Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

5 reviews

kassidyreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jesticulate's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book was really frustrating for me. On the one hand, it was a fun adventure story with a clever, brave female protagonist. On the other hand, it was the most fatphobic book I’ve ever read. 

The edition I read had two passages added at the end the from the author talking about her relationship with weight and it’s presence in the book. Both I think we’re added post publication and do not repair the harm of the prior 400 pages fat-shaming. 

The book opens with the protagonist describing herself as a pig and a stuffed sausage. Not a chapter in the first half passed without bad self-talk regarding her weight. Worse than that though, half way through the book she starts to get more confident, useful, and powerful. This of course corresponds with her getting thinner - regardless of the authors statements, this book ties the her moral character and worthiness directly to her weight in every chapter. When other people (later, When she’s skinny) say she would be pretty if she got fat again, this is considered ‘kindness’. 

I read the whole book partially because I like a fun adventure, partially because I was outraged, and partially because I wanted to leave a fully informed review. 

If you have a history of disordered eating, trauma around food, or just are sick of this bullshit - please don’t read this book. It’s not worth it. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

hazelsnoot's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cleo_wylde's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

less of a plot spoiler and more a general one: the main character is a fat woman and she experiences a lot of internalised fatphobia as well as fatphobia and weight stigma from others. She often "comfort eats" or binges and this is seen as a bad/lazy/gross thing. Her weight loss (which is in part due to food scarcity) is celebrated. I found it really frustrating, tbh. Why not just have a fat character??? </Spoiler>

A heads up that this is a pretty religious book (fictional religion) and there are lots of religious themes, praying, missions from God, etc. If that's something that bothers you or that you don't like, you may want to skip this one.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lizziaha's review against another edition

Go to review page

  • Strong character development? Yes

3.5

I loved this book as a teenager and if anything, that nostalgia is pulling my rating up. Unfortunately the way that race and weight were handled in this were not to my liking at all and are problematic. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...