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northviewlocke's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Body shaming, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
heathercottledillon's review against another edition
5.0
If you ask me, "fantastic" is not a strong enough word for this book. I loved the tone, the characters, the dialogue, the story itself, the pacing, everything! It has a great message (a couple of great messages, actually) but it's not at all preachy. There are a couple of parts so funny and goofy that they made the characters seem more real--almost too weird to be made up, if that makes any sense (though I know that they were made up). This story made me laugh over and over, broke my heart, and made me think. It's not often that a book does all three!
mogie's review against another edition
4.0
Beginning this book, I thought it would be a typical story of two outcasts who sort of automatically become friends because they have no one else. Which is kind of the case, but Chris Crutcher unearths the strength and importance of that friendship in the face of adversity. It's a story of survival--of standing up for yourself, of staying strong when life seems impossible. Crutcher doesn't shy away from controversial topics. He digs deep to the heart of matters of domestic/child abuse, abortion, religion and suicide with passionate honesty, creating a compelling and thought-provoking novel.
ridiculousamanda's review against another edition
3.0
Eric Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes have been friends for nearly forever. They make the perfect pair... Eric is fat and Sarah Byrnes's face and hands were burned when she was three and are horribly scarred. They didn't have any other friends. They only had each other.
Several years have passed. Eric has joined the swim team and has earned the nickname Moby because he's a swimmer, but eats even more than he did before. His plan? Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. He cares so much for Sarah Byrnes that he's afraid to lose weight and make new friends for fear of leaving her behind. She acts tough and pretends she doesn't care about anything, that nothing fazes her, but it's just a faҫade.
One day, in the middle of class, Sarah Byrnes just quits. No more talking, no clever responses, no sarcastic quips. Nothing. In her catatonic state, she goes to Sacred Heart's mental facility. Eric visits her every day and soon discovers the truth behind her scars and the reason why she's in the hospital. Her father burned her when she was little and now plans to kill her. Eric wants to save his friend, so he turns to someone he knows he can trust, his favorite teacher and swim coach, Ms. Lemry. Lemry drives Sarah Byrnes to Reno in search of her mother, the only person who can tell the truth about her father and get him locked up for good. Sarah Byrnes's father knows something is up and goes to his daughter's only friend, Eric, for answers. To get those answers, he cuts Eric's face and stabs him in the back. This does not help his case, of course, and after a bit of a tussle, Mr. Byrnes heads to jail and Sarah Byrnes is adopted by Ms. Lemry. Everything is all wrapped up in a nice little package. Convenient, yes? Too convenient? I think so.
Written from Eric's point of view, we see only his side of the story. He's been kept in the dark about his best friend's scars, but still protects her and, honestly, risks his life for her. Not only does he face her father, who is completely crazy, but he also overeats on purpose, which can't be good for his health. This intense friendship is a strength of the book, as are Sarah Byrnes's sarcastic remarks, Eric's jokes, and the antics of Eric's new friend Ellerby. However, in my opinion, it's just too neatly wrapped up in the end. Could it happen that the 17 years and 364 days old Sarah Byrnes is adopted by her school teacher? I suppose. That kind of happened in Matilda, right?
The novel also has a swimming backdrop and in several scenes, Eric tells about the tricks he and Ellerby play on another student, making him swim harder than he has to, but honestly, I didn't understand really any of the swimming scenes, the way the were described was confusing for a non-swimmer, so that could deter others from reading it, once they make it to those parts.
All in all, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes was a good read, especially from chapter 11 or so onward. It would be a good book to share with boys who like sports, but want a more mysterious, story-driven plot instead of just relying on the sports to carry them through.
Several years have passed. Eric has joined the swim team and has earned the nickname Moby because he's a swimmer, but eats even more than he did before. His plan? Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. He cares so much for Sarah Byrnes that he's afraid to lose weight and make new friends for fear of leaving her behind. She acts tough and pretends she doesn't care about anything, that nothing fazes her, but it's just a faҫade.
One day, in the middle of class, Sarah Byrnes just quits. No more talking, no clever responses, no sarcastic quips. Nothing. In her catatonic state, she goes to Sacred Heart's mental facility. Eric visits her every day and soon discovers the truth behind her scars and the reason why she's in the hospital. Her father burned her when she was little and now plans to kill her. Eric wants to save his friend, so he turns to someone he knows he can trust, his favorite teacher and swim coach, Ms. Lemry. Lemry drives Sarah Byrnes to Reno in search of her mother, the only person who can tell the truth about her father and get him locked up for good. Sarah Byrnes's father knows something is up and goes to his daughter's only friend, Eric, for answers. To get those answers, he cuts Eric's face and stabs him in the back. This does not help his case, of course, and after a bit of a tussle, Mr. Byrnes heads to jail and Sarah Byrnes is adopted by Ms. Lemry. Everything is all wrapped up in a nice little package. Convenient, yes? Too convenient? I think so.
Written from Eric's point of view, we see only his side of the story. He's been kept in the dark about his best friend's scars, but still protects her and, honestly, risks his life for her. Not only does he face her father, who is completely crazy, but he also overeats on purpose, which can't be good for his health. This intense friendship is a strength of the book, as are Sarah Byrnes's sarcastic remarks, Eric's jokes, and the antics of Eric's new friend Ellerby. However, in my opinion, it's just too neatly wrapped up in the end. Could it happen that the 17 years and 364 days old Sarah Byrnes is adopted by her school teacher? I suppose. That kind of happened in Matilda, right?
The novel also has a swimming backdrop and in several scenes, Eric tells about the tricks he and Ellerby play on another student, making him swim harder than he has to, but honestly, I didn't understand really any of the swimming scenes, the way the were described was confusing for a non-swimmer, so that could deter others from reading it, once they make it to those parts.
All in all, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes was a good read, especially from chapter 11 or so onward. It would be a good book to share with boys who like sports, but want a more mysterious, story-driven plot instead of just relying on the sports to carry them through.
noras_nibbles's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kageraven's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a realistic fiction novel about outcast teenagers. Sarah Byrnes has a face marred by burn scars while Eric Calhoune is overweight. The story is told from Eric’s perspective as it alternates between the present and the past. In the present, Sarah has gone mute and Eric struggles trying to figure out how to help her as he recollects the history of their friendship. It is emotional, dark, and tense. The novel does cover many serious topics such as physical and emotional abuse, bullying, and abortion, and it does so in a way that seems natural for the plot and characters.
The book comes across as misogynistic, though I begrudgingly admit it did get a bit better by the end of the book. The women are oversexualized and seem pretty one-dimensional even when they have interesting backstories. Many of the characters have a lot of depth and are engaging to unravel, but the personalities of the characters seem underdeveloped. It’s not necessarily a bad book. The flawed characters drive the story, and the complexity of the problems they encounter constitute a compelling plot. It’s thought-provoking and even inspiring to a certain extent. But it was frustrating to read which made it difficult to connect with the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Sexism
thebrainlair's review against another edition
4.0
This one started slow for me. I actually would have stopped reading if it wasn't a teacher request for book talks! I ended up really enjoying this one, sappiness and all. I could have done without all the swim talk since I'm a non-sports person. I'm hoping that it's the right amount for the students looking for sports reads. It will be nice to talk about a sports book that's not baseball or football and I can even work in how I almost gave up. But I decided to stay fat for the ELA teacher.
xaqrii's review against another edition
4.0
REQUIRED
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes tells the story of the scarred Sarah and her formerly obese best friend Eric as Sarah ends up in the psych ward because of a mental shut-down. The book switches between the past and the present and the reader learns the abuse Sarah experienced at the hands of her father and Eric's struggle to help her even though she refuses it. At the same time, the school administration is targetting Eric and his best friend Steve because of the perceived bullying against the school's Christian elite, Mark, though even he is not quite what he seems. Ultimately, Sarah's father becomes involved forcing Sarah and the sympathetic Ms. Lemry to race to Reno in an attempt to find Sarah's mother to testify against her father. This book was really a wild ride. Near the end, I almost had to stop reading because I feared the worst. However, it was one of the more hopeful books I've read in a long time. The message behind all the intrigue is that we need to let other people into our lives. We can be strong but we don't have to do it alone. I would recommend this book for older teens because it is kind of intense but the catharsis at the end makes the read worth it.
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes tells the story of the scarred Sarah and her formerly obese best friend Eric as Sarah ends up in the psych ward because of a mental shut-down. The book switches between the past and the present and the reader learns the abuse Sarah experienced at the hands of her father and Eric's struggle to help her even though she refuses it. At the same time, the school administration is targetting Eric and his best friend Steve because of the perceived bullying against the school's Christian elite, Mark, though even he is not quite what he seems. Ultimately, Sarah's father becomes involved forcing Sarah and the sympathetic Ms. Lemry to race to Reno in an attempt to find Sarah's mother to testify against her father. This book was really a wild ride. Near the end, I almost had to stop reading because I feared the worst. However, it was one of the more hopeful books I've read in a long time. The message behind all the intrigue is that we need to let other people into our lives. We can be strong but we don't have to do it alone. I would recommend this book for older teens because it is kind of intense but the catharsis at the end makes the read worth it.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
5.0
Original (11/18/07): Eric “Moby” Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes had been best friends for years. They were both social outcasts; Moby because of his excess weight and Sarah because of the fact that she had terrible scars all over her face and hands from a childhood accident. To prove his commitment to Sarah, Moby stayed fat for her for a year; overeating on purpose to make up for all of the calories he was burning in swim practice. When Sarah Byrnes stops speaking and is put in a hospital, Moby does all he can to figure out why. When he hears a rumor that the burns covering her weren’t caused by an accident at all, Moby decides to do all he can to save her from being hurt again. This book is fantastic. Crutcher is not afraid to go after big issues and to challenge people’s beliefs. Though this book is over ten years old, it does not seem dated and all of the issues discussed are just as pertinent to today’s teens.
Update (2/24/13): When I read this 6 years ago, I said that it didn't seem dated at all. Now, having just given it to my book club and knowing it was written a year before the oldest member was born, it did seem a bit dated. Some of the references will be lost on the kids, but the issues are still issues we're passionate about today, and the action and drama are just as intense this second time around for me. I'm hoping the kids can stick with it through the slightly boring first 70 or so pages to get to the real meat of this novel!
Update (2/24/13): When I read this 6 years ago, I said that it didn't seem dated at all. Now, having just given it to my book club and knowing it was written a year before the oldest member was born, it did seem a bit dated. Some of the references will be lost on the kids, but the issues are still issues we're passionate about today, and the action and drama are just as intense this second time around for me. I'm hoping the kids can stick with it through the slightly boring first 70 or so pages to get to the real meat of this novel!
amazing_emily_anderson's review against another edition
4.0
REQUIRED TEXT
Two outcasts: Eric, the self-deprecating fat boy who goes by "Moby," and Sarah Byrnes who's severely burned face has left her scarred and disfigured. These two outcasts become best friends.
But once Eric joins the swim team and starts slimming down, he is afraid that he is going to push Sarah Byrnes away forever, especially once she mysteriously turns catatonic, and begins staying in a mental hospital. Eric begins eating more to keep his weight on, while also trying to discover the terrible secrets that Sarah Byrnes is hiding. Moby is truly the best friend anyone could ask for as he risks his body, his sanity, and even his own life to save his best friend Sarah Byrnes.
This book was a surprising hodgepodge of different issues; religion, abortion, and abuse. However, I think Crutcher did an excellent job of weaving everything together. I loved Moby's character, his sense of humor and his relentless loyalty to Sarah Byrnes. I think Crutcher did an excellent job at creating believable, admirable, flawed characters. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would, and while I don't know that the message was personally applicable to me, I think that there are a lot of young (and old) people that could benefit from "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes."
Two outcasts: Eric, the self-deprecating fat boy who goes by "Moby," and Sarah Byrnes who's severely burned face has left her scarred and disfigured. These two outcasts become best friends.
But once Eric joins the swim team and starts slimming down, he is afraid that he is going to push Sarah Byrnes away forever, especially once she mysteriously turns catatonic, and begins staying in a mental hospital. Eric begins eating more to keep his weight on, while also trying to discover the terrible secrets that Sarah Byrnes is hiding. Moby is truly the best friend anyone could ask for as he risks his body, his sanity, and even his own life to save his best friend Sarah Byrnes.
This book was a surprising hodgepodge of different issues; religion, abortion, and abuse. However, I think Crutcher did an excellent job of weaving everything together. I loved Moby's character, his sense of humor and his relentless loyalty to Sarah Byrnes. I think Crutcher did an excellent job at creating believable, admirable, flawed characters. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would, and while I don't know that the message was personally applicable to me, I think that there are a lot of young (and old) people that could benefit from "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes."