Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (Paperback)

~ (Author) "My dad left when I still had a month to go in the darkroom, and historically when people have tried to figure me out (as..." (more)
Key Phrases: Sarah Byrnes, Dale Thornton, Mark Brittain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up?An obese boy and a disfigured girl suffer the emotional scars of years of mockery at the hands of their peers. They share a hard-boiled view of the world until events in their senior year hurl them in very different directions. A story about a friendship with staying power, written with pathos and pointed humor.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (March 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060094893
• ISBN-13: 978-0060094898
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,786 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful, sad, honest novel, July 31, 2002

By	"daria_m" (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (Mass Market Paperback)

Chris Crutcher has tapped into the teenage psyche for this one. This is a most confusing time in any person's life: you are just starting to deal with certain issues (sex, fitting-in, questioning religion, et cetera), and you may be angry and don't know exactly why. I remember my teenage days quite vividly and have found that I can relate to this story on certain levels.
This is a story about Eric "Moby" Calhoune, a so-called fat kid, who bonds with Sarah Byrnes, an outcast burn victim. They form a friendship that is tested on many occasions by Sarah's inability to face her past and her relationship with her father (Mr. Byrnes is one of the most evil characters I have ever encountered in literature). Soon things get dangerous for both Sarah and Moby, but I won't divulge anymore details. You must read the book to find out what happens.
I will only say that while this book centers on abuse (in many forms), it also deals with a wider range of teenage problems. What is so profound about this story is that it could happen, it may have even happened to some of us or someone we know. It's truthful and realistic. Be careful. It may hit you hard when certain things are revealed. If you tend to cry while reading books or watching films, you might want to have a tissue handy when you sit down with this one.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book., March 23, 2000

By	Matthew Weaver "cesarfaison" (Spokane) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (Mass Market Paperback)

The question I get asked most often has got to be, "So what's your favorite book?"

It's a tough one to answer, because there are so many wonderful books out there. But when all's said and done, I think I have to go with "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes," by Chris Crutcher.

Overweight Eric "Mobe" (as in "Moby") Calhoune and burn victim Sarah Byrnes united during junior high because of their shared "terminal uglies," fighting off bullies and insidious school faculty, to name a few.

Now in high school, Mobe's an athlete on the swim team, despite his efforts to remain plump and preserve his treasured friendship with Sarah Byrnes (sick of every idiot calling attention to her condition and her last name, she makes everybody call her by her full name).

When she winds up in the psych ward, the story launches into something both horrifying and heart wrenching: When Sarah Byrnes was three, her abusive father Vergil held her face to a hot stove.

Mobe's got to find a way to protect her from her father and bring her back into reality.

It's a truly gripping tale, one that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Vergil Byrnes is by no means an ordinary villain; he is a monster. But Crutcher doesn't simply stop with Sarah Byrnes' saga.

On the sidelines, but no less important, is the story of Mobe's rivalry with Mark Brittain, a fellow swimmer.

Mark is hardcore religious, while Mobe's more accepting and easygoing. It's fascinating to watch such different individuals with so different beliefs go head to head, whether in the pool or in their debate class, Contemporary American Thought.

It's heavy stuff, but Crutcher adeptly balances it by giving his characters the ever welcome gift of sarcasm. The humor is a welcome counterbalance to such controversial taboos as abortion, religion and censorship. Virtually every line is one that will make you howl with laughter, even as you are moved to tears by the characters' plights. This, my friends, is real life.

And what characters there are! Besides the aforementioned few, Eric's mother is a delight, the very picture of hip maternal instincts, and her geeky boyfriend Carver ultimately proves heroes can come in surprising packages. Ellen Lemry, Mobe's swim coach/CAT teacher/adviser is a force to be reckoned with.

But my hero is Steve Ellerby, an enigma in and of himself. Son of a preacher and a choir boy, he also possesses an obnoxious blue car and what some would consider a sacrilegious personality. He's acerbic, he's disrespectful, he's fun.

And he has the best scene in the book, but race through it and you'll miss it when Brittain kneels at the pool side to lead his teammates in prayer: "Ellerby drops to both knees, throwing his head back as he stretches his arms wide, and loudly begs Jesus to come swim the laps for him. When there's no answer, he opens one eye to a squint and asks if John the Baptist is home. `Damn,' he says in the face of no response."

In fact, "Staying Fat" is frustrating because no amount of description will be adequate in capturing its splendor in its entirety. This review is only the tip of the iceberg. There's still so much to discover: Read it and find out for yourself.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without doubt, a must read!, June 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (Mass Market Paperback)

No book has ever captivated me as much as this one. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a fiction. yet realistic book written by Cris Crutener. The characters of this book are strong characters that contribute to the greatness of this book. Eric Calhoune, a senior, faces the task of helping close friend, Sarah Byrnes, who was burned in an accident. Sarah's dad, her problem, is not necesaraly someone you'd like to be friends with. Eric faces other small, bothersome problems. The biggest of them all, Mark Brittain, a fellow classmate who constantly lectures everyone on his strong catholic believes. The only thing Eric doesn't despise form Mark is his girlfriend, Jody Mueller Mrs. Lemry, a strong character, is Erics swimming coach and CATS teacher. Eric tries to help Sarah overcome a psycological problem, by visiting her at the psycological center. Soon, he finds out a dark secret Sarah has kept from everyone for a long time. He then becomes involved in a constant fight to keep Sarah safe. This book came to me when i wasn't sure if I still enjoyed reading. Lately, as a student i have not been able to choose the books I wanted to read, and wa not enjoying reading. Choosing this book was not easy. Mainly, I thought I was going to have to face another boring book. I was wrong. As I read the first pages, I found myself cought up in the plot. Without realizing it I finished, what was perhaps, one of the best books I ever read. It's true that this book involves the same kind of drama many books involve, but something about it is different. it has this special thing that seperates it from other books. You will not encounter a language that is boring or too elegant. The language is realistic and so real that young people will have no trouble reading and understanding it. The author has not avoided using bad words: there are plenty that give this book a realistic tough. The characters don't talk like stuffy old people, but like everyday people, making this book even better. This book is great and not a moment! boring, once started it can be diffiult to stop. This book is perhaps the best ever. The author has known how to write a funny, entertaining, realistic book. It doesn't fall in the same category as those books htat constantly repeat the same ending as they all lived happily ever after. Without doubt, this book is a 10!