"You're not dead, but you're not alive. You're a winter girl..."

     I currently reading the book Winter Girls by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is about a girl named Lia who has anorexia. Her former best friend Cassie had bulimia and they had a lot in common. They used to do everything together because they just "clicked". But when they got to high school, Cassie slowly starting drifting away from Lia, doing her own thing and leaving Lia to cope with her disease on her own. Cassie passed away while in motel room, but nobody knows what happened. The night before, Cassie called Lia 33 times, leaving a voice message each time. It was unusual because they haven't spoke to each other in months. Now, Lia has flashbacks about what happens and feels like it's her fault. I think she is taking out her sadness on her disease because it keeps on getting worse and worse even though she is getting help.
     The first time she began to starve herself I believe was because she thought she was fat. But now, I think it's away of getting away from her life. It makes her tired, weak and not want to do anything. She is also struggling with school and doesn't pay attention. This is like a drug to her. Even though she says that she's fine with her parents getting divorced and that her dad has a new wife (that now lives with her), I don't think she is. I think it's too hard for her to get used to change. Also, she doesn't have anything to look foreword to in school. She has no friends and doesn't even like school. Her parents encourage her to seek help but it doesn't help much.
     I think her parents don't care about her very much. I mean, if they did they would take more responsibility in helping her heal and get better. I understand that she has a little sister they have to take care of but Lia is sick. They can't keep on pretending that Lia is fine when she is not. She is obviously depressed and is lying to them a lot. She is not eating and she doesn't weight 107 pounds-she weights 99 pounds. Parents that paid more attention to their children would know the tricks that children have under their sleeves. For example, putting quarters in their pockets to make them seem heavier than they really are. 
     Not only that, but I think that bulimia is what killed Cassie. I think that Lia thinks that too. Then why is she still doing it? Shouldn't she stop if she knows it will end like that for her too? I think the problem is that she can't control herself anymore. She can't stop what she is doing. There is something that is stoping her from doing the right thing. She knows it's unhealthy to do that yet she still does. At age 17, I would think that you can make the right decisions in life, but many people still can't. 
     I think that Lia could be helped and save herself. I think she just needs confidence and someone who really believes in her-like a friend. There's this guy named Eli who was there at the scene of Cassie's crime who likes her and believes in her. But because she thinks she can't trust anybody, she lies to Eli about who she really is (which is Cassie's best friend). I think that Eli could help her tremendously if she let him. But Lia needs to learn to open her heart to other people and appreciate life instead of ruining it.