BOOK:Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Such superlatives as "riveting" and "powerful" can only hint at the craftsmanship on display in this transcendent story of love, loyalty and courage. While probing such issues as friendship, free speech and moral values, Crutcher ( Chinese Handcuffs ; Stotan! ) tells a tale whose mordant humor, poignancy and suspense pack a breathtaking wallop. A social outcast in junior high due to his excessive weight, narrator Eric Calhoune found a kindred spirit in Sarah Byrnes, whose face and hands were hideously disfigured in a childhood accident. Now a senior and considerably slimmed down through competitive swimming (though still aptly called "Moby", Eric remains fiercely devoted to his friend, whose caustic tongue is her only protection from life's inequities. When Sarah abruptly stops talking and is committed to a mental ward, Eric is compelled to take action to help her, but quickly finds that he is in over his head. He risks their friendship by breaking his vow of secrecy and enlisting others' aid--help that comes from such unlikely quarters as a former bully, Eric's swim coach and, most surprisingly, his mother's seemingly wimpy boyfriend. A subplot centering on a self-righteous teammate drives home the point that nothing is as it appears on the surface, and leads to Eric being caught between his menacing vice-principal and the even more malevolent Mr. Byrnes--with spine-tingling results. Superb plotting, extraordinary characters and crackling narrative make this novel one to be devoured in a single unforgettable sitting.

When I got this book out at school I didnt think Id like it much...but after reading a little bit of it I really enjoyed it.
They Isuess that are discuised are very good.
Even though at first I didnt like how the story was interwinded into the main charachters activites in sports but after reading about half of the book I released that that was a big part of the story.
a good book, good author too...
I just finished one other of his books called "The crazy horse electric game." and now Im reading one called "Iron man."
most of his books involve sports...but not so much to make it the main focus of the entire plot...

I read that a couple months ago. It was really well written.

that was a great book. i loved the adrenaline rush near the end.

I loved this book.Sara's dad was a bastard.