food and even going so far as writing down entire recipes. I really wasn’t looking for an earthy crunchy cookbook with a big helping of sadness when I picked up this story but that’s pretty much what I got.
Though the story was readable, I just didn’t find it all that haunting in any sort of emotional way and that was a problem. Perhaps my heart is all dried up, I won’t argue with you there, but I didn’t feel much while reading. Everyone was just sort of meandering about, doing their jobs and doing what they were told to do to get better but I never felt emotional for any of them. I only kept going to see if I was right about that twisty-twist ending. Excuse me a moment while I gear myself up for telling you about that . . .
So, as you’ve probably guessed, I didn’t peek at the end but I should’ve. I would’ve saved myself many hours of precious and hard to come by reading time. Much to my dismay . . .
2 1/2 Stars
A girl's letters to her best friend reveal two lives derailed by anorexia in this haunting debut.
Zoe knows she doesn’t belong in a hospital—so why is she in one?
Maybe I’ve read too many books or maybe I’ve developed a super smart brain in my old age (hey, it could happen) but I think I know how the major plot twist is going to turn out. I hope I’m wrong. I’d rather be wrong than to predict the twisty-twist before I even get to page 50.
Here’s the quickie synopsis. Zoe finds herself being driven to some sort of recovery center by her mom. She has no idea why. She doesn’t have any problems requiring recovery, so says she (if only to herself). But does Zoe ask why any of this happening? No sirree. She sits there passively, letting whatever will happen just happen. She has no fight in her. What kind of teenager is this and why couldn’t I have given birth to two of them?! Just kidding kids, if you’re reading this ;)
So mom leaves with nary a word and Zoe is left with three staff members (the owner, a chef and the counselor) and five painfully thin and mostly unfriendly girls. The staff takes her phone and cuts off her access to the outside world. Still, continuing in Zoe fashion, she asks no questions of the staff or the other girls and instead steals a brochure of the facility to find out more. Because, why do things the simple way, right? The brochure, of course, is vague so Zoe just goes with the flow, wondering why she’s there and why she’s being forced to eat mounds of food. She knows she has some food quirks but she’s clearly not as troubled as the other girls. She spends her free time wracked with anxiety and writing journal entries and letters to her best friend Elise.
The story is told through these letters and journal entries and Zoe, I’m very sad to say, does not have a very compelling voice. She’s clearly depressed, extremely passive and an unreliable narrator and though the story was well written, her voice didn’t always feel authentically teen to me. She uses words I had to look up (not that that’s saying much!). Instead of being properly nosy and asking all of the questions that were bugging me, Zoe spends a lot of time musing on the preparation of food, the eating of the food and even going so far as writing down entire recipes. I really wasn’t looking for an earthy crunchy cookbook with a big helping of sadness when I picked up this story but that’s pretty much what I got.
Though the story was readable, I just didn’t find it all that haunting in any sort of emotional way and that was a problem. Perhaps my heart is all dried up, I won’t argue with you there, but I didn’t feel much while reading. Everyone was just sort of meandering about, doing their jobs and doing what they were told to do to get better but I never felt emotional for any of them. I only kept going to see if I was right about that twisty-twist ending. Excuse me a moment while I gear myself up for telling you about that . . .
So, as you’ve probably guessed, I didn’t peek at the end but I should’ve. I would’ve saved myself many hours of precious and hard to come by reading time. Much to my dismay . . .
2 1/2 Stars
August 13, 2012
First off, I personally think that the description written for this book is a bit misleading and overdramatic. The reason I had originally picked this book up was it’s comparison to Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, which is one of my favorite books. In general, I think comparisons to very popular works of literature are risky, because they create very high expectations. That was exactly the case for me when I sat down with this book. I don’t I’ve ever read something as beautifully haunting as Wintergirls, so I was definitely excited when I read the inside cover for Zoe Letting Go. I won’t say I was disappointed with the book, I just felt a little…deflated because I had been expecting something else.
Zoe Letting Go doesn’t focus much on the main character’s actual eating disorder or recovery, but rather the psychological journey she (Zoe) goes through during her time at Twin Birch. That was my favorite part of the book. I love character driven plots, and Zoe Letting Go is just that. The story covers a period of 36 days, but there is an intense focus on each day. Readers can see the slow mental progression Zoe goes through as the days pass without it seeming too slow.
For a large part of the book, Zoe cannot understand why she is at Twin Birch because she is “not like the other girls.” She is a highly introspective and observant girl, as well as articulate, which makes her exploration of the world outside and within incredibly fascinating. She writes to her friend Elise for an answer to all of her confusion, but never gets a reply, and as more letters are written, Zoe’s desperation becomes stronger and stronger, all leading up to the final climax at the end.
At the end of the novel, Zoe does end up figuring out why she is at Twin Birch, though I had a problem with this I found the fact that she didn’t know the entire time a bit unbelievable. A reason for this is given at the end, but I don’t find it to be very realistic. Rather than being told why she is there, she is left to her own devices to figure it out. Had this been real life, it would have been likely that the staff at Twin Birch would have filled her in on this so that she would be able to work through her core issues during therapy sessions. It was as if a large time in her therapy was wasted.
Even with it’s problems, I did enjoy this book. I read it in a day because I was so captivated with Zoe. My main piece of advice would be do not compare it with Wintergirls. While Wintergirls is plot and character driven, this one is mostly character driven. Also, the two writing styles are incredibly different. See Zoe Letting Go as it’s own novel and you’ll enjoy it much more.
This review (and more!) can be found at Rachel Reads
Zoe Letting Go doesn’t focus much on the main character’s actual eating disorder or recovery, but rather the psychological journey she (Zoe) goes through during her time at Twin Birch. That was my favorite part of the book. I love character driven plots, and Zoe Letting Go is just that. The story covers a period of 36 days, but there is an intense focus on each day. Readers can see the slow mental progression Zoe goes through as the days pass without it seeming too slow.
For a large part of the book, Zoe cannot understand why she is at Twin Birch because she is “not like the other girls.” She is a highly introspective and observant girl, as well as articulate, which makes her exploration of the world outside and within incredibly fascinating. She writes to her friend Elise for an answer to all of her confusion, but never gets a reply, and as more letters are written, Zoe’s desperation becomes stronger and stronger, all leading up to the final climax at the end.
At the end of the novel, Zoe does end up figuring out why she is at Twin Birch, though I had a problem with this I found the fact that she didn’t know the entire time a bit unbelievable. A reason for this is given at the end, but I don’t find it to be very realistic. Rather than being told why she is there, she is left to her own devices to figure it out. Had this been real life, it would have been likely that the staff at Twin Birch would have filled her in on this so that she would be able to work through her core issues during therapy sessions. It was as if a large time in her therapy was wasted.
Even with it’s problems, I did enjoy this book. I read it in a day because I was so captivated with Zoe. My main piece of advice would be do not compare it with Wintergirls. While Wintergirls is plot and character driven, this one is mostly character driven. Also, the two writing styles are incredibly different. See Zoe Letting Go as it’s own novel and you’ll enjoy it much more.
This review (and more!) can be found at Rachel Reads
May 25, 2012
I won this advanced copy from Good Reads.
I’m not sure how I want to compile my thoughts for this book. There was such a presence of underlying sadness that just resonated with me.
Zoe finds herself at Twin Birch, a secluded home for girls battling issues. She’s told she’s finally somewhere that can help her, but the problem is, she doesn’t think she needs help.
Forced into treatment for anorexia, Zoe uses all of her energy to find out why she’s really at Twin Birch. Coping with her separation from her old life (both physically and electronically), she writes to her best friend Elise. When her letters start going unanswered, Zoe increases her efforts, only finding that answers aren’t easy to come by.
“When you have a small group of friends—or no friends except for one other person—twenty minutes is the precise length of time it takes to become achingly reacquainted with your loneliness.”
Even after giving it time, I don’t think I could adequately explain why I loved this book so much. There was just something so real about Zoe’s pain and internal conflict. While as readers we knew why she was being treated, Zoe continued to struggle with the overlap of what is real and what isn’t.
This was such an emotional read. You got to watch Zoe work her way through her treatment and you rooted for her the entire time.
“We’re destined to look foolish and make mistakes. We grow old and end up looking like wrinkly babies. Our mistakes don’t have to be failures.”
Given the option, I would recommend this to everyone. A quick, emotional read that will be sure to leave you questioning…everything.
I’m not sure how I want to compile my thoughts for this book. There was such a presence of underlying sadness that just resonated with me.
Zoe finds herself at Twin Birch, a secluded home for girls battling issues. She’s told she’s finally somewhere that can help her, but the problem is, she doesn’t think she needs help.
Forced into treatment for anorexia, Zoe uses all of her energy to find out why she’s really at Twin Birch. Coping with her separation from her old life (both physically and electronically), she writes to her best friend Elise. When her letters start going unanswered, Zoe increases her efforts, only finding that answers aren’t easy to come by.
“When you have a small group of friends—or no friends except for one other person—twenty minutes is the precise length of time it takes to become achingly reacquainted with your loneliness.”
Even after giving it time, I don’t think I could adequately explain why I loved this book so much. There was just something so real about Zoe’s pain and internal conflict. While as readers we knew why she was being treated, Zoe continued to struggle with the overlap of what is real and what isn’t.
This was such an emotional read. You got to watch Zoe work her way through her treatment and you rooted for her the entire time.
“We’re destined to look foolish and make mistakes. We grow old and end up looking like wrinkly babies. Our mistakes don’t have to be failures.”
Given the option, I would recommend this to everyone. A quick, emotional read that will be sure to leave you questioning…everything.
June 27, 2012
As much as I really wanted to like Zoe Letting Go, ultimately I was disappointed by it. For example, the twist at the end was not a surprise at all. It struck me as obvious, especially considering that the title is really a spoiler. I also was bothered that the girls that were also at the treatment center were pretty boring. Jane, Caroline, Brooke....they all seemed the same to me.
And then there were the unanswered questions. How could Zoe's family afford the treatment? Why did Zoe get accepted at the center? Was Zoe truly Elise's enabler? Why did so many people despise Zoe at the center? Why did Caroline's baby pictures look like a boy instead of a girl? So many things just didn't add up.
Finally, I had to question the treatment center's tactics. In particular, I was surprised that they never focused on body image issues, effects of overexercising, and binging. I'm no expert in eating disorders, but forcing anorexics to eat healthy food, cook, and talk to each other seems like a weak form of treatment.
Overall, Zoe Letting Go was a decent read, but there are far better books about eating disorders and treatments.
And then there were the unanswered questions. How could Zoe's family afford the treatment? Why did Zoe get accepted at the center? Was Zoe truly Elise's enabler? Why did so many people despise Zoe at the center? Why did Caroline's baby pictures look like a boy instead of a girl? So many things just didn't add up.
Finally, I had to question the treatment center's tactics. In particular, I was surprised that they never focused on body image issues, effects of overexercising, and binging. I'm no expert in eating disorders, but forcing anorexics to eat healthy food, cook, and talk to each other seems like a weak form of treatment.
Overall, Zoe Letting Go was a decent read, but there are far better books about eating disorders and treatments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2013
Talk about a book that hits home. As a sufferer of anorexia at the same age as Zoe, I found this book relatable and truthful. I can only assume that Nora Price has also suffered through the hardships of anorexia , as I assume only a sufferer can understand the complexity of anorexia and the control over your life. My initial thoughts about Elise were that she was the "other" Zoe- meaning a created person to distinguish the eating disorder from Zoe herself. A very therapeutic approach to eating disorders. Having learnt the truth about Elise I was both saddened and relieved that given the circumstances Zoe was able to get the help she needed and come to terms with the truth. For me this book was a beautiful way of capturing the control of anorexia- how much it is about having control over something in your life when everything else seems unmanageable. I'm really glad I picked up this book at random, and I really enjoyed the way the story brought anorexia and the pain and "secretiveness" of the disorder to the forefront in a way that was both captivating and insightful.
August 26, 2012
Judged by Cover: Subtlety is Key
First, let's take the time to give the cover designer a round of applause for NOT chopping of the poor model's body. Good job!
For a quick glance, the cover might not appear that extraordinary. In fact, it may even get you to start worrying that it's time for yet another appointment to the optometrist. At a second glance, though, the cover makes you think of a photograph that someone crumpled up and threw away. Any design with that much though but not shoving it in the reader's face is superb.
What's Up?
It's not a hospital, a spa, or an institution. That's what they told me--that's what the brochures promised.
But no matter what the brochures promised, Zoe finds that Twin Birch is a place for girls with a penchant for harming themselves. Through journal entries and letters to her best friend, Elise, she tries to understand why she was brought there, and how she could possibly belong in a place like this. But Zoe's letters to Elise remain unanswered. She wonders why her best friend would cut her off without a word, reliving memory after memory of their beautiful, rocky, inescapable friendship. But everyone has secrets--including Zoe--and as her own fragile mental state hangs in the balance, she must finally learn to come to terms with what happened to Elise before she's able to let go.
(Adapted from the Goodreads synopsis)
Time Of Day: Erm... Ah... But.... Huh?
The point of the way the book is written is that it's almost impossible to get a handle on who Zoe really is. Even in her own writing, she's evasive and cagey. It's impossible to figure out who she really is, until the last few pages.
Sometimes, characters aren't meant to be liked. They're not meant to be identified with. They are meant to show us a different world or increase sympathy though. And it takes a good writer to even attempt that.
Head Over Heels: Nuanced or Nothing
One line. ONE LINE. That's the only hint at a romantic relationship in this book.
Bonus Features: Letters
I'm a bit biased here, but I feel as if actual written letters are going out of style, with texting. There's something romantic about getting a letter in the mail. I save things like that .
Plus, the letters give insight into who Zoe and Elise were as people, not to mention giving some break at the end of each narrative chapter
Secrets
There's something oddly alluring about having a secret dangled just in front of you. It's a driving force behind what keeps us reading a novel: we want to know what is just out of sight.
Keeping the reader interested AND not confusing the heck out of them? That's talent.
Anti-Bonus Features: Told Ya' So
There's a fine line between giving the reader adequate foreshadowing, and making the ending completely obvious.
Unfortunately, it differs for everyone.
Final Flavor: Gum
This book was well written, and had a considerably strong start. Half-way through, though, it seemed to peter out. The writing was still superb, but it lacked the strong or mysterious plot it has in the beginning. It lost it's flavor.
First, let's take the time to give the cover designer a round of applause for NOT chopping of the poor model's body. Good job!
For a quick glance, the cover might not appear that extraordinary. In fact, it may even get you to start worrying that it's time for yet another appointment to the optometrist. At a second glance, though, the cover makes you think of a photograph that someone crumpled up and threw away. Any design with that much though but not shoving it in the reader's face is superb.
What's Up?
It's not a hospital, a spa, or an institution. That's what they told me--that's what the brochures promised.
But no matter what the brochures promised, Zoe finds that Twin Birch is a place for girls with a penchant for harming themselves. Through journal entries and letters to her best friend, Elise, she tries to understand why she was brought there, and how she could possibly belong in a place like this. But Zoe's letters to Elise remain unanswered. She wonders why her best friend would cut her off without a word, reliving memory after memory of their beautiful, rocky, inescapable friendship. But everyone has secrets--including Zoe--and as her own fragile mental state hangs in the balance, she must finally learn to come to terms with what happened to Elise before she's able to let go.
(Adapted from the Goodreads synopsis)
Time Of Day: Erm... Ah... But.... Huh?
The point of the way the book is written is that it's almost impossible to get a handle on who Zoe really is. Even in her own writing, she's evasive and cagey. It's impossible to figure out who she really is, until the last few pages.
Sometimes, characters aren't meant to be liked. They're not meant to be identified with. They are meant to show us a different world or increase sympathy though. And it takes a good writer to even attempt that.
Head Over Heels: Nuanced or Nothing
One line. ONE LINE. That's the only hint at a romantic relationship in this book.
Bonus Features: Letters
I'm a bit biased here, but I feel as if actual written letters are going out of style, with texting. There's something romantic about getting a letter in the mail. I save things like that .
Plus, the letters give insight into who Zoe and Elise were as people, not to mention giving some break at the end of each narrative chapter
Secrets
There's something oddly alluring about having a secret dangled just in front of you. It's a driving force behind what keeps us reading a novel: we want to know what is just out of sight.
Keeping the reader interested AND not confusing the heck out of them? That's talent.
Anti-Bonus Features: Told Ya' So
There's a fine line between giving the reader adequate foreshadowing, and making the ending completely obvious.
Unfortunately, it differs for everyone.
Final Flavor: Gum
This book was well written, and had a considerably strong start. Half-way through, though, it seemed to peter out. The writing was still superb, but it lacked the strong or mysterious plot it has in the beginning. It lost it's flavor.
February 6, 2020
I wanted to like this!
I didn’t like this.
Zoe is an unreliable narrator. None of the real questions (Did she enable Elise? Who stole the clothes? Where’s Harry?) get answered. It seems unrealistic, too, that as a course of treatment the facility would let Zoe take 36 days to come back to reality while force-feeding her revolting-sounding food and pairing her up with a weird roommate (also, why did Caroline look like a boy in her pictures? I thought the reveal was going to be that it was her son).
It was obvious, from the beginning and the title, that Elise was dead. No surprise plot twist there. So... what was the point?
I didn’t like this.
Zoe is an unreliable narrator. None of the real questions (Did she enable Elise? Who stole the clothes? Where’s Harry?) get answered. It seems unrealistic, too, that as a course of treatment the facility would let Zoe take 36 days to come back to reality while force-feeding her revolting-sounding food and pairing her up with a weird roommate (also, why did Caroline look like a boy in her pictures? I thought the reveal was going to be that it was her son).
It was obvious, from the beginning and the title, that Elise was dead. No surprise plot twist there. So... what was the point?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2015
I couldn't put this down until I finished reading it. A very well written book about a girl struggling with an eating disorder, but yet she is blind to what led her to a treatment center, because while she has an eating disorder she doesn't quite look like the others. This book is very real out there in today society.
June 27, 2016
Really just an example of people who should not be allowed to run an eating disorder facility, or any other psychiatric facility for that matter.
Tbh I'm not convinced the author did any research before writing this.
Tbh I'm not convinced the author did any research before writing this.
August 30, 2016
I hate to give out ratings under three stars, so this book gets a 3 and a :(. I felt like it was slow and somewhat confusing at times, though it was good at others. I'm very torn.
July 7, 2013
Zoe Letting Go starts off with the protagonist (Zoe, duh) being dropped off at a treatment center for girls with anorexia. There are only five other patients, and they're all quiet and basically wasting away. Zoe can't figure out why she's been sent here. She's not frail like them, she's never tried to harm herself. Why has her mother sent her here for six weeks during the summer?
To pass time, and to help sort her thoughts, she journals and writes letters to her best friend Elise. She sees a therapist every day and starts forging new friendships with some other patients. Elise doesn't write back. Zoe is stuck in a hospital with no privacy, no idea why she's been sent away, and no best friend.
This book... I didn't want to give it two stars, but I just felt wrong giving it three. It's not that it was terrible. It wasn't really all that bad and I wanted to find out why she'd been sent there.
The big problem I had is that there was just no character or plot development. The whole time she's there it's the same thing. Meals. Socializing. Classes. Sleep. Rinse and repeat and sprinkle heavily with inner monologue and words most teenagers don't use casually. Add in some random plot points that seem to have nothing to do with each other. (Like picture frames, featured prominently and explained once. Barely. At the very end.)
There's no resolution. Just a twist ending that, honestly, didn't surprise me. Over the entire course of the book, Zoe doesn't seem to grow, or change, or really do much of anything. The big "twist" happens well toward the end of the book and is barely dealt with at all. Just hastily mentioned and then, boom, before you know it the book is over, and you're left thinking... "Okay...?"
Whether the open ended ending was intentional or not, it just doesn't work. Obviously I wasn't expecting all the problems to be solved by the end of the book, but it would have been nice if they'd been at least dealt with to some extent. Zoe is, at the end of the book, the Zoe we started with. Just with a bit more knowledge and nothing to do with it.
I honestly think they talked more about the food than anything else in the book. Just, like, recipes. And lists of "what we had to eat today".
I was left shaking my head. Not a terrible book, but it really doesn't go anywhere.
To pass time, and to help sort her thoughts, she journals and writes letters to her best friend Elise. She sees a therapist every day and starts forging new friendships with some other patients. Elise doesn't write back. Zoe is stuck in a hospital with no privacy, no idea why she's been sent away, and no best friend.
This book... I didn't want to give it two stars, but I just felt wrong giving it three. It's not that it was terrible. It wasn't really all that bad and I wanted to find out why she'd been sent there.
The big problem I had is that there was just no character or plot development. The whole time she's there it's the same thing. Meals. Socializing. Classes. Sleep. Rinse and repeat and sprinkle heavily with inner monologue and words most teenagers don't use casually. Add in some random plot points that seem to have nothing to do with each other. (Like picture frames, featured prominently and explained once. Barely. At the very end.)
There's no resolution. Just a twist ending that, honestly, didn't surprise me. Over the entire course of the book, Zoe doesn't seem to grow, or change, or really do much of anything. The big "twist" happens well toward the end of the book and is barely dealt with at all. Just hastily mentioned and then, boom, before you know it the book is over, and you're left thinking... "Okay...?"
Whether the open ended ending was intentional or not, it just doesn't work. Obviously I wasn't expecting all the problems to be solved by the end of the book, but it would have been nice if they'd been at least dealt with to some extent. Zoe is, at the end of the book, the Zoe we started with. Just with a bit more knowledge and nothing to do with it.
I honestly think they talked more about the food than anything else in the book. Just, like, recipes. And lists of "what we had to eat today".
I was left shaking my head. Not a terrible book, but it really doesn't go anywhere.
March 19, 2014
Inhalt:
Die Wahrheit liegt in der Vergangenheit
Ohne Vorwarnung wird die 16-jährige Zoe von ihrer Mutter in eine Einrichtung namens »Twin Birch« verfrachtet. Was soll sie hier zwischen all den dürren, kranken Mädchen? Ihr einziger Halt sind die Briefe, die sie an ihre beste Freundin Elise schreibt. Doch Elise antwortet nicht. Nie. Nur langsam erkennt Zoe, dass der Grund für ihren Aufenthalt in »Twin Birch« in ihrer Vergangenheit liegt, bei Elise. Erst als sie die tragische Wahrheit akzeptiert, gelingt es ihr loszulassen und sich ihren eigenen Problemen zu stellen.
Meine Meinung:
Nora Price hat mit diesem Buch eines geschafft... mich sprachlos zu machen! Die gesamte Geschichte wird hierbei aus der Sicht der 16.Jährigen Zoe erzählt. Diese findet sich eines Tages ganz unerwartet in einer abgelegenen "Klinik" wieder, wie sich bald herrausstellt, werden dort esssgestörte Mädchen behandelt. Eine Frage kreist Seite für Seite in Zoes Gedanken herum, warum bin ich hier?
Im Gegensatz zu den anderen Mädchen, ist Zoe nicht auf Haut und Knochen heruntergehungert,
dennoch ist ihr Essverhalten nicht "normal". Zoe wirft mich als Leser, völlig aus der Bann, man kann dieses Mädchen einfach in keine Kategorie einordnen. Oft wurde ich vor die Frage gestellt, was ein "normales" Verhalten ist und wie die Zusammenhänge in Zoes Gedankengängen und ihrem Aufenthalt in Twin Birch zusammenpassen...
Das besondere an diesem Buch ist jedoch, dass es sich wie eine Art Krimi liest.
Zoe beobachtet ihre Umgebung ganz genau, setzt Einzelteile zusammen, stellt Hypothesen auf und schweift hin und wieder in die Vergangenheit ab. Zwischendurch findet man im Buch sehr ausführliche Briefe, die Zoe an ihre beste Freundin Elise absendet. Ihr Leben in Twin Birch ist für sie genauso verwirrend, wie für den Leser und man macht sich zusammen mit Zoe auf die Suche nach dem Warum.
Warum ist Zoe in Twin Birch?
Warum verhalten sich alle ihr gegenüber so seltsam?
Warum antwortet Elise auf keinen ihrer Briefe?
Warum fühlt sich alles so falsch an?
Am Ende des Buches wird all dies enthüllt und es ist eine große Überraschung für den Leser, was denn nun wirklich mit Zoe los ist.
Mehr möchte und kann ich gar nicht zu dem Buch sagen, ich würde sonst nur spoilern... Der Schreibstil hat sich sehr flüssig gelesen und die Gedanken und Gefühlsgänge von Zoe waren gleichermaßen schockierend wie interessant!
In diesem Buch wird einem vor Augen geführt, wie weit eine Freundschaft reichen kann....
Die Wahrheit liegt in der Vergangenheit
Ohne Vorwarnung wird die 16-jährige Zoe von ihrer Mutter in eine Einrichtung namens »Twin Birch« verfrachtet. Was soll sie hier zwischen all den dürren, kranken Mädchen? Ihr einziger Halt sind die Briefe, die sie an ihre beste Freundin Elise schreibt. Doch Elise antwortet nicht. Nie. Nur langsam erkennt Zoe, dass der Grund für ihren Aufenthalt in »Twin Birch« in ihrer Vergangenheit liegt, bei Elise. Erst als sie die tragische Wahrheit akzeptiert, gelingt es ihr loszulassen und sich ihren eigenen Problemen zu stellen.
Meine Meinung:
Nora Price hat mit diesem Buch eines geschafft... mich sprachlos zu machen! Die gesamte Geschichte wird hierbei aus der Sicht der 16.Jährigen Zoe erzählt. Diese findet sich eines Tages ganz unerwartet in einer abgelegenen "Klinik" wieder, wie sich bald herrausstellt, werden dort esssgestörte Mädchen behandelt. Eine Frage kreist Seite für Seite in Zoes Gedanken herum, warum bin ich hier?
Im Gegensatz zu den anderen Mädchen, ist Zoe nicht auf Haut und Knochen heruntergehungert,
dennoch ist ihr Essverhalten nicht "normal". Zoe wirft mich als Leser, völlig aus der Bann, man kann dieses Mädchen einfach in keine Kategorie einordnen. Oft wurde ich vor die Frage gestellt, was ein "normales" Verhalten ist und wie die Zusammenhänge in Zoes Gedankengängen und ihrem Aufenthalt in Twin Birch zusammenpassen...
Das besondere an diesem Buch ist jedoch, dass es sich wie eine Art Krimi liest.
Zoe beobachtet ihre Umgebung ganz genau, setzt Einzelteile zusammen, stellt Hypothesen auf und schweift hin und wieder in die Vergangenheit ab. Zwischendurch findet man im Buch sehr ausführliche Briefe, die Zoe an ihre beste Freundin Elise absendet. Ihr Leben in Twin Birch ist für sie genauso verwirrend, wie für den Leser und man macht sich zusammen mit Zoe auf die Suche nach dem Warum.
Warum ist Zoe in Twin Birch?
Warum verhalten sich alle ihr gegenüber so seltsam?
Warum antwortet Elise auf keinen ihrer Briefe?
Warum fühlt sich alles so falsch an?
Am Ende des Buches wird all dies enthüllt und es ist eine große Überraschung für den Leser, was denn nun wirklich mit Zoe los ist.
Mehr möchte und kann ich gar nicht zu dem Buch sagen, ich würde sonst nur spoilern... Der Schreibstil hat sich sehr flüssig gelesen und die Gedanken und Gefühlsgänge von Zoe waren gleichermaßen schockierend wie interessant!
In diesem Buch wird einem vor Augen geführt, wie weit eine Freundschaft reichen kann....
Read
August 8, 2012*not a native english speaker
I started this book thinking it was something else. I don't know where I was thinking reading the plot but reading it I saw that this was about girls with eating disorders but I didn't stop there. I like this kind of books. I don't read them very often because they are depresing on some levels.
The book is part Zoes journal , part Zoes letters to her best friend Elise. What was weird was the fact that Zoe describing her life showed signs of anorexia all over the place but the only one who seemed not to realise , was Zoe. The reader can see clearly all this signs and of course , everyone around her.
Even though Zoe is the main character , the center of the story is Elise. Why ? Because Zoe is the next Elise. Both of them get on a strict diet in order to loose weight like all teenage girls , just to look hotter and whatnot, making them , especially Elise , loose a lot of weight not in that cool way of "Did you loose weight? Wow , you look awesome" but in the bony anorexic type. Add lossing hair to the potion and you get a shake of problems. Zoe is worried about her friend but she doesn't seem to realise that that's going to be her in some time. She's counting on the fact that elise , beiing taller , gets to loose weight a lot more easier , not like her , who looks like a petite French Ballerina , and looses weight way harder.
I was so curious about that fact that Elise didn't respond to Zoes letters and that got me mostly through the book , because I wanted so bad to know. You'll never , in a million years , guess why didn't she. I suspected it , and I was searching every detail in the book to proove me right but I didn't guessed it all. The final in strong and it clears a lot of issues.
I really wish that this book to be a part of an anorexin campaign. Imagine: an anorexic doesn't think they have a problem but if they read about one they might get a clue. They would think about this desease with clear eyes. If someone is willing to make a campaign like this , tell me and I'l\ join in a heartbeat.
I started this book thinking it was something else. I don't know where I was thinking reading the plot but reading it I saw that this was about girls with eating disorders but I didn't stop there. I like this kind of books. I don't read them very often because they are depresing on some levels.
The book is part Zoes journal , part Zoes letters to her best friend Elise. What was weird was the fact that Zoe describing her life showed signs of anorexia all over the place but the only one who seemed not to realise , was Zoe. The reader can see clearly all this signs and of course , everyone around her.
Even though Zoe is the main character , the center of the story is Elise. Why ? Because Zoe is the next Elise. Both of them get on a strict diet in order to loose weight like all teenage girls , just to look hotter and whatnot, making them , especially Elise , loose a lot of weight not in that cool way of "Did you loose weight? Wow , you look awesome" but in the bony anorexic type. Add lossing hair to the potion and you get a shake of problems. Zoe is worried about her friend but she doesn't seem to realise that that's going to be her in some time. She's counting on the fact that elise , beiing taller , gets to loose weight a lot more easier , not like her , who looks like a petite French Ballerina , and looses weight way harder.
I was so curious about that fact that Elise didn't respond to Zoes letters and that got me mostly through the book , because I wanted so bad to know. You'll never , in a million years , guess why didn't she. I suspected it , and I was searching every detail in the book to proove me right but I didn't guessed it all. The final in strong and it clears a lot of issues.
I really wish that this book to be a part of an anorexin campaign. Imagine: an anorexic doesn't think they have a problem but if they read about one they might get a clue. They would think about this desease with clear eyes. If someone is willing to make a campaign like this , tell me and I'l\ join in a heartbeat.
January 30, 2013
This is one of those books that just gets right down deep inside you. It's simply amazing, so heartbreaking and wonderful, and easily one of my 'favourite' books of the year.
I suck for totally flaking on reviewing this as soon as I'd finished. Now I feel like I need to read it again to remember everything else that made me love it so much.
I suck for totally flaking on reviewing this as soon as I'd finished. Now I feel like I need to read it again to remember everything else that made me love it so much.
July 12, 2017
I wanted to like this book much more than I did - I think the author's determination to create a mystery around Zoe backfired. I knew the ending by the second chapter. The characters around Zoe were not developed (the other patients in the treatment centre were barely discernable from each other). It's a shame because I think premise was good.
June 22, 2017
When sixteen year old Zoe's mum leaves her at Twin Birch, an inpatient recovery for eating/mental disorders, with six girls staying for six weeks. She finds herself with Caroline as a roommate.
As Alexandra her therapist encourages her to write letters and
Journal, she feels like Elise will be there for her but as she grows erratic at getting no replies from her best friend, Zoe finds herself being outcast by a fellow inpatient after she reads her folder and finds out what truly happened to Zoe and Elise.
A mystery interwoven which was half expected to be truthful as unfortunately cases as in this book are tragically true whether in person or online friends. The issues raised where approached sensitively but I would've liked more input into Zoe's mum's life and her views as she wasn't really in the book much.
As Alexandra her therapist encourages her to write letters and
Journal, she feels like Elise will be there for her but as she grows erratic at getting no replies from her best friend, Zoe finds herself being outcast by a fellow inpatient after she reads her folder and finds out what truly happened to Zoe and Elise.
A mystery interwoven which was half expected to be truthful as unfortunately cases as in this book are tragically true whether in person or online friends. The issues raised where approached sensitively but I would've liked more input into Zoe's mum's life and her views as she wasn't really in the book much.
September 28, 2023
yikes.
this seemed super unrealistic imo with how willing every girl was so willing to eat every meal in entirety.. most of these girls had been struggling with ED since they were in elementary school but bc these mentors tell them they have to empty their plates they just go along with it? ok..
also i think 80% of this book was just listing diff recipes and mentioning what they ate that day. it was so extremely boring. the only plot twist wasn't surprising either being that i had already guessed by the end of the first chapter that the best friend was dead. i have yet to read a fictional novel that represents EDs in an accurate, realistic way that also keeps my interest. so if you have any recs for that please lmk
this seemed super unrealistic imo with how willing every girl was so willing to eat every meal in entirety.. most of these girls had been struggling with ED since they were in elementary school but bc these mentors tell them they have to empty their plates they just go along with it? ok..
also i think 80% of this book was just listing diff recipes and mentioning what they ate that day. it was so extremely boring. the only plot twist wasn't surprising either being that i had already guessed by the end of the first chapter that the best friend was dead. i have yet to read a fictional novel that represents EDs in an accurate, realistic way that also keeps my interest. so if you have any recs for that please lmk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2018
3.5 stars from me (rounded down).
This was a quick, enjoyable read. I felt like Zoe was very relatable; I think most women could identify a bit of themselves in her.
It didn't get a better rating from me simply because I feel like I've read this story before. There was nothing really novel about the plot and I found it transparent and predictable. Still - as I said before - an enjoyable read, just don't expect it to knock your socks off.
This was a quick, enjoyable read. I felt like Zoe was very relatable; I think most women could identify a bit of themselves in her.
It didn't get a better rating from me simply because I feel like I've read this story before. There was nothing really novel about the plot and I found it transparent and predictable. Still - as I said before - an enjoyable read, just don't expect it to knock your socks off.
November 3, 2023
I’ve been putting this book off since high school book club. I vaguely remembered the plot even though I hadn’t read it myself. As far as the actual story, I thought it was slow-paced and predictable with an unreliable narrator. Nonetheless, I’m glad I finally read it
February 10, 2015
3.5/5 stars
Zoe Letting Go is definitely in a genre I don't usual venture into and that is the realistic contemporary. Also, this novel centers around a girl with an eating disorder which is the type of novel Farah loves. Therefore I had some restraint when I picked this novel up. However this novel was such a different adventure. Also the main protagonist was so likable. However till the end you don't really understand exactly what is the real problem with Zoe. However that was what kept me flipping the pages; the curiosity and need to find out what Zoe exactly did and what happened to her to end up at an eating disorder treatment facility?
Zoe gets woken up in the middle of my the night by her mom telling her to pack a bag because they're hitting the road now. A couple of hours later she finds herself in an eating disorder treatment facility. Now Zoe is confused on why she ended up here since she has no eating disorder. Now i'm sure all the readers, including me, thought this is typical of an eating disorder victim: denial. Zoe not once says she is anorexic, or has an eating disorder. Zoe is on a different weight level compared to all the boney girls (5 other) in the facility. Also while Zoe doesn't like being stuffed with food and force fed, she doesn't really think food is her #1 enemy hence my confusion. This left me perplexed and confused on why her mom dropped her in this facility. However towards the end of the book you finally understand what Zoe needs to let go.
The novel is written in a form of a journal and letters. The journal obviously belongs to Zoe however in between every journal entry, Zoe writes a letter to her best friend Elise. The letters shed light on Zoe's past while the journal entries are of the present. I loved how Zoe made friends in the facility, and how funny they were at times and just normal teenaged girls that just want to be loved, accepted, and in control of their lives. Nora Price just knew exactly what to do to keep me reading, and while I felt frustrated at times because I was just confused on what Zoe's problem was, the ending shed some light on the problem. However I still felt that I needed more explanations on some aspect of Zoe's behavior, her mom's behavior, and just wished to see the closure Zoe felt back in her home, and not just what she thought in her head. However I really did enjoy Zoe Letting Go, especially with the present friendships and Zoe's personality. Nora Price did a great job linking Zoe's past and present. I would definitely recommend it to all fans of realistic fiction!
More reviews on Maji Bookshelf
Zoe Letting Go is definitely in a genre I don't usual venture into and that is the realistic contemporary. Also, this novel centers around a girl with an eating disorder which is the type of novel Farah loves. Therefore I had some restraint when I picked this novel up. However this novel was such a different adventure. Also the main protagonist was so likable. However till the end you don't really understand exactly what is the real problem with Zoe. However that was what kept me flipping the pages; the curiosity and need to find out what Zoe exactly did and what happened to her to end up at an eating disorder treatment facility?
Zoe gets woken up in the middle of my the night by her mom telling her to pack a bag because they're hitting the road now. A couple of hours later she finds herself in an eating disorder treatment facility. Now Zoe is confused on why she ended up here since she has no eating disorder. Now i'm sure all the readers, including me, thought this is typical of an eating disorder victim: denial. Zoe not once says she is anorexic, or has an eating disorder. Zoe is on a different weight level compared to all the boney girls (5 other) in the facility. Also while Zoe doesn't like being stuffed with food and force fed, she doesn't really think food is her #1 enemy hence my confusion. This left me perplexed and confused on why her mom dropped her in this facility. However towards the end of the book you finally understand what Zoe needs to let go.
The novel is written in a form of a journal and letters. The journal obviously belongs to Zoe however in between every journal entry, Zoe writes a letter to her best friend Elise. The letters shed light on Zoe's past while the journal entries are of the present. I loved how Zoe made friends in the facility, and how funny they were at times and just normal teenaged girls that just want to be loved, accepted, and in control of their lives. Nora Price just knew exactly what to do to keep me reading, and while I felt frustrated at times because I was just confused on what Zoe's problem was, the ending shed some light on the problem. However I still felt that I needed more explanations on some aspect of Zoe's behavior, her mom's behavior, and just wished to see the closure Zoe felt back in her home, and not just what she thought in her head. However I really did enjoy Zoe Letting Go, especially with the present friendships and Zoe's personality. Nora Price did a great job linking Zoe's past and present. I would definitely recommend it to all fans of realistic fiction!
More reviews on Maji Bookshelf
August 25, 2012
Debut author Nora Price has contributed a new Young Adult book to the catalog of eating disorder books, following a teen girl’s institutionalization into an anorexia clinic, through lessening stages of denial, to recovery. Zoe, 16, finds herself en route through rural Massachusetts, away from her home in Brooklyn, being driven somewhere, for some reason she can’t deduce. Zoe wonders what she did to provoke her mother into making her pack and leave home. She can’t recall what brought on this parental frenzy, driving the highways for hours through wooded landscapes to a secluded manor in pastoral Massachusetts, so far from the home she knows.
As Zoe recognizes that she has been inducted into an institution for girls with eating disorders, and can plainly discern their problems, she continues to deny her own, while pouring her heart out to far-away best friend Elise, but receiving no letters of reply. Zoe’s roommate and two other six girls ostracize and provoke her, and she can’t understand why she has been singled out, in addition to why she’s there at all. Zoe tries to convince the counselors of her misplacement, but readers witness her rejecting or obsessing over food and recalling disturbing past incidences involving her best friend, whose beauty Zoe covets.
As an unreliable narrator, Zoe’s confusion over her predicament lead the reader through delusions as well as real mysteries, such as which girl is stealing clothing and why Zoe’s roommate peers longingly at a collection silver-framed baby photos. The story starts in letters addressed to Elise, interwoven with first person narrative. The problem with the writing, evident from the beginning, is that it lacks authenticity; Zoe simply doesn’t write, speak, or think like a teenager. It was nearly impossible to suspend disbelief and engage with the drama, even with such a compelling premise and well-paced, gripping momentum.
Another glitch with the book is the addition of recipes throughout the text for the courses the institutionalized girls are made to create and eat as part of their therapy. The addition of the recipes seems gimmicky and lessens the seriousness of the subject matter (although this reviewer will admit to trying out some of the recipes with delicious results!) and perhaps should have been included in an appendix rather than interspersed with the narrative.
As Zoe recognizes that she has been inducted into an institution for girls with eating disorders, and can plainly discern their problems, she continues to deny her own, while pouring her heart out to far-away best friend Elise, but receiving no letters of reply. Zoe’s roommate and two other six girls ostracize and provoke her, and she can’t understand why she has been singled out, in addition to why she’s there at all. Zoe tries to convince the counselors of her misplacement, but readers witness her rejecting or obsessing over food and recalling disturbing past incidences involving her best friend, whose beauty Zoe covets.
As an unreliable narrator, Zoe’s confusion over her predicament lead the reader through delusions as well as real mysteries, such as which girl is stealing clothing and why Zoe’s roommate peers longingly at a collection silver-framed baby photos. The story starts in letters addressed to Elise, interwoven with first person narrative. The problem with the writing, evident from the beginning, is that it lacks authenticity; Zoe simply doesn’t write, speak, or think like a teenager. It was nearly impossible to suspend disbelief and engage with the drama, even with such a compelling premise and well-paced, gripping momentum.
Another glitch with the book is the addition of recipes throughout the text for the courses the institutionalized girls are made to create and eat as part of their therapy. The addition of the recipes seems gimmicky and lessens the seriousness of the subject matter (although this reviewer will admit to trying out some of the recipes with delicious results!) and perhaps should have been included in an appendix rather than interspersed with the narrative.
July 4, 2016
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2.5 Stars
One day, Zoe is woken by her Mom urgently saying that she needs to get her things ready as quickly as possible. Zoe soon discovers that she is being driven to a recovery centre for girls with anorexia, the only thing is, Zoe doesn't think she has anorexia so she doesn't know why she is being sent here. She is left with the head mistress, a therapist, a counsellor and 5 stick thin girls for the next 6 weeks. Zoe spends most of her time during treatment writing in her journal as well as sending letters to her best friend, Elise, who never seems to write back. As time goes on, Zoe must face her past and realize why she was sent to Twin Birch.
I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters on an emotional level, they all seemed completely bland to me. I usually enjoy books about mental illnesses but this one fell extremely flat for me. Zoe was so nonchalant about the entire recovery process, which any teenager her age would definitely not have just gone with the flow and did everything she was told to do with no complaints. She felt very unrealistic to me. The ending was very predictable, I called it about 50 pages into the novel. Another MAJOR issue I had with the book was that the author chose to use the word 'retarded' as an insult, which is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in society, which is why I dropped my rating to a 2.5 instead of a 3.
2.5 Stars
One day, Zoe is woken by her Mom urgently saying that she needs to get her things ready as quickly as possible. Zoe soon discovers that she is being driven to a recovery centre for girls with anorexia, the only thing is, Zoe doesn't think she has anorexia so she doesn't know why she is being sent here. She is left with the head mistress, a therapist, a counsellor and 5 stick thin girls for the next 6 weeks. Zoe spends most of her time during treatment writing in her journal as well as sending letters to her best friend, Elise, who never seems to write back. As time goes on, Zoe must face her past and realize why she was sent to Twin Birch.
I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters on an emotional level, they all seemed completely bland to me. I usually enjoy books about mental illnesses but this one fell extremely flat for me. Zoe was so nonchalant about the entire recovery process, which any teenager her age would definitely not have just gone with the flow and did everything she was told to do with no complaints. She felt very unrealistic to me. The ending was very predictable, I called it about 50 pages into the novel. Another MAJOR issue I had with the book was that the author chose to use the word 'retarded' as an insult, which is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in society, which is why I dropped my rating to a 2.5 instead of a 3.
August 12, 2018
I was not surprised by the advertised ‘moment to stun you’. The book had very little movement and focused inward on self denial. By about page 3 I knew what the major focus was in the book. I was interested in the day-to-day aspects with the group of girls. The detail and practices were intense and captivating for me. The characters themselves were not. We don’t learn much about them, except the main character Zoe. Even then we are sitting in wait as she figures herself out.
The end (and here are the major spoilers) leaves me desiring more of a resolution. How does one move forward knowing that they encouraged the death of their best friend? How did that come about? How did she escape legal implications? I’m left with questions after sitting and suffering through 32 days of self-discovery for Zoe. One last thing is the letters she writes... would she really honestly say all that to her friend? It seems like she only has bitter things to talk about for how she feels. That’s not realistic to share with Elise, in my opinion.
The end (and here are the major spoilers) leaves me desiring more of a resolution. How does one move forward knowing that they encouraged the death of their best friend? How did that come about? How did she escape legal implications? I’m left with questions after sitting and suffering through 32 days of self-discovery for Zoe. One last thing is the letters she writes... would she really honestly say all that to her friend? It seems like she only has bitter things to talk about for how she feels. That’s not realistic to share with Elise, in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2013
3.75 stars. I really liked this book. I'm tempted to give this book 4 stars but I didn't have the burning desire to get through this book like I have with others. I was motivated to get through it fairly quickly though. The beginning bothered me because Zoe had no idea she was going to an institution until her mother dropped her off there and then no idea why she was there. I thought that was a little dramatic... but then it started to pull together as she continued to write in her journal and go through therapy. I think the story is an important one to be told. I especially like the author's way of reminding us that we need to look at ourselves as others see us because we can be quite blind to our own beauty AND faults that we have. Great teen book for girls!
December 5, 2015
At first the story was really slow getting started and I was beginning to think I needed to lay off the teen-emo books for a while but...right before the end the story started picking up and then the end...~WOW~~ I did not see it coming.
Once I finished the book, I went back to skim the beginning to see all of the hints and clues I missed to start with.
I will def check out something else that Nora has written, she has piqued my interest.
Once I finished the book, I went back to skim the beginning to see all of the hints and clues I missed to start with.
I will def check out something else that Nora has written, she has piqued my interest.
November 30, 2015
Alright. I can't decide whether or not I liked this one. It did keep my interest, so I decided on 3 stars. I felt that there were a few plot holes, because there was simply some random things thrown into this story that didn't really add any depth to it. Like who was the thief? Maybe I missed the point. I don't know. And the ending? Well I predicted it from the very start.
March 23, 2021
***SPOILER ALERT***
I don't think there are too many complaints I have about the story, given the buildup that led to the more obvious plot twist reveals as little about the true nature of our main character than the reason a supposedly controlling mother who refuses to accept her daughter's splenda addiction might afford to send her to rehab for anorexia as well as psycho analysis.
The story is written well, well enough to be enjoyable throughout. It is a slow burn, but the main character Zoe is plucky enough to hold your attentions, amusing you while you wait for the 'big reveal' or at least the answer to smaller 'little problems' that never actually GET a reveal. There are grotesque recipes throughout the book, and it is more of a wonder why their head cook and assisting 'coach' (Devon) would try to force these girls to eat 'healthy' foods with less flavor than public school pizza and might fuel more hatred for dinnertime than ever before. Perhaps lost appreciation? One thing never explored but exploited consistently throughout the storyline.
The girls are more or less 'trapped' in this rehab center as we are, watching them wilt and whine and share stories. There isn't really any growth seen in this story, which could be compared to Laurie Halse Anderson's gem WINTERGIRLS, if there was more of a point to the protagonist's tragedy aside from feeling sorry for herself.
The side characters are just as useless, complaining about mealtimes more than anything else, ignoring the weaknesses or reasons for there being these mental blocks, even after the trio of girls form a bond. Nothing more than sharing 'tips' and 'tricks' that have as much 'fitspirational advice' than a 2021 tiktok telling girls 'an apple a day keeps the stomach pangs away', making me wonder more than once what is the true POINT or PURPOSE for the story aside from the tired relation that "adults can't comprehend what teenagers go through" or the dangers of real life body dysmorphia which is cleverly threaded throughout the storyline only to come out hollow in the end. Instead of looking in a mirror, our protagonist looks at her suitcase, ready to go home unchanged, unearthed, with only a few extra pounds she gets to shed as soon as she can 'celebrate' with her iced tea.
The real bother about this story isn't that it's bad or completely pointless, but the effortless pull into the story only to get halfway before realizing it's run out of momentum in the first chapter and will continue to be the same nothingness up until the end. It hardly makes the twist worth it, and had the protagonist left with SOMETHING, than this revelation might've held some weight. Sure, we might not be surprised, but she's got traumatic amnesia, panic attacks, and ptsd. Aside from her clearly severe body dysmorphia she's suffering from what might appear to be a mentally damaging delusion and the unladen guilt that her friend's death is her fault. But we don't exactly get WHY we're entrusted with this information, left to wonder what will become of our protagonist after discovering her shattered psyche, only to reach the end of the book as if this is a proper conclusion.
No 'to be continued', no continuing trilogy (though perhaps this is not necessarily the author's fault)
Given that this isn't a part of the series, I'm at a loss for words when a story that only stars to pick up in momentum sharply drops us off into a ditch, dumping us into a neverending tunnel until we feel like Alice, frustrated at being too big and then too small, searching in vain for a key that will never unlock this door and give us the answer we're looking for-
What happened next?
I don't think there are too many complaints I have about the story, given the buildup that led to the more obvious plot twist reveals as little about the true nature of our main character than the reason a supposedly controlling mother who refuses to accept her daughter's splenda addiction might afford to send her to rehab for anorexia as well as psycho analysis.
The story is written well, well enough to be enjoyable throughout. It is a slow burn, but the main character Zoe is plucky enough to hold your attentions, amusing you while you wait for the 'big reveal' or at least the answer to smaller 'little problems' that never actually GET a reveal. There are grotesque recipes throughout the book, and it is more of a wonder why their head cook and assisting 'coach' (Devon) would try to force these girls to eat 'healthy' foods with less flavor than public school pizza and might fuel more hatred for dinnertime than ever before. Perhaps lost appreciation? One thing never explored but exploited consistently throughout the storyline.
The girls are more or less 'trapped' in this rehab center as we are, watching them wilt and whine and share stories. There isn't really any growth seen in this story, which could be compared to Laurie Halse Anderson's gem WINTERGIRLS, if there was more of a point to the protagonist's tragedy aside from feeling sorry for herself.
The side characters are just as useless, complaining about mealtimes more than anything else, ignoring the weaknesses or reasons for there being these mental blocks, even after the trio of girls form a bond. Nothing more than sharing 'tips' and 'tricks' that have as much 'fitspirational advice' than a 2021 tiktok telling girls 'an apple a day keeps the stomach pangs away', making me wonder more than once what is the true POINT or PURPOSE for the story aside from the tired relation that "adults can't comprehend what teenagers go through" or the dangers of real life body dysmorphia which is cleverly threaded throughout the storyline only to come out hollow in the end. Instead of looking in a mirror, our protagonist looks at her suitcase, ready to go home unchanged, unearthed, with only a few extra pounds she gets to shed as soon as she can 'celebrate' with her iced tea.
The real bother about this story isn't that it's bad or completely pointless, but the effortless pull into the story only to get halfway before realizing it's run out of momentum in the first chapter and will continue to be the same nothingness up until the end. It hardly makes the twist worth it, and had the protagonist left with SOMETHING, than this revelation might've held some weight. Sure, we might not be surprised, but she's got traumatic amnesia, panic attacks, and ptsd. Aside from her clearly severe body dysmorphia she's suffering from what might appear to be a mentally damaging delusion and the unladen guilt that her friend's death is her fault. But we don't exactly get WHY we're entrusted with this information, left to wonder what will become of our protagonist after discovering her shattered psyche, only to reach the end of the book as if this is a proper conclusion.
No 'to be continued', no continuing trilogy (though perhaps this is not necessarily the author's fault)
Given that this isn't a part of the series, I'm at a loss for words when a story that only stars to pick up in momentum sharply drops us off into a ditch, dumping us into a neverending tunnel until we feel like Alice, frustrated at being too big and then too small, searching in vain for a key that will never unlock this door and give us the answer we're looking for-
What happened next?
August 15, 2022
tw: eating disorders
my first time reading an ED-centred book (talk about friendship and family all you like, but the condition pretty much was the sole focus because of how much it overshadowed everything else) and i was shocked. to the extent that it made me question my own relationship with food (not in a good way), which was honestly quite scary.
i think the author could have done a lot better in wrapping up with a good takeaway for vulnerable kids who could be reading this, and the r/s with caroline was hardly explained? there was a lot of potential to make use of their roommate situation but nooo. i still don’t understand the picture frames, if someone could explain them i’ll be very grateful! highlights were the recipes, would actually love to taste the kale chips and plum tarts and cookies~
but i will definitely NOT recommend if you’ll be triggered by extremely detailed mentions of food/ED related topics, and it can be quite dangerous to read about the methods and “mind tricks” they play. but i really did learn a lot about the POV of patients with this condition.
my first time reading an ED-centred book (talk about friendship and family all you like, but the condition pretty much was the sole focus because of how much it overshadowed everything else) and i was shocked. to the extent that it made me question my own relationship with food (not in a good way), which was honestly quite scary.
i think the author could have done a lot better in wrapping up with a good takeaway for vulnerable kids who could be reading this, and the r/s with caroline was hardly explained? there was a lot of potential to make use of their roommate situation but nooo. i still don’t understand the picture frames, if someone could explain them i’ll be very grateful! highlights were the recipes, would actually love to taste the kale chips and plum tarts and cookies~
but i will definitely NOT recommend if you’ll be triggered by extremely detailed mentions of food/ED related topics, and it can be quite dangerous to read about the methods and “mind tricks” they play. but i really did learn a lot about the POV of patients with this condition.
December 17, 2024
While I didn't love this book I didn't hate it either. Mostly I just wished the full true reason she was sent there were revealed more closely. Was she actually anorexic or was she sent there with other girls who were anorexic in hopes that seeing them would jog her memory. Were they really blaming her for what happened (it seemed like that emphasized how much "influence" her personality had over others). What was the logic behind rooming her with Caroline. This seemed like a very strange form of therapy for both the girls with anorexia and without. None of the secrecy about how the program worked or why they did things the way they did were ever revealed leaving me very confused about what the hell this was. And finally although I suspected the twist early on, the lack of details as to what happened exactly was also very frustrating. So maybe 2.5 stars. I've definitely read a ton of books on this same topic/subject and this was maybe the strangest (so I guess different at least) and worst of them all... Sorry I really wanted to like it but just too much unexplained for me to enjoy.
March 15, 2017
This book is highly predictable, but surprisingly, that doesn't ruin it.
Zoe is an unreliable narrator suffering from an eating disorder; so you experience everything from her warped sense of perception; her relationship with food and body image. I live for books where you can really get inside of a characters head, and this book did such.
It was written in such a beautiful manner that I found myself underlining; something that is highly rare for me. By the time I finished I'd say at least 95% of the book has some type of markings in it.
I did not care for the ending. It felt rushed. After learning details that shall not be mentioned, it ends within 10 pages. I feel like it should've been brought up earlier, or the book should've been longer.
I did love the letters Zoe writes to Elise, it was great to see how she would be with Elise vs. how she is at Twin Burch; the change of voice, all of it.
Overall, I give this a 2.8.
Zoe is an unreliable narrator suffering from an eating disorder; so you experience everything from her warped sense of perception; her relationship with food and body image. I live for books where you can really get inside of a characters head, and this book did such.
It was written in such a beautiful manner that I found myself underlining; something that is highly rare for me. By the time I finished I'd say at least 95% of the book has some type of markings in it.
I did not care for the ending. It felt rushed. After learning details that shall not be mentioned, it ends within 10 pages. I feel like it should've been brought up earlier, or the book should've been longer.
I did love the letters Zoe writes to Elise, it was great to see how she would be with Elise vs. how she is at Twin Burch; the change of voice, all of it.
Overall, I give this a 2.8.
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