Crutcher, Chris. 2003. STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES. New York: HaperCollins. ISBN 0060094893
Told from the point of view of Eric “Moby” Calhoune, an eighteen year old, overweight swimmer, STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES focuses on a few dark issues that many readers be curious about. Eric, nicknamed Moby because of his larger than average swimmer’s body, becomes worried when his best friend, Sarah Byrnes, unexpectedly stops talking and is admitted into the mental ward in the local hospital. Eric and Sarah Byrnes became friends because they both were “terminal uglies”- Eric because of his weight and Sarah because she was badly burned by her father as a child. Now that Sarah Byrnes has stopped communicating with the world, Eric believes there may be more to her childhood pain that she lets on. With the help of his friends, some expected and some not so likely, Eric tries his best to show Sarah that the world is made up of decent people.
Author Chris Crutcher creates a cast of characters that exude human qualities, both good and bad who add depth to the story through their interactions with Eric. “Crutcher possesses a novelist's greatest asset: an ability to create people who are real and believable and about whom the reader can care deeply” (Vasilakis). These “people” showcase the evil that exists in society, as well as the well-intentioned and caring that can come from where you least expect it. Through the Eric Calhoune’s narration, readers are offered a realistic glimpse at life through the eyes of an imperfect teenage boy and the effects bullying and abuse can have on many different people.
Readers who are looking for a light-hearted read will not find it in STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES. This novel is dark and packed with controversial topics. “Although the central issue of the novel is the insidious and far-reaching effects of child abuse, minor characters introduce several other topics of current interest, such as abortion and religious fundamentalism” (Vasilakis). This is not to say that STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES is not worth reading, on the contrary it would make an excellent novel to start discussions on topics that may seem hard to approach.
References:
N.V. 1993. "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes." Horn Book Magazine 69, no. 3: 336. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 22, 2011).
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