Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.41 AVERAGE
4.41 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
The art style didn't resonate with me but it was a great story
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Suicide attempt
Wow. I couldn't have loved this any more than I did. It was truly flawless and not only one of my favorite graphic novels now, but one of my favorite books of all time. Lighter Than My Shadow is written and illustrated by Katie Green, and it is her own story of her growing up. She's suffered from eating disorders her whole life, starting with not eating much at all during the beginning of her life, and then once she starts getting older, she suffers from binge eating. This book is so real. It taught me so much about eating disorders and how it's truly a mental disorder. It was heartbreaking to see Katie want to get better, but like drug addicts, she was like physically unable to. She couldn't get herself to eat, or she couldn't get herself to stop eating (depending on what phase of her life she was in).
Katie lets us in on her entire life and struggles she dealt with. We see how the events in her life really played a role in her eating disorders. We learn that no matter how much your parents love you (or how much you love your parents), sometimes that love is still SOMEHOW not enough to make the changes we want to in our lives. I loved this so much and will forever think about it and recommend it to anyone. Such a phenomenal piece of literature, and I love how she used the same color scheme for all of her pictures. Just beautiful in all ways.
Katie lets us in on her entire life and struggles she dealt with. We see how the events in her life really played a role in her eating disorders. We learn that no matter how much your parents love you (or how much you love your parents), sometimes that love is still SOMEHOW not enough to make the changes we want to in our lives. I loved this so much and will forever think about it and recommend it to anyone. Such a phenomenal piece of literature, and I love how she used the same color scheme for all of her pictures. Just beautiful in all ways.
1 million/5 stars. katie green is so amazing, creative, and inspirational and deserves the world for everything she has had to go through. i love the format of this book and how much thought and work were put into the illustrations. one interesting part that i loved was how katie’s anxiety was represented as the black lines above her head. i just thought that was really cool. this book was so unique in the fact that everything was so real and powerful. it was so raw and impactful for me. one thing i really appreciated was that this book did not glamorize this illness, like some other books i have read (side eye). that is so incredibly frustrating for me and happens wayyy too often with anorexia especially. it is a terrible illness and should never be glamorized!!
i could say so much more but overall, i think this book was absolutely amazing and would recommend it to everyone i know. there are many trigger warnings though so please check before you read!!
i could say so much more but overall, i think this book was absolutely amazing and would recommend it to everyone i know. there are many trigger warnings though so please check before you read!!
I just work hard because I always have, that's what everyone expects. If I do well, I just feel acceptable, not proud. Never proud.
I remember struggling a great deal with anorexia nervosa in high school. I would have a Diet Coke Plus, a zero calorie cola infused with a few vitamins, for lunch everyday, thinking it was an adequate meal if I was to meet my goal of keeping under 100 pounds. Everyone thought it was just a quirk, and so did I. At one point, my parents were worried and took me to a doctor, who attributed my weight loss to "just being sporty" (although I had never played a sport in my life, unless you count riding a stationary bike until its screen had indicated I burned off the 700 calories I allowed myself for the day).
I am so glad that those struggles are behind me, although the ideologies behind them still creep up on me every now and again. This existence is nightmarish, and Lighter Than My Shadow represents it so thoroughly that it is haunting. While obviously triggering, this book made me feel heard, seen, and validated.
I remember struggling a great deal with anorexia nervosa in high school. I would have a Diet Coke Plus, a zero calorie cola infused with a few vitamins, for lunch everyday, thinking it was an adequate meal if I was to meet my goal of keeping under 100 pounds. Everyone thought it was just a quirk, and so did I. At one point, my parents were worried and took me to a doctor, who attributed my weight loss to "just being sporty" (although I had never played a sport in my life, unless you count riding a stationary bike until its screen had indicated I burned off the 700 calories I allowed myself for the day).
I am so glad that those struggles are behind me, although the ideologies behind them still creep up on me every now and again. This existence is nightmarish, and Lighter Than My Shadow represents it so thoroughly that it is haunting. While obviously triggering, this book made me feel heard, seen, and validated.
closer to a 3.5. this did a good job authentically capturing the exhausting mental loops of trauma and self-loathing with the relentless back-and-forth between recovery and relapse that defines poor self-image. the graphic memoir format works well for showing internal dialogue and body dysmorphia visually and while it doesn't break entirely new ground in eating disorder narratives, i think it earns its place through honest, nuanced portrayal of mental health's daily grind and really shows what non-linear progress looks like.
Absolutely stunning graphic novel. A raw and honest memoir about a young adults experience with an eating disorder, sexual abuse, and mental health issues. The artwork is amazing and the voice is so strong for a graphic novel. I love graphic novels and I really really love this one. Wow.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
LIBRARY BOOK
Its almost impossible to write a review without tearing up. This book is so important to the author and to me as a sufferer. I loved the pictures, i loved how vulnerable and honest the author was with her struggles.
Eating disorders for most people are a cycle of control and a loss of it and it felt so raw to see someone with the exact same symptoms heal then suffer then heal.
This might be the first eating disorder book i read that gave me hope that recovery is possible and that one day i will return to myself.
Its almost impossible to write a review without tearing up. This book is so important to the author and to me as a sufferer. I loved the pictures, i loved how vulnerable and honest the author was with her struggles.
Eating disorders for most people are a cycle of control and a loss of it and it felt so raw to see someone with the exact same symptoms heal then suffer then heal.
This might be the first eating disorder book i read that gave me hope that recovery is possible and that one day i will return to myself.