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margaretwaltemath09's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Vomit
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Suicide attempt
laverna's review
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts
clavishorti's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying takes us on Valerie Chu’s journey, a young woman navigating the twists and turns of adolescence. Amidst the usual teenage tapestry of love, friendship, and family complexities, Valerie bravely addresses the sensitive issue of eating disorders (ED).
Derived from Buddhism and Chinese religious traditions, the term “Hungry Ghost” vividly depicts entities stirred by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way. According to my findings on the internet, its Chinese translation, 餓鬼 (èguǐ), meaning hungry ghost, adds a layer of depth to this exploration, stemming from the Sanskrit term preta in Buddhism.
The synopsis promises a tantalizing glimpse into the realms of eating disorders, family dynamics, and the pursuit of self-love. Regrettably, my reading journey encountered deviations from these expectations.
The book’s weaknesses cast a shadow on the reading experience, with unresolved toxic elements taking center stage. Valerie’s fatphobic stance introduces a conflict left hanging, even after a seemingly concluded argument with a friend, lacking the necessary discourse on the underlying fatphobia.
The toxicity extends to Valerie’s relationship with her mother, revolving around societal notions of beauty and weight. Although Valerie acknowledges the toxicity, the lack of outright rejection leaves a lingering sense that these issues must be accepted without deeper introspection, such as discussing the underlying fatphobia. Ironically, her aunt’s explanation, meant to clarify, introduces confusion without solid support for Valerie’s feelings.
With numerous potential conflicts and intricacies, a meticulous touch on resolution and characterization could elevate the story’s depth. Aligning with the synopsis’ promises, readers hope for a more satisfying exploration of these complex themes.
Character journeys, including Valerie’s, seem disjointed, possibly due to the book’s attempt to delve into an array of themes within limited pages. This ambitious approach risks a lack of precision and sensitivity to the intricate issues presented.
Nevertheless, the visual art captivates with its elegant yet understated color palette. The cover’s beautiful and distinctive illustrations not only visually allure but also create positive anticipation for the unfolding narrative.
A commendable aspect surfaces as Valerie bravely opts for professional help. This positive stride adds a layer of depth to the narrative, emphasizing the importance of seeking assistance when needed.
In summary, Hungry Ghost offers a captivating glimpse into the complex realms of friendship, love, and family. However, its execution feels hurried, missing opportunities to fully realize its potential. A more nuanced exploration of conflicts, resolutions, and characterizations could transform the reading experience into a more satisfying and profound journey.
By delving further into characters’ emotional nuances and affording more narrative space, the book possesses the potential to forge a stronger connection with readers. A balanced exploration of the raised themes could deliver a more resonant and contemplative impact.
Derived from Buddhism and Chinese religious traditions, the term “Hungry Ghost” vividly depicts entities stirred by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way. According to my findings on the internet, its Chinese translation, 餓鬼 (èguǐ), meaning hungry ghost, adds a layer of depth to this exploration, stemming from the Sanskrit term preta in Buddhism.
The synopsis promises a tantalizing glimpse into the realms of eating disorders, family dynamics, and the pursuit of self-love. Regrettably, my reading journey encountered deviations from these expectations.
The toxicity extends to Valerie’s relationship with her mother, revolving around societal notions of beauty and weight. Although Valerie acknowledges the toxicity, the lack of outright rejection leaves a lingering sense that these issues must be accepted without deeper introspection, such as discussing the underlying fatphobia. Ironically, her aunt’s explanation, meant to clarify, introduces confusion without solid support for Valerie’s feelings.
With numerous potential conflicts and intricacies, a meticulous touch on resolution and characterization could elevate the story’s depth. Aligning with the synopsis’ promises, readers hope for a more satisfying exploration of these complex themes.
Character journeys, including Valerie’s, seem disjointed, possibly due to the book’s attempt to delve into an array of themes within limited pages. This ambitious approach risks a lack of precision and sensitivity to the intricate issues presented.
Nevertheless, the visual art captivates with its elegant yet understated color palette. The cover’s beautiful and distinctive illustrations not only visually allure but also create positive anticipation for the unfolding narrative.
In summary, Hungry Ghost offers a captivating glimpse into the complex realms of friendship, love, and family. However, its execution feels hurried, missing opportunities to fully realize its potential. A more nuanced exploration of conflicts, resolutions, and characterizations could transform the reading experience into a more satisfying and profound journey.
By delving further into characters’ emotional nuances and affording more narrative space, the book possesses the potential to forge a stronger connection with readers. A balanced exploration of the raised themes could deliver a more resonant and contemplative impact.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Vomit
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
5.0
This was such an important story. It follows a girl struggling with an eating disorder and dealing with generational trauma and body shaming, it shows the emotions she goes through during the eating disorder and other issues she faces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying
boogiebeez's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.0
the theme of this book , disordered eating, is so important. I've suffered with body dysnorphia for a good part of my life and the struggles of it were depicted amazingly through Val's character. I think purging as an eating disorder is less talked about in books in comparison to anorexia, so its cool that this book did. the cover art is ethereal, and so is the rest of the art in this graphic novel. I liked the characters and the plot was cute, i just feel like it was a pretty predictable read , with the writing being very sparse and "basic" for lack of a better term. however Val's relationship with her mom made me cry, books touching on immigrant family relationships will never cease to make me bawl 😀
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Eating disorder
Minor: Bullying
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent
Dead animal, stereotypes,