Skinny - Donna Cooner

Skinny by Donna Cooner
Date Released: October 1, 2012
Publisher: Point
Pages: 272
Format: ARC
Source: Scholastic - Publisher

Summary:
Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

From Goodreads

My Review:

Skinny was a hard book to read. It touched the delicate subject of eating disorders. Ever wasn't anorexic or bulimic, but she had a voice in her head telling her how she wasn't worthy of anything is she wasn't skinny, making Ever obsessed with loosing weight - the voice's name is Skinny. That alone can be considered an eating disorder, because you are hurting yourself - mentally. I really loved that this book showed that part; I've read a few books were they deal with eating disorders and they never really show that side, that little voice inside your head that brings you down.

We all have a Skinny inside our heads. Maybe not telling us we need to loose weight, but just a negative voice inside. Ever's voice grew way too loud, to the point where it controls her and rules her live. After the surgery, Ever starts loosing weight, but along with the weight, Ever begins to realize all of the other things she's lost because of Skinny's voice. How she pushed people away, how she became a social outcast, and how she lost many opportunities - all by herself.

Even though it was difficult watching Ever struggling and realizing all of this, it was also a really beautiful book, because Ever does confront Skinny - Eventually. She fixes her broken relationships, finds her courage again and stops listening to Skinny - because she is still there, but Ever refuses to acknowledge her again.

Apart from the emotional stuff, the physical things she had to go through because of the surgery are awful. I had heard of that surgery but never really thought recovery was so hard and that your lifestyle changed so much. Lucky for Ever, Rat is there for her the whole time as a great support. Even if they do go through some conflicts, they get over them.

I'd recommend Skinny to anyone, it was a really great book. A fantastic debut.

"Evidently you can dress me up, but you can't cover the scars."