Monday, September 1, 2008

Purge by Sarah Littman - ESSENTIAL


Littman, Sarah Darer Purge, 240 (approx.). Scholastic, April 2009.

Language – R, Sexual Content – PG-13.

HS – ESSENTIAL

After a spectacular incident at her half-sister’s wedding, Janie finds herself in Golden Slopes Hospital labeled as a Barfer (as the other inmates call her type of eating disorder). While Janie is resistant to opening up in private or group counseling sessions, she happy to unburden her soul in the pages of her journal. Her journey to self-awareness and relative health is aided and hindered by the diverse cast of characters, whether fellow Barfers, Starvers or the earnest staff of the facility. I

 was so enthralled by Janie’s journey that I had a hard time reminding myself to count the swears. There are plenty of them (more than 100, including “f”), but they don’t hinder the story’s power at all. Some may say that Janie’s breakthrough seems a little forced or faked, but not me. I read it all in less than three hours – I couldn’t put it down. And Janie herself says that her journey is ongoing – she is not cured, for life, only for now. Buy it now, if you can handle the language.

Cindy, Library-Teacher

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