A review by rachkait
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a really interesting story of discovering ones sexuality, sense of self, and healing from parental trauma. While it is mildly disturbing at times (there are a few passages that talk about feces while eating and during sex), I thought the main character, Rachel, showed tremendous growth throughout the story. We see her go from very meek and extremely tough on herself as she is unlearning trauma placed from her childhood and her mother to arguing with Miriam's family about their Zionist views. 

One of my favorite scenes is when Rachel cuts all her hair off. Hair has a lot of meaning to many people and traditionally in media the act of one, especially a woman, cutting all their hair off is a visual representation of taking one's body autonomy back. They are starting anew and becoming their own person rather than one that has been shaped by someone else. For someone like Rachel, who has/had a severe eating disorder and is consistently body checked by women in her life, taking back this power is really important to healing herself.  

I am happy that Rachel and Miriam didn't end up together. I think that Rachel needed Miriam at this point in her life to help her work through her disordered eating and the complicated relationship that she has with the want to be mothered versus her sexuality, but that being with Miriam long-term would only make Rachel hate herself more, either through constantly wondering if she was Jewish enough for Miriam's family or due to Miriam's internalized homophobia that was starting to come out.
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