다이어트 학교

This was a straightforward yet pretty engaging read, though it might lean more towards being a children's book rather than YA (I'm not entirely sure). The narrative centers on a fifteen-year-old girl who enrolls in a 'diet school' hoping to lose weight. What begins as an exciting journey quickly turns into a devolves into a nightmare and mental turmoil.

While it's easy to interpret this novel as a critique of the extreme lengths people go to meet beauty standards, it also unfolds layers of friendship, development of self-confidence and difficult moral choices in light of unjust circumstances. These themes add depth to the story, making it relatable to a wider audience, despite the somewhat under-complex character development (it's primarily a book for children after all).

From a language learner's perspective, for me this book provided a perfect setting for 'extensive reading.' (i.e. being able to infer the meaning of many unknown words from the context, creating an ideal environment for language acquisition). I should also mention that this book is available as an audiobook on Storytel, allowing for a complementary listening and reading practice.