Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Crutcher, Chris. 2003. Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York: Harper Tempest. ISBN 9780060094898

Plot Summary

Eric “Moby” Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes have been best friends for years. Their friendship developed because of a shared case of the “terminal uglies”, he was obese and she was horribly scarred. When Eric discovers a love of swimming, he tries to stay fat in order to reassure Sarah Byrnes that their friendship is more than skin deep.

In their senior year of high school, Sarah Byrnes is admitted into a psychiatric hospital in an apparent catatonic state. Eric is desperate to figure out why and how to help her, but the answers will put both of them in terrible danger.

Critical Analysis

Chris Crutcher tackles several issues in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, child abuse, abortion, suicide and religious intolerance. From the beginning of the story, the reader realizes that Sarah Byrnes’ father is cruel, but the horrific depths of the abuse are revealed slowly as the story unfolds. The issues of abortion and religious intolerance are handled within the setting of a Contemporary American Thought class led by Eric’s favorite teacher and swim coach, Ms. Lemry. The juxtaposition of all of these themes and issues is a bit disjointed at times, however “the self-deprecating humor of Moby's narrative and the high drama of the classroom scenes (some of the best of the book) keep the reader involved in the compelling issues that drive the plot to its conclusion.” (Book Report)

The detailed descriptions of the competitive swim practices serve to illustrate the strength and confidence that Eric has gained as a result of swimming. The romance between Eric and Jody (the former girlfriend of Eric’s swim team and CAT class rival, Mark) is sweet and endearing, but not an integral part of the story. The real meat of the story is in the relationship between Eric and Sarah Byrnes who “save one another on many levels throughout this breathtakingly complex and harrowing story of emotional heroism and growth.” (School Library Journal) Sarah Byrnes’ vicious humor and wit, and Eric’s unfaltering friendship are skillfully written.

Unfortunately, the ending does not do justice to the characters or the rest of the story. The romance between Eric and Jody fades to an afterthought soon after it begins. The newspaper article layout of the story of Sarah Byrnes’ adoption by Ms. Lemry is hokey. Mr. Byrnes is caught and brought to justice, as he should be, but not by Eric or the police. It takes Eric’s mom’s mild mannered accountant boyfriend who turns out to be a Special Forces Vietnam vet to lie in wait and capture Mr. Byrnes in his own home.

Review Citations

Hofmann, Mary. 2005. "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes." School Library Journal 51, no. 11: 59.

Makowski, Marilyn. 1993. "Reviews: Fiction." Book Report 12, no. 1: 39.