A Trick of the Light by Lois Metzger

Pages: 189
Intended Audience: Mature teens
Genre: Real life / Eating Disorders
Notes for Parents: Contains some mature scenes

The Back Cover

Mike Welles had everything under control.
But there’s a voice in his head. A friend, trying to help him. If only Mike will listen.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover doesn’t say much! This is the story of a young man who develops anorexia.

What’s good?

With just under 200 pages, this is a quick and intense read. The plot is emotional but straightforward. The main character, Mike, is well-drawn and likeable. The unusual and mesmerizing narrator is Mike’s inner voice, perhaps it’s anorexia itself, calling him to go astray. Amber is the chilling accomplice who has perfected the art of not eating. The dialogue is written like a script which effectively makes Mike and those around him seem controlled. This is the rare and disturbing journey of a young man struggling with the disease.
Best Part: The narrator.

What isn’t good?

It’s a quick story so there’s not a lot of depth to the characters or to the situation. We don’t know a great deal about Mike and don’t really know a lot about what leads up to his struggle to take control. However, part of the appeal of this book is that it’s so short so the lack of information works.
Worst part: Amber was totally creepy, and not in a good way. Mike could have just got his info from the internet and Amber would have been unnecessary.

Recommendation þþþþo

The tale of a boy struggling with anorexia rarely gets told. With only 10-15% of those suffering from an eating disorder being male, anorexia is often considered a girl’s disease. This story captured the essence of the struggle and was both captivating and unsettling. Recommended.

Metzger, Lois. A Trick of the Light. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2013.