When I post a review on Goodreads, I either take a lot of time on it or do something quick and simple. There's one review that I posted in 2014 that, every once in a while, I still get notifications of people liking it. I didn't even remember what I wrote in the review until I copied it for this post.
The review is for Deenie by Judy Blume.
Here it is:
I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was fourteen. At fifteen I had corrective spine surgery. I remember the brace I had to wear after my surgery, and I hated it! Although braces are different now, it was still unattractive and uncomfortable. Mine actually did hurt because the most sensitive part of my spine stuck out a little and the brace dug into it roughly. The first time I had to wear it at the hospital was the day after my surgery and I cried because it caused me pain. I recall a male physical therapist snapping at me and telling me it didn't hurt. Oh, I wanted to hit him! When my doctor finally said I didn't have to wear it anymore, I drew a bikini on it with marker and slashed the padding on the inside with a pair of scissors. Hey, I was fifteen! But it felt great being able to throw it in the trash.
I've never read a story about a girl with scoliosis, and I wish I had known about this book back then. I'm thankful to Judy Blume for exploring this important subject, shining light on it, and for the young girl who inspired Deenie.
I really liked how Blume wrote about Deenie's posture, because my own posture always bothered me and still does to this day. When I was in ninth grade, one of my shoulders was higher than the other and one of my hips stuck out more. I felt like a freak! I also like that Deenie had to see many doctors, because I lost track for how many doctors I had to see to get diagnosed, to get measured for my brace, and to prepare for my surgery.
Deenie is a quick, nice read that explores scoliosis and the thoughts of a young girl who has to wear a brace to fix her spine. This story will not only help teens and parents in this situation, but everyone who doesn't understand what scoliosis is.
A couple more reviews that get some love every once in a while:
Calm the F*ck Down (1 Star)
Your One Word (5 Stars)
You can find me on Goodreads here. I also highly recommend The Story Graph. It's much more relaxed than Goodreads where things can get very heated.
