A review by koreanlinda
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

I dreaded writing this review. I struggled through this book. I saw myself on too many pages. I am not morbidly obese, but I had my portion of body image issues and self-hatred. I experienced violence as a child and cruel treatment in my adolescent years. I have chronic physical and mental illnesses, and I am prone to addictive behaviors. 

I am both in awe and shock. I am awed by Roxane Gay's writing style: plain and straightforward. I try to write essays in an honest manner, but Gay's bareness in writing is on another level. I am in shock because someone was able to bear such a level of naked self on a page. I did not know it was possible, yet Gay proved it was. 

I recommend this book to everyone to relate to Gay's experiences or, if not, to bear witness to the experiences of people who continue to live after experiencing sexual violence, people who live with fat bodies, and people who have addiction issues. Gay will help you humanize these people to the maximum.

I am still heartbroken a day after finishing this book. So raw, so bare, so vulnerable, and so sad. But I am very glad I read it.

Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in January 2025
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda 
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