Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart

Scars Like Wings

by Erin Stewart

Everyone has scars. Some are just easier to see ...

16-year-old Ava Lee is heading back to school one year after a house fire left her severely disfigured. She’s used to the names, the stares, the discomfort, but there’s one name she hates most of all: Survivor. What do you call someone who didn’t mean to survive? Who sometimes wishes she hadn’t?

When she meets a fellow survivor named Piper at therapy, Ava begins to feel like she’s not facing the nightmare alone. Piper helps Ava reclaim the pieces of Ava Before the Fire, a normal girl who kissed boys and sang on stage. But Piper is fighting her own battle, and when Ava almost loses her best friend, she must decide if the new normal she’s chasing has more to do with the girl in the mirror — or the people by her side. 

The beautiful, life-affirming debut from Erin Stewart that's being called the YA answer to Wonder. Perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Nicola Yoon and John Green.

“A heartfelt and unflinching look at the reality of being a burn survivor and at the scars we all carry. This book is for everyone, burned or not, who has ever searched for a light in the darkness.” – Stephanie Nielson, New York Times bestselling author of HEAVEN IS HERE and a burn survivor

"A gripping story, which examines what it means to survive." - i newspaper
 

Reviewed by Laurie on

4 of 5 stars

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Review posted on https://lauriesbookshelf.com
A while back, I stumbled upon Scars like wings by Erin Stewart. I immediately added it to my TBR, because such stories interest me. First of all, I haven't read any book about a burn survivor in Young Adult bfore. Furthermore, this story shows courage and empowerment, themes that are explored more and more these days.



  • Representation: Burn survivor, anxiety, insecurity, depression
  • Trigger warnings: Graphic description of burns and scars, (re-experiences of) a traumatic experience, bullying, suicide attempt












When starting the book, you'll get immediately thrown into the story. Ava Lee is about to start school again after a fire made her loose nearly everything. You see her struggles and hopes she will be accepted and find her place there. The story is fast-paced and it's clear that Erin Stewart did a lot of research regarding burns. However, I cannot judge the representation, which therefore I won't do so.



All characters in Scars like wings are pretty likeable. There's Ava, who is of course very insecure but shows an enormous growth throughout the book. Then there is Piper who helps Ava, but struggles herself and constantly hides it. Is this a good depression rep? Something I can't judge either. Finally, we have Assad, who treats both Ava and Piper as actual humans instead of different people with scars. He sets a good example for everyone.



Erin Stewart managed to write a story of courage and empowerment. Despite their scars, Ava and Piper manage to find back themselves and their place in the world of high school. I really enjoyed reading Scars like wings and experiencing this character development. Furthermore, after a few very disappointing books, this was such a welcome read that got me out of my lurking reading slump. I managed to read this book from start to finish in just a few hours. I highly recommend Scars like wings to everyone.
This review was originally posted on Laurie's Bookshelf

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 November, 2019: Finished reading
  • 3 November, 2019: Reviewed