Review: S. Pratt really lets the reader see, experience, and understand a person who is suffering from an eating disorder.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 15, 2013
Even though the evidence of malnutrition shows on my body, I feel so out of control that I am powerless to stop it.Sanctuary of Mine by S. Pratt was an overwhelming read. I've read books about human trafficking, prostitution, and all those other tough topics people are uncomfortable talking, reading, or even discussing. But I have never read a book like Sanctuary of Mine that really lets the reader inside the mind of an anorexic or bulimic. S. Pratt really lets the reader see, experience, and understand a person who is suffering from an eating disorder.I punish myself. I starve myself. I torture myself, mentally and physically.In the beginning of Sanctuary of Mine we learn right away that Mackenzie is suffering from an eating disorder. Like I said before when I read Sanctuary of Mine I was overwhelmed with all of Mackenzie's suffering. Not only is she suffering from an eating disorder, but her parents are divorced and can't stand to be in the same room. Her parents divorce is what leads to her eating disorder. I've read about these disease before (did a research paper on it in High School), and this is just a very horrible disease. I can not even imagine what it would be like to suffer from any type of eating disorder- in second thought I can imagine now after reading Sanctuary of Mine. From the beginning Mackenzie is fragile, puts ups walls to not let people in her life, and she is fighting her eating disorder by herself. As the story progresses she becomes confident with herself, lets people in her life that support and help her, and she becomes a whole different girl. I rode the emotional roller coaster ride with Mackenzie's character right from the beginning and until the end. It was one of the most overwhelming roller coaster I've ridden."I think she'd be worth the fight."I loved Tyler's character in Sanctuary of mine. I am just going to come out with it, because it was one of the things that kind of bothered me from the book. S. Pratt provides Mackenzie's POV and Tyler's POV. The only problem I had with this, was that Tyler only had a few chapters in his POV. I enjoyed reading from his POV, but I was sort of expecting the usual switch of POV that most authors do (Girls POV, Guys POV, Girls POV, Guys POV, etc...). Now that I got out of the way, let me just say that I loved Tyler. His character is thoughtful, caring, and lovable. I would have not expected this much from a jock in High School, but it is understandable because he suffered a great loss. As the story progresses he does not change, only his physical appearance does ;).There is something, rather someone inside of me that he's unleashed ...Mack is the kind of chick that I'd break all the rules for.Mackenzie's and Tyler's relationship at the beginning of the book is like walking on glass- being super careful not to let anything slip-but at the same time they can not hide their physical attraction towards each other. Tyler knows from the start that Mackenzie has an eating disorder, but he still loves her and feels a strong pull towards her. Mackenzie does not know that Tyler knows that she has an eating disorder. So both of them are careful not to let anything slip that might ruin the progress of developing a relationship. But there is something huge that happened in Tyler's life that Mackenzie can not find out about, or else all will come down hill. The one thing I love about their relationship is, the support they both show towards each other. Now, once they both go their separate ways (won't tell you why) they still think about each other. I love the way S. Pratt made time go by before they reunite again :D!Learning to love, learning to let go. Sometimes they are life's most valuable lessons.Just when Mackenzie and Tyler have coped with so much- dealing with her eating disorder and the years apart from each other- S. Pratt throws us another heartbreaking event! This time I seriously cried my eyes out. Right from when the event happens I knew that everything was going to break down. I felt all of Mackenzie's pain again, and I cried with her throughout the whole thing. I am telling you this was such an overwhelming read for me.I'm ready to live my life to the fullest. I want Tyler to know that I'm going to grab every single opportunity that is presented to me with both hands and run with it.Sanctuary of Mine by S. Pratt was a overwhelming emotional roller coaster ride. S. Pratt presents us what is like to suffer from an eating disorder through her main character, Mackenzie. There has not been a book that I've read where I am completely sucked into the mind and the life of a person suffering from an eating disorder. I cried, suffered, loved, laughed, and felt all of these and more emotions through Mackenzie's character and Tyler's character. S. Pratt has gained a new fan of her writing and from her novel Sanctuary of Mine :D!~Kassie @ Kassie's Book Thoughts