On the Spectrum

This book was very sweet. I loved the relationship between Clara and Alastair. I'd never heard of orthorexia, but can think of several people who are probably on its spectrum as well. Getting into Clara's head was helpful and investing, if that makes sense. Oh, and Paris doesn't hurt either!

*Trigger warning: contains eating disorders and lots of discussion about food*

This book was such a beautiful little gem and I urge you to read it.

Clara grew up with a famous Ballerina mother who was unsurprisingly, super healthy and had a variety of different eating disorders and food-related anxieties which she had passed down to her daughter. When Clara's father asks her to come and live with him in Paris for the Summer to look after her half-brother Alastair, she is less than thrilled. Having only met him once and had heard him been described as being "on the spectrum," Clara wasn't sure how to deal with this little six-year-old boy. During her time in Paris, she gets to know her brother, begins to overcome some of her own issues, deals with some of the psychological repercussions of her disorder and creates strong friendships with the characters.

Now, whilst part of that summary sounds a bit clinical and perhaps a bit boring, it is far from it. In the first half of the book, the eating disorders and the lives of the mother-daughter duo are emphasised greatly, so we can come to understand the complexity and the severity of the food issues. The second half of the book is an honest look at how somebody who has no experience with Autism, then comes to terms with the way that her little brother may be classified as "different" to other children. Throughout the book, both Clara and Alastair help each other and the relationship is such a beautiful thing to watch blossom and will hopefully educate some readers on the Autism spectrum a little bit. I would highly recommend reading this gorgeous book, it truly is a heart-warming read.

There are a couple of signs that a book really WOWED me. If I finish it within a couple of days, it's a given. But, whenever I feel compelled to immediately write a review, well then you can be sure it's a winner.

Clara doesn't want for much of anything, but her life is anything but easy. Growing up as the daughter of a famous ballet dancer has put enormous pressure on her going back as far as she can remember. She's always felt as if she can't measure up to her beautiful, graceful, and excessively thin mother. So it's no surprise that she's developed an eating disorder. Maybe not the binging and purging or wasting away type, but still. Under the guise of healthy eating, she's obsessively concerned with everything she puts into her mouth. And who can blame her? She's just following her mother's example, after all.

When things go too far, however, she finds herself sent off to visit her estranged father for the summer. Sure, it's in Paris. But it also means she has to spend the summer with her stepmother and a brother she doesn't even know. To make matters more difficult in her mind, he's on the autism spectrum. Will they be able to help each other?

There are so many important things going on in this story, things that almost any young person or adult can relate to. There's a nontraditional, blended family as a result of divorce. There's a love interest, of course. Because what young adult story wouldn't have one? And then there are the more serious issues, eating disorders and children with autism spectrum disorders.

This is the rare young adult book that I actually feel safe recommending for truly young adults. It provides a true look at real issues faced by many young people without delving into the culture of sex, drugs, and alcohol so prominent in many of today's books marketed toward young people. A great story!

I'm not usually a fan of young adult novels but this is one that really grabbed me and refused to let go.

Clara lives in a world where she wants for little, if anything, but her life is incredibly complicated. Clara's mother Catherine is a famous ballerina and food, or lack thereof, has always been a central part of Clara and Catherine's relationship. Clara soon is diagnosed with an eating disorder and Catherine tries to do everything she can to make up for sixteen years of poor parenting. Everything is thrown into disarray one night at a party when Clara is duped by a cute Yale student.

Clara finds herself in Paris, living with the father she never really knew and his passive-aggressive anti-American wife. Clara also meets her little brother, six-year-old Alastair, who is "on the spectrum." Charged with his care over the summer, Clara is worried about how she will ever know exactly what this weird kid needs when he needs it. Despite her trepidation, Clara and Alastair have a lot to teach each other.

As a step-parent to a kid on the spectrum, I was dubious as to whether the book could really capture what it's like to be the kid and the parent. I was thrilled to find that Jennifer Gold was spot on when it came to both Alastair's quirks and his father's fears about his future. This book was so touching and well written. It's definitely a must-read and I highly recommend it!

It was such a unique book, I hadn't read anything like it before.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It covered so many pertinent issues for teenagers - self image, difference, need to fit in, families breakups and step families, eating disorders and autism. I did not expect to see how well the 16 year old and 6 year old related and how trust was developed. The impact of autism on the individual and the family were well drawn and very realistic. The atmosphere of Paris was beautifully evoked.

A lovely read - thank you.

Such a beautifully written book. This is a great summer read that delves into issues of eating disorders and bonding with a new family. It is inspiring, fun, and just a great book overall.

I absolutely adored this book. It follows Clara - a sixteen year old girl struggling to come to terms with her disordered eating - as well as her brother Alistair, who is on the Autism spectrum. Clara has Orthorexia, a common eating disorder that is often overlooked in fiction. She is sent to Paris for the summer to spend time with her dad, his girlfriend and their son (Alistair). With Alistair's help, Clara is able to come to terms with her Orthorexia and realize that she too, is on a spectrum - the eating disorder spectrum. This book meant so much to me and I can not wait to get my hands on a completed copy when it comes out!

This book is delightful. Every character has realistic flaws, but they are dealt with and accepted and understood. Nothing is ignored in this book and I really appreciated that. I also enjoyed that it discussed some of the difficulties of having a child who is on the spectrum. There were a few moments where Clara observed that it must be hard to be a mom or dad of a child like Alastair, and I loved those little moments. If you enjoy books about self-discovery, you should pick up this book. While it deals with serious topics, it does it in such a light way that you just enjoy and learn from the whole experience. I look forward to reading more by Gold, and I really hope this isn’t the last we see of Clara and Alastair.

Clara lives with her famous prima ballerina mother in New York City, and with that comes an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy. She decides to spend a summer in Paris with her estranged dad and his family after a social media disaster back home. While in the city of light, she meets Alastair, her six year old half-brother who is on the autism spectrum, as well as Michel, a young baker’s apprentice – both of whom teach Clara about how to look at life in a different way.

This was a really sweet story that encompassed life lessons in several different facets. Set against the backdrop of an iconic city, all the characters – not just Clara – go through a journey of realization and growth. I felt that a lot of the overall theme in many of the situations were about perception; what would people think? What would they think about her weight? What would they think about him being different? I really liked how this was expanded upon, that there is a balance between not wanting to change for other people vs changing for your own happiness and self acceptance.

Mental health takes many different forms and I appreciated Gold’s take on Clara’s eating habits. It wasn’t strictly black or white of Clara being anorexic or bulimic but her intense obsession with healthy eating could be considered on the spectrum of eating disorders as well. The characters go on a journey of acknowledgement and action in this book that feels hopeful for others that may be experiencing similar situations in any form.

I loved the dynamic between Clara and Alastair. When the book starts out, Clara is unsure how to be around someone on the autism spectrum, and it was great to see that sibling bond progress throughout the story as both their horizons were expanded by the presence of the other.

On the Spectrum has a strong focus on mental health and family dynamics. It’s got some drama, sightseeing fun and a little bit of romance. This would be a great book for fans of YA contemporary and anyone who has some wanderlust!

I enjoyed this book. Fact. The prose was beautiful and the writing is distinctly the authors own.
Overall, the story the good and believable. Perhaps it tried to tackle too many issues in one novel, but it covered them all well enough.
I personally wasn’t familiar with orthoexia before I read this book, so it was definitely an eye-opener and I definitely feel like I learned a lot about this ED.
I adored Alastair, he was definitely my favourite character. He was so well written and developed!

Definitely a great read that I would happily recommend.