Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

52 reviews

yleavy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Some sweet moments, and I can see why people like this book. The characters all have moments of charm in that “uni student who thinks they are quirky” sort of way. The dialogue felt like it was coming from an afterschool special, with the characters using therapy words or helping each other reach a profound revelation in every conversation. Without the tense changes, the characters’ POVs would be difficult to tell apart, and the analogies were often more distracting than fitting. Examples include “our tongues shook hands” and “my heart grows thicker”. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Vomit, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

charlizzzard_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

One of the best books I've ever read. It was so achingly honest and sad. A must-read, by all accounts! Thank you to the lady in Waterstones who recommended it to me!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Transphobia

imlfox's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Deadnaming

junoversum's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

I really wanted to love this novel. Representation of the vulnerable process of discovering one's transness and especially representation concerning the complex emotions around transition and its effect on various relationships are so rare and I was very excited for the premise of this story. The main characters felt very real in their struggles and imperfections and a lot of thoughts and metaphors regarding relationships, care and vulnerability hit close to home. I highlighted multiple passages that felt meaningful and worth remembering. 

However, I felt increasingly sad to discover throughout the story that Ming never experiences any kind of trans community and support (outside of the literal support group which I would argue does not really count). She is shown to be very isolated throughout discovering her transness, even when she moves to New York and gets a new start of building a life and friendships. Her most touching relationship (to me) was her relationship with Cindy. Sometimes to be shown and to believe that you are cared for is so unexpected and so simple. I wish Ming would have gotten more space to be vulnerable, to be uncertain, to be seen and understood. 

I liked a lot that the novel includes perspectives from both Ming and Tom, although I have to admit that I did not care much about Tom's perspective. I found him quite boring and struggled to remember why he was supposed to be a loveable character (?), but I liked the portrayal of his relationship with Rob, the physical closeness and tenderness they shared. But I hate that he was never held accountable for his transphobic behaviour in his relationship with Ming. Overall, I could not shake the feeling that Tom's perspective and Ming's isolation were both part of an attempt to make (her) transness palatable for cis people. 

Additionally, I am very irritated at this novel's approach to eating disorder and body issues. To me it felt like they were thrown into the mix of topics quite carelessly. The explicit descriptions of Cass's eating disorder were used mainly to highlight issues in her relationship with Rob and her dysfunctional dynamic with Ming. This is a very dangerous and shallow approach to how eating disorders work. Ming's (partly dysphoric) body issues and corresponding eating disorder were also mentioned only once. At no point was anyone showing deeper concern than a slight worry (and in Tom's case: disgust) and it was never mentioned that people with eating disorders can and should accept help in dealing with them, rather than waiting for them to diminish or disappear. This is especially irritating to me as food, the enjyoment of cooking and eating were extensively described throughout the book, which seems contradictory.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Eating disorder, and Transphobia

Moderate: Death

e11en's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Drug use, Mental illness, Transphobia, Grief, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Eating disorder, Car accident, and Death of parent

junglejelly's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I wish I hadn't read Bellies so fast but I couldn't put it down. Everything about it is just phenomenal. Easily one of my favourite books that I have read in a long time.

While incredibly sad and hard to read at times, the writing is so captivating and the characters you come to care for so easily.

A book that will be hard to forget but easy to love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, and Transphobia

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Medical content

bebobel's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Eating disorder

Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

bookishmillennial's review

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This was such a tender read that follows Ming and Tom’s relationship (romantic, platonic, and non-speaking terms) over the years. We read how two people continue to yearn for and ruminate on the past, and feel so isolated to their present lives.

There’s a “is this fucking play about us?”moment, and though these characters work through seething anger, betrayal, and heartache, it’s ultimately about the gratitude, melancholy, simmering pain, and reverence we hold for past connections. 

If you enjoyed Normal People by Sally Rooney and Ariana Grande’s eternal sunshine (read: i wish i hated you, bye, & we can’t be friends), this is your book! (Also, this review doesn't do this book justice & I may try to come back & write a more detailed review .... one day!)

Thank you to my friend @maddysbookopinions for speaking so highly of this book & moving it up on my TBR!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

zemily83's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Eating disorder, Infidelity, and Pandemic/Epidemic

anaheeta's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This felt like reading a memoir, I mean that in the sense that all characters and events and feelings were so fleshed out that it felt like I was reading about the people through their own minds. It was emotional and heartbreaking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Mental illness, Transphobia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Infidelity, Dementia, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic