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c100's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Vomit, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
geekwayne's review
4.0
'Lighter Than My Shadow' by Katie Green is a graphic memoir that is over 500 pages long. The story it tells is sad and the pacing is slow and deliberate.
When Katie was little, she was a picky eater. This isn't unusual for children, but in Katie's case, events in her life led this into eating disorders. Initially at home, it was anorexia. Later it became binge eating. In the midst of getting help for her disorders, she abused by someone she trusted for therapy.
Throughout the story, the disease, or Katie's thought life, show above her as dark scribbled lines. A few times, there are words in these clouds. They get larger and smaller depending on how Katie is feeling about herself. She also becomes wispier and less distinct as she feels like she is less of a person. I liked this persona of the character. There are also times when the character seems to be tumbling or floating.
It's a very long story, and there are pages where not a lot happens, but this deliberate pacing works for this story. I appreciated Katie's story and honesty and I wish her the best.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
When Katie was little, she was a picky eater. This isn't unusual for children, but in Katie's case, events in her life led this into eating disorders. Initially at home, it was anorexia. Later it became binge eating. In the midst of getting help for her disorders, she abused by someone she trusted for therapy.
Throughout the story, the disease, or Katie's thought life, show above her as dark scribbled lines. A few times, there are words in these clouds. They get larger and smaller depending on how Katie is feeling about herself. She also becomes wispier and less distinct as she feels like she is less of a person. I liked this persona of the character. There are also times when the character seems to be tumbling or floating.
It's a very long story, and there are pages where not a lot happens, but this deliberate pacing works for this story. I appreciated Katie's story and honesty and I wish her the best.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
philippakmoore's review
5.0
This long-awaited graphic memoir from illustrator Katie Green was one of the highlights of my reading year. The emotional effort it must have taken to draw her harrowing story must have been enormous. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is glad she did.
Lighter Than My Shadow is Katie’s story of her struggle with and recovery from anorexia nervosa, with the added trauma of sexual abuse during her recovery. Both taboo subjects, Katie never shies away from the struggles she endured and the story is told beautifully through her charming illustrations. It’s hard to read though, particularly if you’ve been through something even remotely similar. The early part of the book was particularly resonant for me, transporting me back to my teenage years where I was paranoid about putting on weight, hid food in my room and habitually starved myself as punishment for not “fitting in”. Katie’s journey, however, takes a far more sinister turn than mine did. The illustrations are so evocative, capturing the mind of a young girl who is aware her life is spinning out of control and her desperate attempts to control it, battling the “black cloud” that hangs over her in almost every picture.
Not an easy read by any stretch, and you might want some alone time afterwards to digest it. But it is so, so important that stories like this are told not only to expose the dark hearts of these taboo subjects but to give hope of recovery to anyone currently struggling.
While there are a lot of shadows in Lighter Than My Shadow, there is light too. It’s such a brave, emotionally honest and beautifully realised book and deserves a very wide audience.
Lighter Than My Shadow is Katie’s story of her struggle with and recovery from anorexia nervosa, with the added trauma of sexual abuse during her recovery. Both taboo subjects, Katie never shies away from the struggles she endured and the story is told beautifully through her charming illustrations. It’s hard to read though, particularly if you’ve been through something even remotely similar. The early part of the book was particularly resonant for me, transporting me back to my teenage years where I was paranoid about putting on weight, hid food in my room and habitually starved myself as punishment for not “fitting in”. Katie’s journey, however, takes a far more sinister turn than mine did. The illustrations are so evocative, capturing the mind of a young girl who is aware her life is spinning out of control and her desperate attempts to control it, battling the “black cloud” that hangs over her in almost every picture.
Not an easy read by any stretch, and you might want some alone time afterwards to digest it. But it is so, so important that stories like this are told not only to expose the dark hearts of these taboo subjects but to give hope of recovery to anyone currently struggling.
While there are a lot of shadows in Lighter Than My Shadow, there is light too. It’s such a brave, emotionally honest and beautifully realised book and deserves a very wide audience.
pacifickat's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Powerful, dark, and at times hopeful. This book is a raw and accurate first person account of living with an eating disorder, a complex mental health issue few can really understand unless they've been there, too.
The overbearing and inescapable shadow of black squiggles swirling above and around the main character provided an excellent visual for the seemingly unshakable and ever-present prison of unhealthy and obsessive thoughts that can tumble and cycle around in a person's mind.
While this graphic novel looks dauntingly hefty, this actually helps the reader understand to some extent how long the struggle for recovery can take. I am amazed at the detail the author was able to remember and convey regarding the specific iterations of her struggles with her disorder over the years, from annorexia, to exercise bulemia, to cycles of binging and restricting. It's remarkable how well she recalls her own feelings and thought processes along the way, especially during her tween and teen years.
This is a book full of triggers and is worthy of a giant warning label for anyone trying to avoid topics such as descriptions of specific eating disorder behaviors, bullying, sexual assault, self harm, and suicidal ideation. It gives very honest and graphic first-person depictions. Proceed with caution and take breaks as necessary.
The overbearing and inescapable shadow of black squiggles swirling above and around the main character provided an excellent visual for the seemingly unshakable and ever-present prison of unhealthy and obsessive thoughts that can tumble and cycle around in a person's mind.
While this graphic novel looks dauntingly hefty, this actually helps the reader understand to some extent how long the struggle for recovery can take. I am amazed at the detail the author was able to remember and convey regarding the specific iterations of her struggles with her disorder over the years,
This is a book full of triggers and is worthy of a giant warning label for anyone trying to avoid topics such as
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual content and Forced institutionalization
hayleybeale's review
5.0
Using deceptively simple drawings and a shades of gray palette, British illustrator Green relives her battle with eating disorders from a young age through to her young womanhood in this moving memoir. See my full review here.