Laurie Halse Anderson’s earlier Young Adult novel, Speak, described the aftermath of a rape at a summer party.  It was heartbreaking yet ultimately empowering.  Although it was her first novel it quickly established her as one of the better writers in the YA genre.  Her latest, Wintergirls, is another “problem novel” that could have been average if not for her lyrical writing style and ability to really get us into the head of an anorexic teen.

Lia’s voice mail was full.  One message spoke: I’m so sad. I can’t get out. Lia should have answered her phone, but she was too upset.  She had 33 chances that night to answer the calls from her former best friend, Cass.  Instead she turned off the phone, went to bed, and Cass died all alone in her hotel room.

Now it”s getting harder for Lia to maintain her sanity and her impossible goal of weighing 85.00 (she always weighs herself to the hundredth decimal place) pounds with the ghost of bulimic Cass popping in and out.  Lia understands what it means to weigh so little but her brain just won’t allow her to put food in her stomach.  85.00 is dangerland. 85.00 is Fourth of July fireworks in a small metal box.

Anderson is truly in command in this novel, utilizing simple stylistic tricks such as strikethroughs (example) to illustrate Lia’s internal self-censorship, while effortlessly playing with language.  Warning to the reader: set aside the whole evening and keep the tissues nearby.  It’s refreshing to read a novel geared for teens that has such high literary quality while still remaining accessible for the audience!

A BIG title, will the content inside live up to it?  Not completely, but this is still a fun offbeat YA novel for the ladies (and guys if they’re mature enough to give it a shot).

Frankie’s summer vacation is coming to an end, she’s about to start her sophomore year at her elite boarding school.  Like many girls her age she’s been developing intellectually, emotionally and physically.  These changes (basically *ahem* the latter one) do not go unnoticed and Frankie starts her new year off right by catching the eye of the uber-popular, dreamy senior Matthew and is ushered into his social circle.  Complicating things, Frankie’s a feminist and quite spunky.  Bravo to Lockhart in her portrayal of this relationship, there’s some believable internal monologue involving her feelings towards this long-standing crush.  The pretty-boy Matthew treats her like a child, doll, groupie, etc…

Frankie is also conflicted by Matthew’s best buddie bad-boy ‘Alpha,’ who has an infuriating Alpha-dog complex and does all sorts of fun unladylike things Frankie wants to be doing.  She learns that these two are involved in a boys-only merry-prankster secret society that she longs to join.  When they refuse to acknowledge their part in this fraternity, she decides to anonymously hijack it via e-blackmail which results in all sorts of great campus pranks courtesy of the new queen-alpha.  Some great lessons for women in here about figuring out what is most important and how to remain true to yourself when faced with the prospect of having it all.

This book is receiving a lot of hype as the Young Adult book of the fall season.  Collins, author of the popular Juvenile Fiction series The Underland Chronicles (Gregor), has written for a slightly higher grade level in this dystopian action/adventure novel.  The United States has fractured into a land made up of the domineering and decadent Capitol population served by 12 outlying districts, each responsible for some form of trade to support the Capitol.  An earlier rebellion was quashed by the Capitol and now each year two representatives from each district are sent to compete in a reality television Running Man-esque deathmatch designed to remind the districts of their insubordination.  Oh and these lucky chosen few are always between the ages of 12 and 18.  Here’s where the story gets morally difficult…or at least I thought it was going to be.  I mean 12-year-olds stabbing fellow pre-teens?  Dark stuff, right?

Turns out Collins sidesteps this more intriguing issue in favor of building a tense action-packed story of survival as well as introducing a psychologically confusing romance between the two spunky and brave contestants from lowly District 12.  Don’t get me wrong, I still think teens are going to eat this story up, but Collins really had a chance to do something more lasting with this one.  Apparently Collins has a trilogy in mind for this storyline, I’d be surprised if she switches gears for the rest of the series, either way I’ll be first in line for book 2.