Katie Green (1)

I cried reading this. I've lived this. It felt like someone had finally given voice to what I couldn't. The illustrations and narration perfectly capture the feelings and thoughts that plague you when you're living it. If you've ever felt not good enough, struggled with acceptance, or wanted someone to understand how it felt to be you, this book is a must.

Beautifully drawn and stunningly told this is an autobiographical tale of mental illness, of anorexia, of growing up and the path to overcoming, to forgiving. A very realistic path, a slow one and sometimes a harsh one through early happy childhood to traumatic anorexia of teenage & collage years and the journey to get better. The relapse showed by sexual abuse of a therapist is as sensitively portrayed as it is deeply shocking.

Green explores the journey, from early pressures on how we show more should look, the destructive use of perfectionism and the need to control. I don’t think I have seen anorexia and eating disorders explained so well elsewhere. Of course this is also down to the artwork, not only lovely but so entwined with the story it tells: from the hungry mouth embedded within the stomach to the shadow of depression that hangs over or is locked deep inside. Pages change hue to reflect the emotion of the story, panels cluster and fracture apart. If it seems like a large chunkster it really isn’t, this story needs much space to tell but hours to enjoy.

Highly recommend. It is exactly what it needs to be, informative, understanding, heart breaking and kind. show less

I loved the drawings that told most of the story. 5 full stars for those. I’m so glad that author-illustrator eventually pursued an education in art and a career as an artist. I appreciate that she says that this was the book she wished she’d had when she was going through her eating disorder problems. I do think that it might help many people but I also think it could be triggering for some. Then again, I know that for some people just about anything can be a trigger. I was mesmerized show more by her story and thought it was really well and honestly told. Anyone who is trying to understand eating disorders (and anxiety disorders including OCD) will come away with some additional understanding. Recommended for those struggling and the people in their lives. Recommended for all teachers as well given what an powerful impact they can have on their students. The paper (paperback!) book is heavy and huge and I found it difficult to read so I borrowed a Hoopla e-edition copy and read that. 4-1/2 stars show less

This memoir of Katie Green’s decades-long struggle with an eating disorder ("picky" eating, then anorexia and binge-eating) is presented in a highly visual (vs. textual) graphic format, along the lines of David Small’s Stitches and Craig Thompson’s Blankets. The illustrations carry the storytelling load beautifully and effectively, conveying people and events and emotions, and I devoured the 500 pages in a single sitting of a couple of hours. On only a few occasions did I stumble when show more characters looked a bit alike or there was a dangling thread or abrupt transition.

The memoir is gentle enough that anyone with an interest (or need) to read about eating disorders will find it wholly accessible. It’s honest enough that readers will encounter the depths of the illness and the breadth of Green’s tenacity and bravery, including her coming to terms with a sexual predator. And its eventual optimism will inspire others to discover a passion that will enable them to build confidence and find happiness as they stay the course over what may be a lifelong period of recovery. Green found her passion in art, and it’s on wonderful display here. show less