By Lois Metzger
Balzer + Bray, 2013. 196 pages. Young Adult
Mike Welles feels like his life is spiraling out of control: his dad's gone, his mom's barely able to get out of bed, and everything at school -- from sports to friends to girls -- seems to only get more confusing and frustrating by the day. Then there's this voice in his head, a friend who claims to want to help Mike regain control again. Even better, the voice tells him that it can help Mike become stronger, faster. Thinner. The voice will help Mike end the tailspin his life's in . . . if only Mike will listen.
Lois Metzger's A Trick of the Light is an absorbing, terrifying look at anorexia in young men. Told from the perspective of the psychological disease itself, readers watch as Mike descends into the horrors of extreme weight loss and over-exercising. Metzger's approach is empathetic yet absolutely stark in its portrayal of Mike's descent, making this an excellent cautionary tale for readers of all ages.
CA
No comments:
Post a Comment