Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain (↑)

Hello all! Back again with another finished novel! Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi. For those of you who don't know who Portia de Rossi is, she's a famous actress who battled anorexia and bulimia as well as she's Ellen DeGeneres' wife. This book is basically a memoir of her battle with anorexia. Although, myself, I have never had a lot of body image issues (don't get me wrong, I still don't like certain aspects of my body), this book really sheds light on that area, and how dangerous comparing yourself to the 'ideal' body can be, and it can be a slippery slope before becoming an eating disorder.  Being a Psychology major in university, I spent a fair amount of time studying eating disorders, and what they stem from. Right away, you can see it's a classic case, but it's not exactly as it's described in textbooks. Although she doesn't like certain aspects of her body, for her it is definitely a control thing. It just amazes me that she didn't realize where she was headed by restricting her calories so much. As soon as you start restricting food intake and exercising at insane rates you are well on your way to an eating disorder. But I guess when you are in the thick of it, you don't realize what you are doing is wrong until it's almost too late. I have to admit though, my favourite part was the epilogue, where she goes on to say what helped save her from anorexia and bulimia. How now she lives by a eat until you're full, don't restrict what you are allowed to eat and find fun things to take up your time instead of obsessing over looks style of life. It's probably a style of life I should (and probably do) live by and why I've maintained the same weight for the past 5 years.

Overall I think this book is in my Top 10 must reads, and I would recommend it to any young female (or any female in general) just so they know what it's like to battle anorexia and how it starts, and how it's not a fairy-tale of being skinny, but rather can become a living hell.

I've already decided the next book I'll be reading. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm reading it because my boyfriend has been bugging me to watch the movie, so I've decided to just get it done and over with. After that series I'll start back in the Game of Thrones. Until then, Happy Reading!

The Help (↑)

Wow is all I can say at the moment. This is certainly going on my Top 10 favourite books list. I suppose I should give you the title: The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I can definitely see how people will compare it to To Kill a Mockingbird, seeing as it has a similar storyline, and it definitely brings about feelings of rage and sympathy for African-Americans. I really felt for the characters. They are well developed, and full of emotion and colour (no pun intended!). It's hard to say who my favourite character was. I definitely can say that I absolutely hated Miss Hilly. So many times I wanted to punch her in the face for being so mean and ignorant towards Aibileen and Minny. When reading some of the opinions the 'white folk' had of the maids, I had to stop myself to calm down and say that it was a different generation. Hell, I have to do that now with my grandparents! It's nice to see that where I live, and the people I know don't harbour such racism anymore. However, I can't say that everyone feels the same way. Last year for example, there was an act of racism not even an hour away from where I live. My only question is why would someone feel this way towards another human being? Even if they are white, black, Indian, native, asian, etc.? We are all the same on the inside, we all have feelings and thoughts and families. It's not right that our society should be stuck 50 years in the past.

This story is based in the 1960's, and follows 3 main characters: Miss Skeeter, a young white woman who views the world differently than her white friends, and wants to make a difference in the world, and she also wants to make her place, seeing as she just graduated from university; Aibileen who is an older, single black woman who is a maid for Miss Leefolt, who really isn't a bad person but is easily influenced and self-centred; and then there is Minny. Minny is an opinionated black woman who works for a social outcast Miss Celia and is married to a drunkard. Miss Skeeter joins forces with Aibileen and Minny during a time where black rights are just coming into focus. They write a novel that is based off the stories of help in the surrounding area. It gets published, and then they have to deal with the wrath of Miss Hilly, the villain of the novel. Although the ending doesn't tie up loose ends, it does make you feel 'freer' in a sense that the main characters are starting their new lives, and the help who helped write the novel also had some changes occur in their work lives.

This novel certainly isn't a feel good novel. It's one where you read it, and it makes you outraged at society and how people are treated unfairly (even in today's day and age), but the ending allows for a positive light to shine through, and gives you hope. Yeah, this sounds cheesy, but honestly, it's the truth. I definitely will recommend this book to ANYONE! I borrowed this book from a friend of my mother's, but it will go on my list of 'books to buy', so that I can keep it on my bookshelf. Anyway, onward to reading Still Alice. Until then, Happy Reading!