Review Detail

It must be a weird coincidence that the last three books that I have read this week have all been about diseases that I hadn’t even heard of earlier.

Secret For A Song by S. K. Falls (Munchhausen Syndrome)
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult (Osteogenesis Imperfecta)
Skin by Donna Jo Napoli (Vitiligo)
Skin is about a sixteen year old who wakes up one day to find her lips gone completely white. Whoever says that appearances don’t matter, clearly doesn’t know much about high school. Sep, (real name: Guiseppina) has gotten a skin disorder named vitiligo that has white spots appearing all over body.

I enjoyed this book because of two reasons. It was believable. Any young girl in such a situation would be angry and try to come up with as many solutions to her problems as she can. Sep is like any other teenager, overwhelmed by events, always unsure. Kudos to Napoli for pulling such a voice off! Secondly, the picture of the high school and friendships and relationships was so accurate. Sep could have been a girl from my school and would have gone through exactly the same things.

I do think the book dragged on at some times. I was hoping for a fast pace, more things happening sooner than they did in the book.

Overall, I think this book would be great for anyone who has ever had any trouble because of being different and worrying about being ostracized because of that difference.