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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
I have never struggled with an eating disorder, nor do I know anyone with an eating disorder, but if I did, I can imagine them going through the exact same thought process that Lisa does. A powerful book.
Obviously a super quick read at only 177 pages BUT I thought this book was surprisingly good! I really enjoyed the combination of a real life issue (anorexia & other eating disorders) with some mythology (4 Horsemen of the apocalypse). It's such a short book and it could have gone deeper into the characters. However, there is another 3 books so that's kind of exciting.
Lisabeth Lewis does not have an easy go of it. Plagued by an inner demon known as the thin voice, Lisa is anorexic. Food occupies the vast majority of her thoughts. Everything she eats is thought of in terms of calories and how long she needs on the exercise bike to burn off any potential weight she might have gained. This obsession with food makes Lisa an excellent candidate for the position of Famine, one of the four horseman of the apocalypse and the main premise of Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
huh - this one was kind of insulting. it has a sort of Christmas Carol mechanism - Death comes and turns anorexic Lisabeth (the Ebenezer of the book) into Famine, which gives her the ability to ride across time/space to see all the things in the world that are bigger than her, all the hungers that are not self-imposed. cue recovery narrative. the end.
interesting idea. but.
also, Death is Kurt Cobain (as if young adults in 2010 know who Kurt Cobain is?).
interesting idea. but.
also, Death is Kurt Cobain (as if young adults in 2010 know who Kurt Cobain is?).
I read this not because of the fantasy (because I hate fantasy), but because of the eating disorders (not because I have ever had an eating disorder). I was intrigued by this mindset that is so... the opposite of mine. Like when I look in a mirror I don't think fat, like ever. I am more likely to think, "Niiiice!" and give myself a little jiggle (Hahaha, I actually just subconsciously did a little a jiggle and my boss laughed a little and asked, "What are you doing?" and I'm like, uh... dancing).
So thankfully this author writes eating disorders well. Economically. Without, well.. fat. None of that slightly irritating, "describe-things-all-flowery-to-make-it-poetical-and-be-more-writerly" crap. Instead she writes whole scenes to be evocative. She's written the conversation or the thoughts or the actions to be emotionally recognizable, instead of relying on cliches to cue your feelings. All the more impressive because I do not often experience anorexic feelings or starvation.
Unfortunately, I don't think such economical writing works well with fantasy (hey, that might be why I don't usually like fantasy!). I think people tend to want a little more lushness when they are introduced to a new universe. But hey! I wasn't reading for that. So. Good.
So thankfully this author writes eating disorders well. Economically. Without, well.. fat. None of that slightly irritating, "describe-things-all-flowery-to-make-it-poetical-and-be-more-writerly" crap. Instead she writes whole scenes to be evocative. She's written the conversation or the thoughts or the actions to be emotionally recognizable, instead of relying on cliches to cue your feelings. All the more impressive because I do not often experience anorexic feelings or starvation.
Unfortunately, I don't think such economical writing works well with fantasy (hey, that might be why I don't usually like fantasy!). I think people tend to want a little more lushness when they are introduced to a new universe. But hey! I wasn't reading for that. So. Good.
Death finds Lisa on the verge of committing suicide and offers her a deal: become Famine, a Horseman of the Apocalypse, and I'll let you live. She consents, but the next day thinks that it was all a dream. Her main concern is how fat she looks. Rather, how fat she THINKS she looks. She counts her calories, exercises at least two hours a day, does a daily fat check, and listens to the Thin Voice when she's tempted. But it's not enough and she will do anything to fill the emptiness inside her. When she does embrace her role as Famine, she finds she has a lot to learn.
Don't let this quick read deceive you; it packs quite the punch. Lisa's struggle with anorexia is painful and heartbreaking to watch, and the author's personal experience with eating disorders adds a level of authenticity and rawness. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the National Eating Disorders Association.
Don't let this quick read deceive you; it packs quite the punch. Lisa's struggle with anorexia is painful and heartbreaking to watch, and the author's personal experience with eating disorders adds a level of authenticity and rawness. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the National Eating Disorders Association.
Sorry Tiff, but I just could not get through this read. It just would not engage me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get into lisabeth's story. I could relate to her struggle with food, but the bizarre mix with famine put me off.
This book was dark, scary, and heart-wrenching, but I liked it. The mood of this book was one of my favorite parts, because it was raw and dealt with anorexia in an honest way. The moments with Death added a bit of lightness to an otherwise very heavy book. Though some parts were hard to read, I personally think everyone should read this book.
This floats somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me. I like the idea, but the execution was a bit iffy.