Paperweight by Meg Haston is a dark and honest story that follows Stevie, a 17-year-old struggling with an eating disorder and suicidal thoughts. The book delves into Stevie's journey as she is checked into a treatment center by her father, with the looming anniversary of her brother's death adding urgency to her self-destructive plans. Through alternating narratives of her present-day struggles and past memories, the author provides a realistic portrayal of anorexia, bulimia, and self-hating depression. The writing style is described as authentic, with secrets being shared and a mystery element that builds suspense throughout the narrative.
The book is praised for its raw depiction of recovery, portraying it as a long and brutal road filled with ups and downs. It stands out for its honesty in showing that recovery from mental illness is not a linear process and cannot be magically fixed overnight. The character development, particularly in depicting Stevie's journey towards healing, forgiveness, and self-worth, resonates with readers who appreciate the depth and authenticity of the story.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for the book include themes of grief, self-harm, suicide, depression, toxic friendships, and eating disorders.
From The Publisher:
This emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, in the vein of Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls.
Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.
Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at meal time, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she's worked so hard to avoid.
Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh's death-the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she, too, will end her life.
Paperweight follows seventeen-year-old Stevie's journey as she struggles not only with a life-threatening eating disorder, but with the question of whether she can ever find absolution for the mistakes of her past…and whether she truly deserves to.
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Paperweight?
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