Some people think everyone that cuts is just plain crazy. Do you think they even know the reason that a person would sublect to cutting? I don’t think so. In her inspiring novel, Cut, Patricia McCormick tells about Callie, a soft-spoken, shy, fifteen-year-old girl. Callie is suffering with personal problems, which include her brother’s deadly asthma, her parents, who are growing farther apart, and now the budding conflict in which, Callie cuts herself. She knows not to cut too deep and not cut more than one or two lines per arm, what she is dealing with is her problems or “reasons” for cutting. She has no idea why she does it until she is admitted to a mental health facility, Sea Pines. There, Callie meets a group of girls with their own harsh struggles. The problems range from anorexia to substance abuse. These girls are each struggling with their inner demons which may or may not kill them. Callie is reluctant to say anything to anyone so she just stays silent. One of the girls, Sydney, thus gives her the nickname, Silent Treatment, ST for short.

Callie continues to speak to no one, not even her own counselor. The sad truth is that Callie blames herself for everything which includes, her brother’s sudden asthmatic condition, to her parents’ issues with one another. Callie then starts to smuggle sharp items and begins cutting again, only this time, she is disgusted with herself. She then begins to speak and tells her friends from the facility and the counselor her reasons for self-mutilation. This book was the most thrilling book I have read so far.
“ Then, I placed the blade next to the skin on my palm. A tingle arced across my scalp. The floor tipped up at me and my body spiraled away. Then I was on the ceiling looking down, waiting to see what would happen next. (pg. 3)”
The vivid imagery helped me with reading this book. I thought it would be boring but, to my surprise, it was very intriguing. The person who would like this book would be those who enjoy stories about overcoming life’s hardships. The reason I read this boook was because not long ago, I was a closet-cutter myself. I was treated differently and was seen as the “psycho chick” because people got me really angry, very easily. I felt as if I had no control what-so-ever and that if I got angry enough that I would just snap and eventually kill myself from all the cutting. I know now that I can control my feelings and that I have friends that care about me enough to help me work out my problems. Callie must have felt this way too because she didn’t talk to her counselor and didn’t want any help in the beginning.
“Then tomorrow, I’m going down to your (her counselor’s) office first thing in the morning. And I am going to tell you everything. (pg.151)”
She was thinking this to herself because she actually wanted help near the end of the book and decided to try and get it. She eventually did tell her counselor everything that she couldn’t before. She even overcame her fears and troubles. So in this book, cutters are just like ordinary human beings, they just do some things a little different but they are people all the same. So I thought to myself, maybe I’m not so crazy after all.
Well the conclusion of this book is actually very stunning but, I won’t ruin it! If you want to know it then you have to read the book for yourself. Cut was a very good book and I recommend it to people who think they are all alone in the world. I have found out from reading this book, that I am not as alone and insane as I thought. I have been to hell and back and am no longer dwelling on the fact that I might be alone because, thanks to this book, I have found how to reach out to my friends when I am in great need. Not only that but, I have found that in return for the showing of my vulnerability, they will actually help me with what I need help with. They won’t abandon me in my time of need like others that have done so much in the past.