Perfect - Natasha Friend

I read this book just before we moved. I'm not sure why I wanted to read it at the time, other than I had yet to read a YA novel that dealt with eating disorders. I've learned a lesson here. Do not pick a book at random purely based on topic.

The gist of the story: Main character is discovered throwing up by her little sister and in the way of little sisters informs mother. Mother "makes a deal" with main character. Main character is forced to go to an eating disorders group. Seems pretty good as a start. Main character meets 'the most popular girl in school' in said support group and learns that even folks who seem perfect have problems. Ok, still with you Ms. Friend, even if this is a little heavy handed. We have several, rather graphic, passages describing the binging and purging motions both girls go through, supporting each other as they become closer friends, and even new ways to do it and ways to hide it from others. Graphic is good with a subject matter like this. It puts the reader right there, so kudos Ms. Friend.

So, what my issue? You all know me well enough to realize that this is leading up to a "what the hell". Well, remember that they're in a support *group*, which implies that there are other girls dealing with these issues? All we get of those girls is a name tag at the beginning of the story, and rather demeaning descriptions (the Skeleton, the Whale). We never find anything else about those other girls, they are simply wallpaper. Also, for a book about eating disordes there is very little talk about body image. There are a hand full of "oh, I hate my body"'s, but it's more as if the author is paying lip service to the disorder rather than bothering to delve into the psychology of it. We have instead a plot line in which we find out that Isabelle's dad has died, and her mother is refusing to deal with the death, and therefore not allowing the girls to deal. Binging and purging is Isabelle's way of "dealing", it's something she can control. Fine. Bullemia is a disorder that has roots in trying to control things that are out of one's control. But to suggest, as this books does, that that all it's about is irresponsible. Isabelle confronts her mother, they bleed the old wound, and finally deal with the death, and Isabelle GETS ALL BETTER. She stops "feeling the need" to vomit. It is implied that if her "perfect" friend would just deal with her home situation, she will get better too. But she's just not ready yet, and so continues the behavior. There is no mention of the bonecrushing self esteem issues that can cause girls (and boys) to have eating disorders. It's as if the author herself was in denial that self image plays a huge role in eating disorders, and I found that rather disturbing.

I would not recommend this book. I might recommend using it as a supplement to something that discussed body image, because the 2 messages together make up a whole. But Perfect by itself feels like it missed the point, or was simply too afraid to go there. It was strange.