Summer Fades

Anorexia and abuse the subject but hope and healing the centre of alumna’s new novel

Summer Fades (Signs Publishing, 2015)
Amanda Bews

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Summer Fades seems an apt name for a book review in March, the first month of autumn. It is also the second novel by Amanda Bews, a follow-up to Heaven Sent. As with Heaven Sent, Amanda is clearly not afraid to tackle some big issues—this time covering eating disorders.

These are becoming more prevalent. Estimates are that one in 20 Australians suffer from some kind of eating disorder, with rates increasing in the past decade even as obesity is reported as reaching epidemic levels in most Western countries. So, if we think it’s too confronting reading a story about eating disorders and other complex matters, we’re kidding ourselves. Life is confronting and complex.

But Summer Fades doesn’t smack the reader over the head. It doesn’t make you feel guilty, it doesn’t preach. Rather, it invites you to empathise with Summer, the main character, a perfectionist who tries to find control through food (well, specifically, not eating food).

The other characters—Summer’s best friend Cameron, brother Bobby, love interest Ben and childhood friend Julie, whose return is the catalyst for chaos—are well developed and thoroughly thought out. And the novel’s portrayal of the role faith can play is not that of a quick fix but of a real hope and gradual healing.

The story moves along quickly—it’s not quite 300 pages. You can finish it in a short amount of time. There’s enough emotional engagement to keep you interested but no so much that it seems affected. And while written for young adults, Summer Fades is also a good read for parents, particularly those who have concerns about the eating habits of their children.

It’s important stories such as Summer Fades are written and published. Having friends who’ve suffered from eating disorders, I know how complex an issue this is. But I also know there’s hope and that change and healing can and do occur.