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Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'
The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up by Evanna Lynch
39 reviews
samsweebooknook's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
"Too often in life - and in stories - we rush to find the happy ending, even if that ending is an artifice".
*Please check all trigger warnings for this book including but not limited to eating disorders, self hate, self harm, body dysmorphia, suicidal thoughts.*
I feel I need to preface this by saying I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has not suffered with any form of disordered eating before. Whilst I do feel the book is written in the most sensitive way possible (Evanna specifically doesn't mention calorie amounts, numbers on the scales, share photos etc for fear it may glamorise or be too triggering to those who are in the grips of/ are in recovery from an eating disorder), I would imagine that many parts could be extremely triggering. Evanna herself says at the start she wouldn't recommend reading unless you are in the right mindset for it.
This book was eye opening for me - showing the reality behind anorexia. The mental anguish, the impact on families, the lack of support and adequate treatment. It's an intense, honest and, in parts, very dark read, showing the real lows of the eating disorder but doing so without glamorising it. I found it eye-opening and terrifying, especially now I'm a mother myself. To think she fell into the depths of an eating disorder when she was just 11 years old really shocked me, and made me think about the society we live in, the expectations we have on our bodies and how I think, talk & act about my own body image, particularly in front of my son.
Of course she couldn't write a memoir without mentioning the part of her life that shot her to fame - her time as Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter. This is only a very small part of her story though, just enough to satisfy people's curiosity about the HP world and providing her the opportunity to dispel myths that surrounded her casting.
It's certainly a raw and difficult read but Evanna sticks to the promise she makes at the start "I promise, however dark it gets at points, not to leave you in that place". An inspiring and thought provoking memoir that will stay with me for a long time.
*Please check all trigger warnings for this book including but not limited to eating disorders, self hate, self harm, body dysmorphia, suicidal thoughts.*
I feel I need to preface this by saying I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has not suffered with any form of disordered eating before. Whilst I do feel the book is written in the most sensitive way possible (Evanna specifically doesn't mention calorie amounts, numbers on the scales, share photos etc for fear it may glamorise or be too triggering to those who are in the grips of/ are in recovery from an eating disorder), I would imagine that many parts could be extremely triggering. Evanna herself says at the start she wouldn't recommend reading unless you are in the right mindset for it.
This book was eye opening for me - showing the reality behind anorexia. The mental anguish, the impact on families, the lack of support and adequate treatment. It's an intense, honest and, in parts, very dark read, showing the real lows of the eating disorder but doing so without glamorising it. I found it eye-opening and terrifying, especially now I'm a mother myself. To think she fell into the depths of an eating disorder when she was just 11 years old really shocked me, and made me think about the society we live in, the expectations we have on our bodies and how I think, talk & act about my own body image, particularly in front of my son.
Of course she couldn't write a memoir without mentioning the part of her life that shot her to fame - her time as Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter. This is only a very small part of her story though, just enough to satisfy people's curiosity about the HP world and providing her the opportunity to dispel myths that surrounded her casting.
It's certainly a raw and difficult read but Evanna sticks to the promise she makes at the start "I promise, however dark it gets at points, not to leave you in that place". An inspiring and thought provoking memoir that will stay with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
martieilibri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
2.5
Con questo libro Evanna ci racconta la sua storia di ricerca – di se stessa, del significato della vita, di perfezione –, prende per mano il lettore e lo accompagna negli angoli più scomodi della propria mente e con estrema sincerità e crudezza narra quelli che sono stati i suoi pensieri, le sue ossessioni, le sue paure… (che poi, alla fine, penso siano almeno in parte universali.)
Ho trovato questo libro davvero struggente, a tratti illuminante, a tratti confortante come una semplice pacca sulla spalla. A volte questo libro mi ha fatto arrabbiare. Spesso, molto spesso mi ha fatto piangere.
In generale lo consiglierei (ma solo se siete sicuri che non possa triggerarvi); è scritto molto bene ma nella seconda parte il focus si sposta un po’ (troppo, a mio parere) su questioni secondarie (anche se da fan di Harry Potter è stato anche interessante scoprire alcuni particolari su Luna e il cast). La prima parte è decisamente più curata e più impattante dell’ultimo terzo del libro (che ha molte ripetizioni), però sono molto felice di essermi immersa in questa lettura e tutto sommato è un libro che consiglierei.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
bookmarked642's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
5.0
Wow. Where do I even begin with this one? What an incredible read! It is a very emotional book, especially for those who have experienced an eating disorder or witnessed loved ones' suffering. And for those who don't have experience with anorexia or anything similar, this may be quite shocking. Evanna does not hold back or sugarcoat anything; she really is brutally honest about speaking her mind. Personally, I found it incredibly reassuring to know that someone else shared similar thoughts to me when I was in that darkest place; never would I have been brave enough to voice them out loud, but it's comforting to know I'm not abnormal or crazy.
There were a lot of similarities between Evanna's story and my own (including going to the same treatment centre, albeit a decade apart) which made this read even more salient for me. However, there were also a vast amount of differences; no two stories are ever the same, and I think it's important to remember that. Every struggle is unique, and every journey is valid. Eating disorders are very competitive and it's easy to find yourself comparing your behaviours and experiences to others', but this is a dangerous game. Evanna makes a point of not including numbers in this book, which is great, and even outlines her view on why many 'recovered' anorexics still find the need to share their lowest weights or most shocking facts which I very much agree with. Still, she does describe many of her behaviours at the peak of her disorder in order to paint a vivid picture of her life, and so this is definitely not suitable for some people who are still struggling and may find these details triggering.
The book doesn't only focus on her eating disorder directly, though; Evanna describes how it was a coping method for deeper issues, and also illustrates how it infiltrated so many aspects of her life even after physical 'recovery'. Restoring your weight and eating healthily does not mean you are 'fixed', and this period is often the most difficult. It is a time of growth and self-discovery, as well as mourning for your disorder. It is a painful and complicated time. Evanna's experience around this time was rather unique in that it involved being hired as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movies; this in itself was amazing to read about and also incredibly inspiring (I have a little dream of pursuing acting myself). Plus, it was incredibly inspiring to hear Evanna discuss how having a passion for something other than her disorder helped her begin to move on and embrace life more fully, and move towards recovery.
I could honestly go on and on about this book. It made me cry, but it also made me look to the future a bit differently. It made me think about what I want to do with my life and how I can fill my time with something more meaningful than planning meals and counting calories. Has I have said many times, it is not necessarily an easy or lighthearted read. It is painful at times and Evanna's despair and suffering is clear. But it is possibly the most realistic and relatable account of anorexia I have read to date, and although our experiences were so vastly different, I feel a sense of comfort from her words and hope for myself. Recovery is not instant or easy or neat, but it is possible. You can build a life for yourself without the eating disorder, and it might not be perfect, but it will be real.
Finally, I just wanted to add that the afterword was especially poignant to me. I adore butterflies, too, mesmerised by their beauty. But the 'art' of catching and displaying butterflies breaks my heart. I loved this final note from Evanna.
There were a lot of similarities between Evanna's story and my own (including going to the same treatment centre, albeit a decade apart) which made this read even more salient for me. However, there were also a vast amount of differences; no two stories are ever the same, and I think it's important to remember that. Every struggle is unique, and every journey is valid. Eating disorders are very competitive and it's easy to find yourself comparing your behaviours and experiences to others', but this is a dangerous game. Evanna makes a point of not including numbers in this book, which is great, and even outlines her view on why many 'recovered' anorexics still find the need to share their lowest weights or most shocking facts which I very much agree with. Still, she does describe many of her behaviours at the peak of her disorder in order to paint a vivid picture of her life, and so this is definitely not suitable for some people who are still struggling and may find these details triggering.
The book doesn't only focus on her eating disorder directly, though; Evanna describes how it was a coping method for deeper issues, and also illustrates how it infiltrated so many aspects of her life even after physical 'recovery'. Restoring your weight and eating healthily does not mean you are 'fixed', and this period is often the most difficult. It is a time of growth and self-discovery, as well as mourning for your disorder. It is a painful and complicated time. Evanna's experience around this time was rather unique in that it involved being hired as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movies; this in itself was amazing to read about and also incredibly inspiring (I have a little dream of pursuing acting myself). Plus, it was incredibly inspiring to hear Evanna discuss how having a passion for something other than her disorder helped her begin to move on and embrace life more fully, and move towards recovery.
I could honestly go on and on about this book. It made me cry, but it also made me look to the future a bit differently. It made me think about what I want to do with my life and how I can fill my time with something more meaningful than planning meals and counting calories. Has I have said many times, it is not necessarily an easy or lighthearted read. It is painful at times and Evanna's despair and suffering is clear. But it is possibly the most realistic and relatable account of anorexia I have read to date, and although our experiences were so vastly different, I feel a sense of comfort from her words and hope for myself. Recovery is not instant or easy or neat, but it is possible. You can build a life for yourself without the eating disorder, and it might not be perfect, but it will be real.
Finally, I just wanted to add that the afterword was especially poignant to me. I adore butterflies, too, mesmerised by their beauty. But the 'art' of catching and displaying butterflies breaks my heart. I loved this final note from Evanna.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
saraohneb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, and Self harm
amcg32's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Self harm and Suicidal thoughts
tinalong's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
katiej's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Beautiful, captivating, heart wrenching and devastating all at the same time. Such an important story to tell and share with the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia
bookmarkspages's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened this book, but I discovered a raw, emotional, honest account of life with an eating disorder, and how that impacts on every stage of life. It was written with a gritty but sensitive approach, which I thought told the story perfectly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Medical trauma
_bookishbella's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Absolutely stunning. It’s shocking, but so well written and something that everyone should read - it has opened my eyes to the truth about eating disorders and I’ve learnt so much. Such an important book not just for sufferers of eating disorders but for everyone who‘s trying to understand or has no experience of them. It’s hard to rate memoirs but this is perfection. Cannot recommend enough but do be aware of the trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Grief
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