Review: The Obvious Game by Rita Arens

Blurb:

“Everyone trusted me back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice at first.”


"Your shirt is yellow."
"Your eyes are blue."
"You have to stop running away from your problems."
"You're too skinny."

Fifteen-year-old Diana Keller accidentally begins teaching The Obvious Game to new kid Jesse on his sixteenth birthday. As their relationship deepens, Diana avoids Jesse's past with her own secrets -- which she'll protect at any cost.

My Review:

I know this book was written for teens, and it's perfect for them, but it's also perfect for adult survivors of the teen years! Though the book is set in the early nineties, its story is timeless.

Diana is a young girl facing the anguish of her mother's illness and her own eating disorder. It was handled with brilliant sensitivity. I found myself relating to Diana on such a deep and emotional level. I too grew up with a mother who had cancer, and I also had an eating disorder that I kept hidden. So reading Diana's story had me like this at some points:

And I LOVED it!

Diana's symptomology was so spot on that I didn't notice the signs of the disorder at first, much like any who was ill wouldn't. But then, things evolved. The story is beautifully written with character development that was so rich and genuine that I couldn't put the book down.

I don't want to say much more or reveal any spoliers, but I will say this book wasn't just a wonderful read. I haven't been so emotionally impacted by a book in a long time. So much so that it was a healing experience for me. And for that, Rita Arens, I must truly thank you.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewed By: Lisa