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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This book is a heart wrenching powerful novel of love - self love, sisterly love, queer love, abusive love. Beautifully written, I could not put this text down.
painful, honest, and gorgeously written. couldn't put it down. grateful for Roxane Gay's rec!
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Even if you’ve experienced mental illness yourself, it can be hard to understand and empathize with someone else’s. We see people who are depressed and wonder why they can’t just snap out of it. We see people who are in abusive relationships and are flabbergasted that they can’t walk away. And when someone self-harms or refuses to eat for so long that they run the risk of dying, our response is to shout at them and shove food at them. We expect people to fix themselves. Diana Clarke’s devastating novel, Thin Girls, takes us deep into the world of disordered eating with Rose Winters. Thin Girls is thankfully a book about healing, ultimately, but Rose’s journey back to corporeality and health is brutally real...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic friendship
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion
Thank you to Harper Books and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.
Please consider reaching out to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) or a trusted friend, family member, or loved one if you need help with eating disorders. Support is out there. For those in the U.S., NEDA has a confidential helpline (800-931-2237) and chat (go to https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/). They also have educational resources (including for those worried about someone else) and an eating disorders screening tool.
Thin Girls seemed like it'd be right up my alley, and parts of this book certainly resonated with me. Namely, the undercurrent of ways in which our culture can encourage unhealthy dieting, skewed ideas of "wellness," a poor relationship with food, and negative body image. And then, in turn, how individuals can facilitate these things in others. It's truly a nasty cycle, and that was portrayed in this book.
I hesitate to recommend Thin Girls, though, given how potentially triggering it may be. It's not just the subject matter. (I didn't feel the same way about the Girls at 17 Swann St.) But the details on how to starve oneself (and "get away" with an eating disorder), as well as the reasons why one might do that... Sometimes it felt like this book veered into How To territory. (My relationships with food, exercise, and my body are three I've been working on for some time, but I think I can say with confidence that this would have been a harmful book for me to have read 10 years ago, maybe even five.)
If you think you are up for the subject matter, you might like the way in which the author places you in Rose's world, and discusses these very real issues. But please do take care of yourself and be mindful as to whether reading this book is harmful to you.
Content warnings: Anorexia, binging, purging, pica, reference to orthorexia and excessive exercising, extreme dieting, self harm, death from eating disorder, homophobia, domestic abuse, cheating, sexual assault, alcohol abuse
Please consider reaching out to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) or a trusted friend, family member, or loved one if you need help with eating disorders. Support is out there. For those in the U.S., NEDA has a confidential helpline (800-931-2237) and chat (go to https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/). They also have educational resources (including for those worried about someone else) and an eating disorders screening tool.
Thin Girls seemed like it'd be right up my alley, and parts of this book certainly resonated with me. Namely, the undercurrent of ways in which our culture can encourage unhealthy dieting, skewed ideas of "wellness," a poor relationship with food, and negative body image. And then, in turn, how individuals can facilitate these things in others. It's truly a nasty cycle, and that was portrayed in this book.
I hesitate to recommend Thin Girls, though, given how potentially triggering it may be. It's not just the subject matter. (I didn't feel the same way about the Girls at 17 Swann St.) But the details on how to starve oneself (and "get away" with an eating disorder), as well as the reasons why one might do that... Sometimes it felt like this book veered into How To territory. (My relationships with food, exercise, and my body are three I've been working on for some time, but I think I can say with confidence that this would have been a harmful book for me to have read 10 years ago, maybe even five.)
If you think you are up for the subject matter, you might like the way in which the author places you in Rose's world, and discusses these very real issues. But please do take care of yourself and be mindful as to whether reading this book is harmful to you.
Content warnings: Anorexia, binging, purging, pica, reference to orthorexia and excessive exercising, extreme dieting, self harm, death from eating disorder, homophobia, domestic abuse, cheating, sexual assault, alcohol abuse
It was a fantastically written book but it was a bit overwhelming for me personally...
this was...a lot. the story was so well-written, and the characters felt so real. i did feel that the ending was a little rushed, though, and i wish we had maybe gotten more of lily's perspective throughout the entire thing. but yeah, definitely would recommend (with caution of course because this subject matter could definitely be triggering for some individuals)
Halfway through this audiobook, I purchased the hard cover copy because I knew I’d want to read it again and again.
3/4 through the book I purchased a copy for my mom because I knew she’d have to read it. We’ve always shared our favorite books with each other.
Just finished it, and I’m so moved. I haven’t read a book like this in so long that hit me in my core. The characters felt so real to me. The struggle with ED and coping with the confusion that comes with being queer.. this helped me draw so many connections I never thought to before. I fell in love with the characters and so appreciated that one was bisexual. I feel that bisexuality is not represented in literature at all, and it was so authentic and beautiful in this book.
I love this story and I truly recommend it to anyone. It’s dark, moving, meaningful, and captivating. It inspired me in so many ways.
3/4 through the book I purchased a copy for my mom because I knew she’d have to read it. We’ve always shared our favorite books with each other.
Just finished it, and I’m so moved. I haven’t read a book like this in so long that hit me in my core. The characters felt so real to me. The struggle with ED and coping with the confusion that comes with being queer.. this helped me draw so many connections I never thought to before. I fell in love with the characters and so appreciated that one was bisexual. I feel that bisexuality is not represented in literature at all, and it was so authentic and beautiful in this book.
I love this story and I truly recommend it to anyone. It’s dark, moving, meaningful, and captivating. It inspired me in so many ways.