Skin

by Adrienne Maria Vrettos

I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T ASK. I'VE GOT IT ALL HERE, GROWING LIKE A TUMOR IN MY THROAT.

I'm telling you because if I don't, I will choke on it. Everybody knows what happened, but nobody asks. And Elvis the EMT doesn't count because when he asked, he didn't even listen to me answer because he was listening to my sister's heart not beat with his stethoscope. I want to tell. It's mine to tell. Even if you didn't ask, you have to hear it.

Fourteen-year-old Donnie's older sister, Karen, has always been the one person in his life on whom he could totally depend. But as Karen slowly slips away in the grip of an eating disorder, Donnie finds himself alone in facing the trauma of his parents' faltering marriage and his new life as an outcast at school.

Donnie makes it his responsibility to cure his sister's illness and fix his parents' issues, letting every part of himself disappear in the process. It is more important -- and somehow easier -- to figure out if today is a day when Karen is eating, or to know if Dad and Mom are sleeping in the same bedroom, than to deal with his own problems. In the end, though, Donnie must decide whether to float through life unnoticed, or to claim his rightful place as a member of his family and of the world. This powerful story from a brilliant new talent introduces a memorable boy in Donnie, who, from his funny and painfully honest point of view, describes a harrowing year that leaves both him and his family forever changed.

Genres: Young Adult, Mental Health, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Contemporary, Teen

227 pages, Hardcover

First published January 2, 2006

About the author

HELLOOOOOOOOO THERE!!

Sorry for shouting, I'm just really excited to see you! I'm still figuring my place in the Goodreads community out, so please be patient with me and feel free to reach out - I am ALWAYS happy to talk about books!

My very first middle-grade novel Best Friends for Never just came out with Scholastic, and I am just beyond excited. I have always wanted to write middle-grade, as it is middle-grade books that made me fall head over heals in love with reading, and with writing.

I've also written books for teens, including Skin, Sight, The Exile of Gigi Lane, and Burnout. I'm working on a new book for teens now, but it's top secret so I probably shouldn't tell you about it. But once I know it's coming out, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops :)

Now I'm off to add more books to my bookshelf!

Reviews

[Jay G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...

3.5/5 Stars

14 year old Donnie is struggling to keep his crumbling family together. His sister, Karen, is sick with an eating disorder, his parents are constantly fighting and his social life at school is non-existent Donnie decides that by becoming invisible is the best way to keep everyone else from falling apart.

I really liked that this was told from Donnie's point of view rather than his sister. It was interesting to see how Karen's disorder affected those around her. From the beginning of the book, I sympathized with Donnie and wanted to protect him. He is so innocent and sweet and you could tell how much he cared for his sister. The prologue instantly drew me in and I wanted to see how the story got to that point. It's a rather quick read but extremely impactful in my opinion, definitely recommend it!

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donnie’s life is falling apart. His parents fight all the time, his only friends won’t hang out with him anymore, his grades are terrible, and his sister, Karen, is anorexic. No one sees Donnie, and he’s working hard to be invisible so that everyone can focus on making Karen better. But, like most anorexics, Karen doesn’t want to get better – she only wants to get thinner.

This story is rather unique in that it’s told from Donnie’s point of view rather than Karen’s (most of the fiction about eating disorders is told from the point of view of the person with the disorder) – giving a fresh perspective on what it’s like to live with someone who has an eating disorder (particularly someone you care about). If you’re looking for a happy ending, well, you won’t find it here. Donnie rushes home to find his sister horribly emaciated and dead. And after the funeral, there’s a terrible altercation between mom and dad, where dad basically accuses mom of aiding and abetting Karen in her efforts to waste away. That’s when Donnie finds his voice, reminds his folks that they’ve still got a kid, that it’s him, that they need to realize that. And then he leaves to find…something, and winds up finding unexpected hope, closure, a beginning, and friends.

There’s a moment when Karen is talking about her hospitalization with her former best friend, Amanda, that sums up the mystery of eating disorders really well. She says,

“’There wasn’t any clear-cut reason why anyone was there. We all just had different pieces of each other’s stories. Being in there, you find out there’s nothing special about you. The doctors know everything that happened to you and everything that is going to happen to you. We all stopped getting our periods. Lots of girls were losing the hair on their heads but having it sprout out like down all over their bodies. We all had moments when it felt like our hearts were beating out the wrong rhythm. We all had weird pains all the time. And all of us were trying to figure out how to get out of there without getting better…after you dig down to find the things that make you this way, after you flick out the seed that everything grew from, there’s still a hole there where the seed was. You still have to do something about the hole.” (pp. 133-134)

Even finding the reasons, the beginnings, doesn’t make the eating disorder disappear. It doesn’t give Karen (or the others) any way to cope with the things in their lives that they can’t control. And they continue to be fixated, continue to think that they’re right and everyone else is wrong. And being hospitalized with the other girls gives them a community that feeds this illusion and self-delusion.

I liked this better than other ‘girls wasting away’ fiction I’ve read, because I didn’t have to spend much time in Karen’s head (crazy place). The whole family was pretty dysfunctional, but Donnie wasn’t broken yet, and he kept trying to make things better – for everyone.

[West Region,]

Skin by Adrienne Vrettos

Donnie has become invisible. Since his sister has been in the hospital, Donnie has practiced floating through the halls like a ghost. He doesn’t touch anyone, and he imagines that the times he does brush up against their arms, it feels like a clammy, cold breath on their skin. Donnie sits in the back of his high school class and doesn’t raise his hand. He ignores everyone because it is easy, it is like they are not even in the same universe. Donnie’s goal is to get through the whole school day without anyone talking to him. If he does that, he will be a superhero – he will be Donnie Disappeared.

What happened to Donnie? He has become the other child in the family, the one no one notices because his older sister, Karen, is also disappearing. And she does it in her own way. She doesn’t eat. Why won’t Karen eat? Is it because she doesn’t like the way her body looks? Is it because her mother and father are always fighting? Is it because she just doesn’t see the point?

Read Skin and find out what happens to this family in trouble, a family that could be just like yours.

Grades 8 and up, Realistic Fiction, AGZ-1164
Submitted by Jocelyn Mullen, 10/9/07

[Spirit Hayter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book because my librarian had recommended it to me. Since we have the same taste in books. I had read the summary and fell in love instantly.
'Skin' is a page turner from beginning to end. The flow of the sentences, to the pages to the chapters are all perfect. Through out the whole book i could not put it down. I was up reading the book most nights past 12 o'clock. I could never find a spot to put down 'Skin'.
'Skin' begins with Donnie, a eight grader moving on to ninth. High school is not one of his biggest problems as you would think. His sister Karen, is struggling with Anorexia and his parents are going through a divorce. As he is trying to keep his mom and dad together, he is also trying to slowly disappear so his parents can focus on his sister and not himself. By the end of the book, he does not even know who he is himself.
I think the author should have saved the prologue for a different part of the story. They shouldn't have gave the whole book away just in the prologue.
This book will cause thoughtful readers to consider issues such as: Sorrow, tragedy, and growing up.
'Skin' is a wonderful book with a few flaws but amazing story. If you need a good book for a weekend, a plane ride, or even a car ride, this is a good book for that. I would not ready it during a busy week or time period. Or your going to want to procrastinate and only read this book.

[Hazel McHaffie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one's more about bullying and poor family relationships than about anorexia. I found it rather bleak and hopeless.
The opening scene where Donnie discovers his sister’s body is good: she’s 16, he’s 14. But otherwise I wasn’t convinced by Donnie’s voice and didn’t like the depressing lack of any kind of resolution.
Donnie is the narrator. His family is totally dysfunctional, unable to deal with Karen’s eating disorder or see Donnie and his needs. Superficial focus is on anorexic Karen, but really the parents can’t see beyond themselves and their grievances. After her death, the bullying eases, but everyone lets Donnie down until the end when misfit twins take him into their band. There's no sense of his life going anywhere or anyone understanding him. In spite of the tragedy, the parents are still fighting and not noticing him. Karen’s friend Amanda (who’s kindest to him) has gone off with his cousin Bobby, once his childhood hero and listening ear but now a drug-taking jerk. It's another young adult book which is not really my thing.

[amsel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hm - einerseits hab‘ ich mich emotional gerade nicht so auf das Buch einlassen können, was man schon sollte, andererseits fand‘ ichs aber auch einfach einen Level zu doll. Diese Familienkonstellation hätte für mich einfach anders verarbeitet werden müssen…

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good for a $3.99 book I found at a used book store on a whim... The book is told from Donnie's point of view of being an "unpopular kid" navigating through realities of family struggles, a family member with an eating disorder, and the aftermath of certain struggles. A very quick, and easy read. Would recommend!

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos is a story about a family who is going through a rough patch in their lives. This book begins with Donnie, an eighth grader who is experiencing his parents going through a divorce and his sister who is drifting away from her family. Donnie is a person who is trying to keep his family put together and trying to disappear so his parents can focus on his sister who is struggling with a disease. Throughout the story, characters are introduced who became important roles, such as Amanda, Karen’s best friend, she is the one person who Karen opened herself to. Towards the middle of the book, a major shocker is discovered that left Donnie and his parents shocked.

I thought that this book was great. I loved how it displayed true events that happen in real life and how it portrayed young teenagers and problems they face. This book left an impact on me and made me think about how real these situations are and how much they can affect a person. I think this book was great and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

[Kristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. Is it possible to like a book and be deeply disturbed by it at the same time? Adrienne Maria Vrettos has a unique and personal writing style and I was caught by the subtle flow of her work. This book circulated around a boy growing up in a difficult family while his sister deals with an eating disorder. This book had a deep honesty to it that made it hard to put down. I feel like I can't say I enjoyed it, because it was fairly perturbing, so I would only recommend it to readers who feel like they could enjoy a story that deals with a slightly off-putting issue.

[Melissa]

4Q 2P JS
Donnie, at fourteen years old, feels it is his responsibility to save his sister Karen from an eating disorder and to solve the marital problems of his parents. In the process he gradually disappears and loses himself. He is a true outcast at school now that his “loser” friends no longer acknowledge him. His parents’ arguments have now resulted in them living apart in separate towns, although they instead claim the cause is his father’s job. Donnie and his mother are now at a loss at trying to encourage, and even force, Karen to eat. She is sent away to a facility twice to help address her eating disorder as a last resort. Donnie’s world falls farther apart when he comes home to find his sister unconscious in the hallway. The EMTs are unable to revive her, and the family must now deal with her death. The book goes through the funeral, and each family member’s response to death. Donnie finds comfort from Amanda, Karen’s best friend who had moved to Chicago, and his Cousin Bobby. As Donnie heals he comes to realize that he is important too, and he deserves to be noticed as a part of his family, a member of his school, society, etc. In acknowledging himself, others begin to acknowledge him as well and he begins to find friendship of his own. Developmentally this book addresses the controversial issue of eating disorders and dealing with death. It also looks at the isolation that so many teens experience, and the common need to belong. Finally it looks at family dynamics, and the estrangements that can occur. It would be a good read for teens who may be on the verge of an eating disorder. Youth today are bombarded with commercials and media on being thin and beautiful; it can be very difficult to maintain one’s self-esteem and body confidence against such perfection. This book allows the reader to see the impact of an eating disorder not only to the victim, but also to the family, friends, and loved ones left behind.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://shiverdownthespine.blogspot.com/

I've had this book for many years now, it is one of my favourites. The story deals with 14 year old misfit Donnie and how he feels he is dissapearing. His home life has broken down, what with his dad leaving and his sister battling with anorexia. At school he is one of the most unpopular kids and his two best friends have ditched him.
The book opens with the death of his sister Karen and Donnie trying to revive her, which is quite an interesting opening, because the first chapter starts from the beginning of his story, when his parents are still together and his sister hasn't really developed anorexia yet.

I'll be honest the book always makes me cry when you get to the chapter where Karen dies and Donnie tries to revive her, even though this is shown at the beginning of the book the beginning doesn't make me cry because you don't know anything about the characters, but because A.M. Vrettos has developed the characters so beautifuly you can't help but feel as if you were Donnie this time round.

The author is very talented in making you feel as if you are experiecing Donnie's life yourself and I like how the author conveys a message of experiecing anorexia not from the person who is anorexic but from someone in your family who loves you.

I would recommened this book to anyone.
Becca

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her first novel, Adrienne Maria Vrettos, opens her book hard and fast-paced, in a scene that you wouldn't expect to find on a first page. The fairly new author has only to novels to her name, Skin and Sight. Skin has won many honorable mentions and a few book awards including an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Though this book was only two hundred and twenty seven pages, I found myself devouring every page and hoping it wouldn't end.
This novel portrays life, nowadays, at it's lowest. A marriage falling apart, the effects of peer pressure on a daughter, and a son trying to hold his family together when it's destined to fail. Vrettos lets the son Donny tell the story. How he knows his mother, sister, and himself, do not deserve what the father is doing to their family. Makes a tough decision not to except excuses from anyone. Decides to become invisible to help his sister and hope she might get better. And finds out it will take all his strenth to stop looking back and start moving foward.
Vrettos weaves an unlikely story into saddening and heartfelt truth. I was riveted by every page, and cannot wait to dive, head first into her most recent novel, Sight.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen is sick. She refuses to eat and the only person she talks to is her friend Amanda. And Amanda listens. So when Karen ‘eats dinner’ over Amanda’s house most nights Amanda plays along. But this story isn’t about Amanda. It’s about Donnie and how he struggles to see his sister eat, his dad actually come home to see his family once and awhile, and to stay invisible anymore. Becuase he feels as if everything is up to him, and if anything changes his world will come crashing down.

Normally I’m more into books where the lead character spends the entire book chasing after the opposite sex, or goes on a huge discovery or something. Let me just tell you that isn’t one of these books. It was a raw look at an outside view of addiction to being thin and watching the ones around you waste away and not being able t do anything about it. It’s even more about learning to stop being invisible and starting a life when it seems just about impossible.

& I loved this book and I highly suggest reading it no matter what genre you’re into.

4/5

[Dana]

I was drawn to this book from the second I started reading it. The intense beginning engages the reader and instantly makes them hungry for more. At first, I was drawn to this book because I find stories about eating disorders interesting. I quickly discovered that this book is much more than the battle of a girl, it is told from the perspective of her brother and the affects his sister's disorder has on the family. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding out more abut eating disorders, or is battling one, and to anyone who likes to read emotional stories with sentimental messages.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

14-year old Donnie narrates this book about his sister, Karen, and her bout with anorexia. A self-professed nobody, Donnie depends on his sister to be his friend, but his homelife and especially his parents' relationship is shattered as Karen's disease spirals out of control. Thinking that it will somehow help his sister, Donnie "disappears" into himself, and what results is a powerful narrative on what it's like to be the "other" child--the sibling often forgotten in the wake of family tragedy. I found it riveting, but funny at times...a good read.

[Anna Hardesty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this is the best book dealing with anorexia that I have ever read. You are reading this from Karen's brother's point of view and usually in the books that I have read, you are seeing it through the person suffering from anorexia, not their family member's point of view. I loved the ending of this book, I never expected it to happen and it honestly made me smile when I read the last few pages. Great read about the disorder and what it does to your family if you suffer from it. A must read!

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't that many books about eating disorders that focus on the aftermath. And when this books focuses on Karen's fatal anorexia, and the chaos she leaves behind, it's very, very good. This was a needed voice, and it makes for a good companion to Wintergirls. But... the main viewpoint character, Karen's brother Donnie, is obnoxious. I found him to be totally unlikeable. He's the big weakness in the book.

[Christine Gaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for suggesting this book. The narrator is Donnie, an unpopular boy, who is living in the midst of his parents fighting, his own image, and his sister's anorexia. I loved that this was from a teenage boy's perspective. I really felt connected to some of the language and the feelings regarding death. This book broke my heart beautifully.

[Maryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing book that literally will break your heart. I LOVED the perspective of this book, especially since it's different compared to others. It's so sad, messed up, relatable, real and upsetting that made it more appealing for me. Great great great read!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skin is a book about a boy called Donnie who has a sister suffering from anorexia. I recommend it because it's beautifully written and a very fresh angle on the usual 'girl with eating disorder' story line. Also, I feel not enough people know about it.

It gets me every time.

[Cait S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so unbelievably good. Horrendously sad and gut wrenching and very realistic in the way it portrayed emotions. But so good.

I picked it up about a couple hours ago and didn't put it down until I was finished.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading the 1st 2 pages I was anticipating a good read. I found the book to be - choppy - did not have a nice flow. Also, thought it focused more on the dysfunctional family than anorexia itself.

[Cielo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skins by Adrienne Maria Vrettos published March 21st, 2006 is a book based on eating disorders and how it affects others. The novel takes place during February and skips to the summer where the characters known as Karen; older sister to Donnie, Donnie;brother of Karen and their parents spend their summer at. The book at first glance catched my attention, due to the fact that it had an amazing attention hook at the beginning. The first page automatically captured my attention and was one of the best written pages out of the entire book.
It's difficult to perceive the author's main focus whether it be Karen and her eating disorder/anorexia or Donnies’s perspective of having to watch his sister suffer while his parents argue and do nothing about it. Most conflicts throughout the book arise due to the parents' neglect towards their children which allows them to make bad decisions. An example can be seen throughout the book as Karen refuses to eat. She has pointed out to her parents that she believes she is fat and how she refuses to be seen that way. At one point she confirms she will change the way she eats yet her mother thinks nothing of it, rather that she is being dramatic.
After reading skins I must say that the first few pages are still the best written ones therefore making them my favorite parts of the book. They really grab the reader's attention and it leaves them with a cliffhanger after the author transitions from the present to a flashback of the past. I love how the author takes the point of view from Donnie who is just a teen watching his surroundings as well as himself fall apart. “Everybody knows what happened, but nobody asks”(vrettos, pg.4). This quote is a perfect example of how the storyline developed throughout the book. It really captures the essence of the book, making it one of my favorite quotes. The author does fail at keeping the readers interested through the book. It’s a bit repetitive with Donnie being lonely and Karen not eating most times.
Overall the book is an eight out of ten. It has a great attention hook which for me kept me into the book for a few chapters. The book wasn’t extraordinary, it was more of a cliche. Parents who agregue and are not in a good place together, a teen boy who is lonely due to neglection and fear of what his family will become, a sister who again due to being neglected and most likely trauma, has developed an eating disorder. It’s a cliche of a family with many issues, like most, with some added drama on the side. It reminds me of the novel by R. J. Palacio “Wonder” due to the conflict that arises both from the perspectives of children. I highly recommend reading “skins” if you have previously read “wonder”. They aren’t extremely similar but they both include a children's perspective of arising conflicts and their emotions throughout trying to solve the problems on their own. Both books are amazing from my point of view.

[Hana Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read the book Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos. This book is about a boy, Donnie, who considers himself to be a nerd and on the lower end of the scare. During the book, his parents are getting a divorce and his sister, Karen, starts to get an eating disorder. Donnie keeps all of this from any of his friends at school. He finds himself alone and is determined to fix his parents marriage and his sister's illness. Karen always seems to be going away to get better but when she comes back, nothing has changed and in the end, she gets worse. Donnie has to always watch over his sister to make sure she eats and realizes it's somewhat better when she's gone. In the beginning of the book, I didn't think I would like it but it turned out to be a great book.

This book kept me interested the whole time. It was nice that I was able to relate to the boy, who's a freshman in high school. I also, really liked that the book was written years ago but still current to this day. On page 83 it says, “I laugh at the stupid offended look on his face.” This is a small quote but shows how the language and how current the book is. It sounds like something one of my friends would say so, it's interesting that I'm able to relate it with my own life. If I ever recommend this book to anyone, I would recommend it to my best friend. I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

[Susanne Moseid Bryhni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have ever read. It is funny and touching and everything you could ever wish from a book. It brings up various important topics without shoving it down your throat, and gives you a perspective on other people's lives. I once read that booklovers are more empathic than non-readers, and I think books like this is the reason for that.

In my opinion, this book contains one of the most powerful and touching paragraphs ever written. A paragraph on page 128-129 is so depressing, though optimistic: I cried, and so did my brother when I read him this paragraph. The fact that some people out there might feel like that is truly saddening. Anyway, here goes:

"Today was a good day at school. Mr. Delancey had us do a group science project in experimental bio where we tested how flammable candy. That means that before first period was even over, I'd talked to four people in my group. That means that I talked to one more person than I needed to, and if only two people talked to me tomorrow, it's all right, because I'll just use that extra one from today to make up for it."

[Little_green91 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cant remember how many years ago its been since I first read this book. I've read it multiple times since (though it's been a while since the last time). I LOVE this book. As i've said i've read it multiple times & despite the fact I now know what's coming, I still cant help but cry. It's so emotional. But through the tears there's laughter as there is a slight "realism" humour throughout. it's refreshing to have a story written tackling a sensitive issue such as eating disorders but written from the pov of a family member. Donny is inviting perhaps because of his realism. Perhaps bc although all this is going on with his sister he appears to be struggling with perhaps his own mental health issues. At times it was a hard read in a sense of the emotion involved but the experience it has given me is something i'll carry forever. I think everyone should be made to read this book!!! :P haha.

[Jazmine Woode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book so far. I love how it starts with the present time and then starts with flashbacks to explain what is happening. In the first chapter, or even the first few paragraphs, the main character Donnie’s sister dies. She died from her eating disorder that based on the flashbacks started during the summer. I thought it was a little harsh to start the book off this way but it actually made it a better read. Karen, Donnie’s sister, was fairly close to Donnie but when the new neighbors moved in that changed. She met her new best friend Amanda. That made me sad to see how one person could make Karen dislike her own brother even more. It went on to explain how their parents were on the verge of a divorce. This furthered my sadness it was sad to see their family get split apart. This is only the beginning of the book but I think my sadness for the family will stay throughout it.

[Kimberly B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose the book "Skin" by Adrienne Maria Vrettos to read. I found it to be an interesting read. It was a pretty well kept pace book. I found it to be a bit on the predictable side. Karen's problem is evident and the book doesn't really come out to actually say what Karen has until close to the end. I found sad the relationship the father has between Karen and Donnie. I feel as if no kid should hear their parents verbally fight all the time. It is something unpleasant and it most certainly affects the relationship among the family.
I like how the emotions were portrayed throughout the book. The book keeps the reader interested the entire time, the scenery is vivid in the reader's mind and that is great. Donnie is a really determined character, he just wants to fix the relationship between his parents and the disorder of his sister Karen.
This book is sad and heartbreaking. It really comes to show how anorexia, an eating disorder, can tear family and friends apart and that brings out an important theme. I would really recommend this book to others. It was a really great read and I loved it. The book really made me feel the emotions as if I were in the characters shoes.

[Tomi Adenekan · Rating 4 out of 5]

14-year-old Donnie has an okay relationship with food but he is one of the all too common victims of anorexia. His sister's anorexia. Amidst their parents' unhappy marriage and eventual sort-of separation, Karen and Donnie find ways to cope. Karen with the added load of protecting her little brother. Her friendship with Amanda seems a happy diversion but only ever temporary. She still has to go back home. As does Donnie, as lonely and isolated in school as increasingly at home. But as Anorexia gets it's claws around Karen, Donnie descends more and more into invisibility. Even at the end, I find it hard to decide what role their parents' relationship play in Karen's illness. That Karen does not survive makes this novel more believable. But I like that Donnie gets a hint of light at the end, in the shape of his older cousin and the twins at school.
Sad, but good read.

[Samantha Waitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My novel, Skin, by Adrienne Maria Vrettos is about Donnie, a younger brother of a girl that struggles with anorexia. Karen, Donnie’s sister, starves herself because she thinks she’s fat. Her parents begin arguing a lot because of her. I gave this book a 5 star rating because I really enjoyed it. I can not relate with having an eating disorder, but a friend that does. Her parents argue sometimes because of her and her mistakes. I feel very bad and just want to give her a hug all the time. I would mainly recommend this book to teens. It is a serious subject. More girls could probably relate better because guys don’t get anorexia as much as girls. If you enjoyed the books, Perfect, Lush, or Bounce by Natasha Friend you most likely will enjoy this book!