I absolutely adored this novel. Normally it takes me at least a couple of weeks to read a book, so the fact that I read this in less than two days says it all really! From the first couple of chapters I was hooked, wanting to know how things were going to turn out for Katie – I just couldn’t put it down. Farnham is a very skilled story-teller, with the ability to show you a lot about a character in just a few lines. As a result, Katie is a well-developed, likeable, interesting, and sympathetic character, as are many of her friends.
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, but in terms of the themes of the novel, Farnham does a very capable job of addressing some tough issues in a considered, sensitive and thought-provoking manner. She allows the reader to get inside Katie’s head as she grapples with number of difficult emotional issues; conflict with (and between) her parents, social anxiety and isolation, her eating disorder and ultimately, her depression. When Katie eventually hits rock bottom, I felt as though I was on that roller-coaster with her, sharing her loss of control, her complete sense of hopelessness. I was both extremely moved, and cheering for her to get back up, dust herself off, and find her happy ending. Whether she does or not…well, you will have to read the book to find out!!
A highly recommended, well-crafted novel. Five stars.