Reviews with content warning for Bullying - The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up by Evanna Lynch

9 reviews

holliejoy's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

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alexiasophii's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.75

"We’re afraid that if we show these ugly, unpalatable parts of ourselves, it will be too much for others; that nobody will love and accept us, and we’ll be left alone with only the worst parts of ourselves for company."

"And I decide, now, in this moment, that I want it; I want this body. I want to inhabit her, enjoy her, care for her, and defend her in this world. And I no longer want to be yet another voice telling her she’s disgusting or embarrassing or inadequate or too much. I want to be one of those arresting voices of love and compassion, to offer her a space where she can go to restore, to feel safe, to grow."

WOW.
This book is profound, gut-wrenching, and transformative. Evanna's warning at the beginning of the book is true, the book focused about 80 or 90% of it on the eating disorder aspects. It is very graphic what Evanna went through. A good part of the book, and that I enjoyed, is that Evanna does not mention weights or calories or any of those things. As she says, eating disorders feed on the "achievements" and on measuring against other people. Learning how much other people weigh, especially at the lowest point of their battle, is not empathic, it is competitive. And it is not helpful to anyone. I particularly enjoyed how Evanna explains her journey and shows that healing is not linear, but a series of battles and fights, up and downs, wins and losses.

This book is definitely not good for people who struggle with eating disorders, especially anorexia or bulimia. Be careful of Evanna's first Author's Note, she is being very sincere and direct in her warnings.

Overall, I loved this book. I truly did. And I think it sparked something transformative in me and I will come back to it several times in the future.

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puckeverlasting's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

This was an insightful and enjoyable listen. Evanna's voice is charming and a pleasure to listen to, and the narrative and language used flowed well. She didn't attempt to sugar coat nor did she sensationalize. This is a must read for anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder. Excellent overall, and a beautifully done memoir.

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