Girls Under Pressure

this was the first book that i read about eating disorders. i had(and still have) an eating disorder, and although i found the book described getting and having the ED well, it ended a bit too suddenly. it's not as easy as described in the book to give up an eating disorder. it could give young girls the wrong impression that they could be bulimic for a while, lose weight fast, and then "stop" being bulimic. its not as easy as that.
all in all, well written, shame about the ending

Absolutely Fantastic (2/2 people found this helpful)

There is no other way you can describe this book. This book tells the story of the slightly overweight teenager Ellie. She feels outshadowed by her skinny and "boy magnet" friends Magda and Nadine. When a girl at the shopping mall tells Ellie that she is fat it is the last straw and she goes on a diet and ends up developing an eating disorder.

THis is a very real story about eating disorders one that anyone who has had friends with eating disorders can relate to very well. Although there are some very low moments in Ellies story you put the book down feeling very refreshed.

A must read for teenage girl with low self confidence - or anyone really

great book! (7/9 people found this helpful)

I loved this book. I thought it was definitely better than the first one even though i liked that one too. I could totally relate to the way Ellie was feeling about being fat. I never had an eating disorder, but i did feel the same way at one point. Girls under pressure deals with a serious issue but is still funny and was an enjoyable read.

Absolutely Brilliant! (10/12 people found this helpful)

From the start, this novel encapsulates the typical teenage world with the full on obsession of appearance in three different ways - you'll be able to associate yourself with atleast one! Firstly, there's Nadine - the effortlessly gorgeous teen with a unique, dark sense of style. Then, Magda - the flawless looker who attracts all the boys with her up-to-date fashion sense. And finally - Ellie. The story is portrayed through her eyes and we experience her difficulties. She compares herself with her two best friends and eventually finds herself drowning down tireless efforts to lose weight. She also befriends a girl she meets down the swimming pool who also experiences the same. Ellie becomes Bulimic and eventually, after seeing the harsh consequences her friend goes through understands the dangers.

Jacqueline Wilson gives us this story in excellent form. I've always wanted to read about Bulimia and Anorexia after understanding what a friend of mine was going through but I never found the motivation to actively find out and research the topic. Wilson presents the book in a disguised manner and we're then shocked as we understand the slight occurance can be a trigger - which is the reality of this frightening disease.

Jacqueline Wilson

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