Perfect

This novel centers around a girl named Isabelle Lee who has a younger sister that she calls Ape Face. Her father is dead and her mother's emotional state varies considerably from time to time.

Isabelle has a problem with eating large amounts of food and then throwing it back up, which is referred to as bulimia. Her mother finds out about her problem when Isabelle's younger sister tells on her and her mother then forces Isabelle to attend group therapy.

It turns out to be a surprising experience since Ashley, a girl that Isabelle believes is pretty much perfect and popular, both, is also a member of the group. The rest of the novel then deals with how Isabelle and Ashley respond to the group and to their eating disorder.

Some of the material in the group sessions is actually quite interesting, especially when it relates to how the girls view their own bodies. It's also interesting to see how Isabelle and Ashley are basically in denial of an actual eating disorder. It relates, of course, to body image and how teenage girls feel tremendous pressure to avoid being "fat" along with doing everything else they have to do to "fit in" with their peers.

It's a good novel and definitely worth reading.

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