You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I thought that the symbolism within the drawings was well done. It was interesting to see how the author was able to include the Katie's issue by drawing scribbles of varying degrees. I also thought that the use of pages looking like they were ripped wherein she showed herself in the present talking about the past were creative and interesting. I believe that these drawing will help people to be able to understand eating disorders in a very abstract way.
It is a difficult novel to read because it is one thing to read something that deals with a character with an eating disorder and another to see the drawings of a character going through it. There are times when the drawings show her emaciated body and there is some nudity as well. It is important to be aware of your own triggers before beginning to read this graphic novel because it is not a light read at all. I'm not sure that I completely understood the progression the story. It seemed to jump around at times and I had to reorient myself to where the author went. Overall, it had a fairly good flow to it and the author leaves the ending open.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2017/10/lighter-than-my-shadow-by-katie-green.html
I thought that the symbolism within the drawings was well done. It was interesting to see how the author was able to include the Katie's issue by drawing scribbles of varying degrees. I also thought that the use of pages looking like they were ripped wherein she showed herself in the present talking about the past were creative and interesting. I believe that these drawing will help people to be able to understand eating disorders in a very abstract way.
It is a difficult novel to read because it is one thing to read something that deals with a character with an eating disorder and another to see the drawings of a character going through it. There are times when the drawings show her emaciated body and there is some nudity as well. It is important to be aware of your own triggers before beginning to read this graphic novel because it is not a light read at all. I'm not sure that I completely understood the progression the story. It seemed to jump around at times and I had to reorient myself to where the author went. Overall, it had a fairly good flow to it and the author leaves the ending open.
https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/2017/10/lighter-than-my-shadow-by-katie-green.html
This book stood out to me in bookstore, because of its simple but powerful illustrations. It’s a hefty read at over 500 pages and very heavy both in weight and in subject matter! Lighter Than My Shadow is a work of non fiction about Katie Green’s struggles with eating disorders. I was so impressed with how much empathy I felt throughout reading this memoir. I didn’t expect to be so moved by it.
I thought the illustrations were absolutely beautiful. They’re simple, yet so intense. I loved the dark cloud that followed Katie, changing in size depending on how she was feeling at that moment in time. The representation of Katie’s body guilt was incredibly powerful and incredibly disturbing at the same time.
As I mentioned, I was moved by this story. I found Katie’s struggle with her body image so hard to read about. The illustrations really added to the story and how badly Katie was feeling. I understood how she felt, and some of her feelings of low self worth really resonated with me as well. She has a way with words and with art, clearly.
I really didn’t expect Lighter Than My Shadow to be about other struggles Katie has had, but it is and it delves quite deeply into tough subject matter. It’s done so well though. I really felt empathy for Katie and amazed at her strength. I’m so pleased that she represented her struggles in this way.
As for eating disorder trigger warnings, there isn’t any information about weight. We never know how much Katie weighed at her lowest. We don’t know any clothes sizes. The reader just learns about how Katie and her family’s life was absolutely turned upside down by her eating disorder.
I thought the illustrations were absolutely beautiful. They’re simple, yet so intense. I loved the dark cloud that followed Katie, changing in size depending on how she was feeling at that moment in time. The representation of Katie’s body guilt was incredibly powerful and incredibly disturbing at the same time.
As I mentioned, I was moved by this story. I found Katie’s struggle with her body image so hard to read about. The illustrations really added to the story and how badly Katie was feeling. I understood how she felt, and some of her feelings of low self worth really resonated with me as well. She has a way with words and with art, clearly.
I really didn’t expect Lighter Than My Shadow to be about other struggles Katie has had, but it is and it delves quite deeply into tough subject matter. It’s done so well though. I really felt empathy for Katie and amazed at her strength. I’m so pleased that she represented her struggles in this way.
As for eating disorder trigger warnings, there isn’t any information about weight. We never know how much Katie weighed at her lowest. We don’t know any clothes sizes. The reader just learns about how Katie and her family’s life was absolutely turned upside down by her eating disorder.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Right before I read this, I came across an interview with Green on the BBC; one of the things she said was that, at one point during her eating disorder, she tried drawing it for her parents to help them understand what it was like to be in her head. And I think she's done a wonderful job of that here -- she writes with a lot of perspective, showing both how her thoughts were impacting her life and what that looked like from the outside.
I'm always cautious with graphic novels and memoirs; art style makes such a big difference in my experience as a reader. Green's art is clean but detailed; it works. Really lovely piece of memoir.
As an aside: The book isn't available in my library system, so I asked my mother to check it out for me at her library, along with several other books, before I arrived for a long weekend. She did -- and commented later that she'd anticipated (accurately) that this would be the first one I read; it just has the feel of something that will pull you in.
I'm always cautious with graphic novels and memoirs; art style makes such a big difference in my experience as a reader. Green's art is clean but detailed; it works. Really lovely piece of memoir.
As an aside: The book isn't available in my library system, so I asked my mother to check it out for me at her library, along with several other books, before I arrived for a long weekend. She did -- and commented later that she'd anticipated (accurately) that this would be the first one I read; it just has the feel of something that will pull you in.
Just......read it. It’s hard, it’s heart breaking, it’s intensely human. And brave.
Such a wonderful, important read. Mental illness and eating disorders are portrayed so honestly throughout the story. The pictures were beautiful and only added to the story!
Beautifully told and illustrated. Some very intense moments, so I'd definitely put a trigger warning for eating disorders and abuse on here. The entire was made more impactful for me by the constant grey of the pages, changing only slightly in colored undertones.
Powerful graphic novel. Personal journey through an eating disorder and recovery.
Some mature images wouldn’t work in a high school library/classroom.
Some mature images wouldn’t work in a high school library/classroom.
