Butter [Hardcover]

Erin Jade Lange (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 4, 2012

A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death-live on the Internet-and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn't go through with his plans?

With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen's battle with himself.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (September 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599907801
• ISBN-13: 978-1599907802
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,335 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Butter is a smart, funny high school junior who happens to weigh 423 pounds. His eating issues stem from multiple sources, but one day when the pressure becomes too much, he opens a website called Butterslastmeal.com. Here he invites his classmates to watch as he consumes his last meal on New Year's Eve, literally eating himself to death. The overwhelming reaction to his posting astonishes him, and he becomes an instant member of the in crowd. But even finding the friendship he craves doesn't help ease his internal pain. His mom still supplies him with high-calorie "comfort" foods; his dad still looks at him in disgust, and Anna, the most beautiful girl at school, won't give him a second glance. Playing his saxophone and spending time as his online alter ego, JP, a tall, athletic hunk who chats for hours online with Anna, provide the only real comforts in his life. Flashbacks show the relentless cruelty of other students that Butter has endured for years, and the story heads toward a frightening climax as he discovers that his newfound friends are just as cruel in their own way as those who abused him in the past. The ending avoids a quick solution, leaving Butter realistically examining his options for the future. Myriad realistic characters feel responsible for his actions-the music teacher who tries repeatedly to reach him; his friend Tucker, who also battles extreme weight, and even Anna, who rejects him in public. The first-person narration allows readers to feel Butter's pain along with the eventual insight into his problems. Using current, hot-button topics-cyberbullying, obesity, and teen suicide-the author weaves a compelling tale sure to draw teens in.-Diana Pierce, Leander High School, TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

ERIN JADE LANGE is a news producer in Phoenix Arizona. Butter is her debut novel. www.butterslastmeal.com

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (September 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599907801
• ISBN-13: 978-1599907802
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,335 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Erin writes facts by day and fiction by night. As a journalist, she is inspired by current events and real-world issues and uses her writing to explore how those issues impact teenagers.

She is an only child, which means she spent a lot of time entertaining herself as a kid. This required her to rely heavily on her own imagination, which is probably why she became a writer.

Erin lives in Arizona with her fiance and one badly-behaved pug.

Visit her online at erinlange.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Tackles The Other End of Eating Disorders Very Well. September 4, 2012

By Jenni @ Alluring Reads

Format:Hardcover

Butter was a book that I knew I had to read. As someone who has had eating disorders around her all her life I am always intrigued to see how an author handles the subject. Now, we get to read about anorexia and bulimia all the time, but I have never come across a book that tackles the other end of the eating disorder spectrum. That's right, we finally have a novel about obesity & compulsive/emotional eating and it really hits the nail on the head as to how you can be addicted to food, just as you can be addicted to drugs or alcohol. I walked away from this novel very impressed with how Erin Jade Lange tackled the multitude of emotions connected with a disorder such as this.

Butter was a character that I felt for, he was unhappy in his own skin and he had just given up on trying to get better. He felt that he had passed the point of no return and was wallowing in what could have been. I totally understood his helplessness, once you tip the scales at 423 lbs it's not exactly easy to lose it. While I of course didn't agree with where he decided to go with it, I at least understood his motives, and with a very over the top plot such as this, that's saying something. I've personally had people who suffer from both ends of this spectrum in my life and I thought the little things were handled perfectly; Butter's mothers attempts to appease him through food and the vicious cycle that creates is something that I have seen every day.

A complaint that I do have about the novel though is that at times I found myself being reminded by instances that the students were in high school and not junior high.... The coddling the Butter receives at home as well as the reactions of the kids at his school felt quite juvenile to me, then they would hop in their cars, or have a drink, and I would think "Oh yeah, these guys are in high school." While there was some dissent among the students I do feel that it wouldn't have been swept under the rug quite as it was after the first night that the website went up. Especially in this day and age with suicide topping the headlines, but alas, this is a novel, a fiction novel at that.

Overall, I was very happy with the novel and it took me on a rollercoaster of emotions that I wasn't sure the subject matter would allow it too. Lange clearly did her research on the health issues at hand and it really showed in the execution of the plot. If you're looking for a contemporary read that is definitely different from the pack, then I would say Butter is for you. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I've never read anything quite like it and I couldn't look away. October 12, 2012

By brandileigh2003

Format:Hardcover

This is such a unique premise. Morbid and shocking, but I couldn't look away. Butter had some major issues, his weight, the bullying, the way they almost seemed to see him as a mascot, as well as his self-esteem, but he is a likable narrator, and it felt seamless being in his head.
At first I couldn't see his appeal to Anna but as the story went on, I could understand that it didn't in fact come from nowhere or from purely physical aspects, even though that is certainly a factor. It broke my heart their different interactions.
I really like how Butter didn't seem to want the readers pity, he wanted their respect and to look past the outside. It really was just telling a story. Yes its about obesity, yes it is about bullying and being bullied, yes it has a message in it, but it is honest, it is gritty and it is thankfully laced with hope even in the darkest moments.
That said, this is a dark book. It deals with bullying, suicidal thoughts, and other mature themes with some gritty, disgusting scenes. But Erin writes it beautifully in a manner that I just could not stop reading until I found out what happened to Butter.
Bottom line: I've never read anything quite like it and I couldn't look away.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Difficult subject matter handled beautifully September 13, 2012

By Catie Taylor

Format:Hardcover

I have to be honest and say that the whole concept for this book was so dark that I really put off reading it for the longest time. The idea of a kid eating himself to death in front of all of his classmates is incredibly disturbing. That's why I was surprised by how quickly I was drawn into the story and how much this book really affected me. Butter made me every type of imaginable emotion. It is funny, infuriating, and deeply sad. Butter is 100% worth your time.

LIKES:

Butter's Character Development: Lange's writing is so easy to get sucked into. It is really hard to believe that this book wasn't written by a morbidly obese teenage boy. Butter's voice is so well-crafted that the reader really cares about him. He isn't just the fat kid who gets teased and is sad about it. He is an incredibly complex character who is desperately trying to find a way to matter to his peers. His internal struggles with self-esteem, depression, love and suicide are expertly written so that the reader understands exactly what he must be going through. There is real love put into this character.

The issue at hand: This book deals with suicide, among other things, and this can be a difficult subject to tackle. Lange does a wonderful job. It would have been easy enough to write a book about a loner teen, who decides to kill himself, but Lange adds much more depth to the story. Butter gains acceptance from his peers after announcing his plans and still struggles with his demons. This book is about more than a suicidal teenager. It is about all of the turmoil that someone who has made this decision goes through, it is about the finality of that decision and it is about finding a reason to live....

Not an easy, feel-good read: Butter is not a book to pick up when you want to smile. In fact, there were parts of this story that I didn't think I could get through. However, I think that the emotional challenges this book presents are what make it an important story.

DISLIKES:

The kids at Butter's school: I hated these kids. Don't get me wrong, they were well-written and the development was great, but they were awful. I couldn't imagine that an entire school would want to show up for a viewing party to watch a classmate kill himself. The extent of the nastiness of these kids made them somewhat unbelievable. I would have liked it if there were some that were a bit more level-headed or just showed some common human decency.

When all is said and done, I am really glad I decided to read Butter. I think it is one of those books that changes the way you think about and look at other people and those are the most important kinds of stories. I would recommend this if you are looking for a thought-provoking (and sometimes anger-provoking) read. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read September 6, 2012

By Kats

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been looking forward to this book since I heard the premise (what a great premise!), and was not disappointed. I enjoyed the dark sense of humour in the writing and rooted for Butter all the way. I couldn't put this book down; I ripped through it in one day. Recommended!

3.0 out of 5 stars Haunting & Desperate Prose June 10, 2013

By Melissa (i swim for oceans)

Format:Hardcover

View the full review here:
http://www.iswimforoceans.com/2012/08/butter-by-erin-jade-lange-review.html

Butter isn't your average teenage boy. He's not good-looking, he certainly doesn't get the girls and acne is the least of his teenage woes. Instead, Butter tops the scale at over 400 pounds - being a morbidly obese teen in high school, where only the most perfect rule. His weight clouds everything. He's lonely, he's depressed and he can longer see that he has anything going for him when, in fact, he's funny and extremely musically gifted. Butter sees no way out though. He thinks that the only thing to do is end it all, and why not go out the way he got to this place? He'll eat himself to death. What happens when the world rallies around him in encouragement though? Will pseudo-popularity save him?

You guys know me. I love issue books. I've read a whole bunch regarding eating disorders, though they mainly focus on anorexia or bulimia. Butter is my first encounter with an overeating disorder. Needless to say, with a synopsis like that, I was hooked. Erin Jade Lange has crafted a slightly off-kilter novel that challenges you to feel for both the bully and the bullied, making certain that there is no semblance of black or white in this book. Butter is crafted entirely in shades of grey that force you to make your own opinions and assumptions. With haunting and desperate prose that sometimes stings with a leering lilt, Butter is truly one of a kind.

In a genre where the YA golden boy is king, Butter is pretty much the most unlikely "hero" or MC you might meet. There was a part of me that loved him. He was really funny. He was also really talented.... However, there was this dark side of him that made him oddly creepy, as he stalks the people online that he could never approach in person. Butter challenged me to put aside my own personal opinions though and fully immerse myself in the story. Parts of the novel are sickening (absolutely revolting), and made me want to hate every teenage bully out there. However, the beauty is that the novel portrays these moments accurately, and it doesn't mince on the details. Rather, it sheds light on the true, dark nature of bullying. As Butter's final countdown to his deathday approached, I couldn't help but be riveted. It was fast-paced, and the newfound popularity Butter faced was intriguing. I had no idea what was going to happen. In the end, I am glad we got a resolution, but there's a part of me that felt the ending was too neat and too tidy. Not every story needs to be wrapped in ribbons and bows. I do believe Butter could have been better if it had less of a delicate hand in the end.

Overall, a large part of me enjoyed the story and the fantastic writing style, while there's a part of me that's totally on the fence. I give it a 3.5 out of 5, and I definitely recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction and issue books.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book. Read more ›