Skin
Sep has vitiligo, an autoimmune disease which causes white spots to occur on her body. It began on her lips, spread to her hands and before long she is on a mission to cover the spots which she checks for almost daily. Being in high school, she feels her peers will ridicule her so she goes to great length to hide her symptoms which I thought was extreme considering what I see every day with the teens in our area. Pink hair, multiple piercing, numerous tattoos, bizarre clothing style and that is just a few of what I see. I also wondered if she has never been exposed to teens with other diseases and that’s why she was going to such extreme measures. Beginning a new relationship with Joshua, she wonders how long she can keep this a secret but as her body turns white, she knows she can’t keep up the front much longer. Her emotions are a mess, what exactly are her options? Her relationship with her best friend is crumbling, her relationship with Joshua is fraying and her health is tied to everything. Can she do anything with a disease without a cure except hibernate?
I thought she was a bit childish for being in high school. She was afraid to talk to her best friend and be honest with her which surprised me. Joshua had feelings towards her and they weren’t all superficial, he seemed real yet she kept backing away from him, her actions frustrated me. What did she have to lose by being honest with him beside what she really wanted to do with him in the long run? Her mother provided a good sounding board but she really didn’t utilize her like she should have. I grabbed this book as it was written by Donna Jo Napoli and l loved her book The Wager. 3.5 stars
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