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Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee
34 reviews
danimcthomas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Physical abuse
The whole of this book discusses severe mental health issues. Avoid if that’s a trigger for you.courtofsmutandstuff's review against another edition
3.5
Not exactly what I first expected but I still liked it. The majority of the book are transcripts of her conversations with her therapist, and I do love hearing therapist advice as well as people explore why they are the way they are. It's not the best therapy based book I've read, but it's a solid choice, especially with its length.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder and Body shaming
gossameralbum's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
Minor: Toxic friendship
marcelaibarra's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder
chireadsandchill's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Suicide, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
yuzu_149's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I think this book falls under the category of "I like it" because I resonate with the author's struggles, but I also get why some people may not enjoy it, because it's just such a raw, candid sharing of her personal experiences. The book is a collection of transcribed recordings between the author and her therapist, with an epilogue at the back where the author and the therapist shares their final thoughts.
The writing is not always polished, and the thoughts expressed sometimes sound convoluted and contradictory. But then isn't that what makes us all human? When we get anxious, stressed or just don't feel well, that's how our thoughts are - when I journal, I also feel like I'm trying to find clarity through a huge fog of jumbled up feelings and emotions.
It felt comforting to read her struggles because I also struggled with similar things. And I found myself highlighting a lot throughout the book - it can be a relief to read and find the words that describe what I've felt a lot of the times. The state where you feel anxious, down and stressed out on a lot of days - and yet, it isn't exactly serious enough to take drastic action.
A paragraph from the epilogue fo the book (written by the author's therapist) sums it all up very well, "This is a record of a very ordinary, incomplete person who meets another very ordinary, incomplete person, the latter of whom happens to be a therapist. The therapist makes some mistakes and has a bit of room for improvement, but life has always been like that, which means everyone’s life – our readers included – has the potential to become better. To our readers, who are perhaps down and out from having experienced much devastation or are living day-to-day in barely contained anxiety: I hope you will listen to a certain overlooked and different voice within you. Because the human heart, even when it wants to die, quite often wants at the same time to eat some tteokbokki, too."
The writing is not always polished, and the thoughts expressed sometimes sound convoluted and contradictory. But then isn't that what makes us all human? When we get anxious, stressed or just don't feel well, that's how our thoughts are - when I journal, I also feel like I'm trying to find clarity through a huge fog of jumbled up feelings and emotions.
It felt comforting to read her struggles because I also struggled with similar things. And I found myself highlighting a lot throughout the book - it can be a relief to read and find the words that describe what I've felt a lot of the times. The state where you feel anxious, down and stressed out on a lot of days - and yet, it isn't exactly serious enough to take drastic action.
A paragraph from the epilogue fo the book (written by the author's therapist) sums it all up very well, "This is a record of a very ordinary, incomplete person who meets another very ordinary, incomplete person, the latter of whom happens to be a therapist. The therapist makes some mistakes and has a bit of room for improvement, but life has always been like that, which means everyone’s life – our readers included – has the potential to become better. To our readers, who are perhaps down and out from having experienced much devastation or are living day-to-day in barely contained anxiety: I hope you will listen to a certain overlooked and different voice within you. Because the human heart, even when it wants to die, quite often wants at the same time to eat some tteokbokki, too."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Bullying, and Eating disorder
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I went into this book blind and absolutely loved it! I very rarely read a book the same day I buy it, but I couldn’t wait to read this one. The author was vulnerable in sharing her experiences with mental illness (particularly depression and anxiety).
I felt so seen and understood while reading this! I plan to come back to this book often as a new comfort read, and it’s definitely a favorite for July!
I felt so seen and understood while reading this! I plan to come back to this book often as a new comfort read, and it’s definitely a favorite for July!
I see many saying that the psychiatrist was awful or the narrator is unlikeable which is disappointing. The psychiatrist wasn’t always great but 1) we are human and make mistakes 2) they acknowledge that they could’ve done better in their note at the end 3) it could be cultural differences. If you didn’t like the narrator, I think you missed the entire point of the book. Remember this is a real person sharing their mental illness struggles, which isn’t always pretty. And sadly those reviews reminded me why mental illness is still so stigmatized and why I still don’t confide in people about my own issues. The author may not see your reviews talking about how much you “couldn’t stand her whining,” but all the people in your life with mental illness will.
This is an important book for many and I’ll be recommending it often
This is an important book for many and I’ll be recommending it often
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Mental illness, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Fatphobia and Emotional abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse
nitroglycerin's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
I wanted so much more from this book, but it was just so flat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Eating disorder
watermelonquokka's review against another edition
sad
tense
medium-paced
1.25
For what it's worth, it's a rare thing for a Korean person to talk, let alone publish a book about mental health problems.
But i still can't help but be disappointed. It may be my experience with excellent therapists that just make it difficult to read what the psychiatrist says.
But even then I feel like this is not the way to go about starting the conversation about mental health and depression. It just leaves way too many things uncommented which I find problematic. Sure, it is autobiographical, the author is still in the process of figuring their mental health out. But especially then I find it irresponsible to simply put it out into the world like that. Just as a transcript of therapy sessions.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I can't help but feel the need to share. This really wasn't it.
But i still can't help but be disappointed. It may be my experience with excellent therapists that just make it difficult to read what the psychiatrist says.
But even then I feel like this is not the way to go about starting the conversation about mental health and depression. It just leaves way too many things uncommented which I find problematic. Sure, it is autobiographical, the author is still in the process of figuring their mental health out. But especially then I find it irresponsible to simply put it out into the world like that. Just as a transcript of therapy sessions.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I can't help but feel the need to share. This really wasn't it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Eating disorder
nica_chan's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts