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Lighter Than My Shadow
Like most kids, Katie was a picky eater. She'd sit at the table in silent protest, hide uneaten toast in her bedroom, listen to parental threats that she'd have to eat it for breakfast.
But in any life a set of circumstance can collide, and normal behavior might soon shade into something sinister, something deadly.
Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the vulnerable, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.
But in any life a set of circumstance can collide, and normal behavior might soon shade into something sinister, something deadly.
Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the vulnerable, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.
516 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2013
63 people are currently reading
7,748 people want to read
About the author
Katie Green
29 books67 followersKatie Green grew up in the London suburbs and moved to Bristol in 2002 to study, where she lived for ten years before moving to her current home in Devon. After completing a degree in Biology she studied Sequential Illustration, graduating with first class honours in 2009.
Her graphic memoir, Lighter Than My Shadow, began as a degree project and was signed up by Jonathan Cape in early 2010. The completed work, some 500 pages, took almost 5 years to complete.
Since the publication of her first book, Katie has worked on zines, short comics and illustrations for select clients as well as her own self-directed creative work. Her work has been featured in several exhibitions, and Katie and gives workshops and presentations around the UK and overseas.
Her graphic memoir, Lighter Than My Shadow, began as a degree project and was signed up by Jonathan Cape in early 2010. The completed work, some 500 pages, took almost 5 years to complete.
Since the publication of her first book, Katie has worked on zines, short comics and illustrations for select clients as well as her own self-directed creative work. Her work has been featured in several exhibitions, and Katie and gives workshops and presentations around the UK and overseas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,143 reviews
October 30, 2017
I first discovered this book when I was in the Amazon book store in San Jose. I knew I wanted it then....but I was with a friend, ( Will), doing much more walking for the day — and it might be called “Lighter Than My Shadow”, but physically it’s a very heavy-weight book to lug around.
A couple weeks later in the same store with a friend ( Celia), I bought the book before walking back to the car.
The book cover first caught my attention, but it was the introduction that brought tears to my eyes — and if being truthful- I saw Paul’s eyes water a little too.
When I got home with my new heavy weight book and read him the introduction- having shared history together that only we know —and clear that neither one of us almost never re-visits reading books about eating disorders — with good reasons — Paul ‘got’ why I bought THIS book and WHY this book was different from ALL OTHERS. 14 years... our own ‘Katy’ suffered and struggled this with illness: anorexia nervosa..... but like Katie Green, no book like this existed.
Paul and I both ‘got’ immediately what was different about this graphic memoir....WE WERE INSPIRED! Today, our daughter is healthy, happy and thriving. Today, Katie Green is healthy happy and thriving.
The introduction by Katie Green:
Dear Reader,
You are holding the book I wish had been there for me.
It exists because I wanted nobody else to feel as lost, confused and alone as I felt. I wanted to be honest about how hard recovery is, and how long it takes, at the same providing that it is possible.
In truth, I wished for an instruction manual, and that’s what I hoped to provide. But as my own recovery unfolded and took turns I could never have anticipated I learned why such a bummer could not exist. Getting better is so inherently personal, and everyone must choose it for themselves.
Nonetheless I hope that in sharing my experience, my choices – good and bad – that I might reach out to someone struggling on their own journey.
This book is my promise that it can and does get better. To others, and myself.
Katie Green 2017......
Katie first published this book in 2013 in the UK.
Katie Green, Author and illustrator, .... nature-lover, bookworm, tea-drinker extraordinaire who lives in the UK, hand drew her story of struggle and recovery....
“a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak
they prey on the weak, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure toward happiness”.
The illustrations are incredible.... filled with storytelling expressions - without words. There ‘are’ words...but even without ...Katie’s artwork speaks directly to what is going on.
Paul and I had discussions about the artwork alone —� what was ‘the Shadow’ sayings? It was fascinating to hear Paul’s interpretation which was sometimes different than my own—which was interesting in itself .... because in our family when Katy was sick - each family member internalized Katy’s illness a little different.
Given the topics covered - eating disorders- PTSD - OCD - sexual and emotional abuse — it’s wise to put this book in the right hands. Parents - and professionals should read this book if they are dealing with children struggling with ‘any’ of the mentioned triggers....This is all written from a child’s experience: the struggle and the recovery....( and the many years involved).
Written with courage and sensitivity. Beautiful- harrowing - powerful.
NOTES of Interest.... when I looked up Katie Green on the Internet.... I was treated to much more of her phenomenal colorful artwork: much is of nature.... gorgeous drawings of animals. Wow! Must see....if interested in nature, art, and creative talent.
A couple weeks later in the same store with a friend ( Celia), I bought the book before walking back to the car.
The book cover first caught my attention, but it was the introduction that brought tears to my eyes — and if being truthful- I saw Paul’s eyes water a little too.
When I got home with my new heavy weight book and read him the introduction- having shared history together that only we know —and clear that neither one of us almost never re-visits reading books about eating disorders — with good reasons — Paul ‘got’ why I bought THIS book and WHY this book was different from ALL OTHERS. 14 years... our own ‘Katy’ suffered and struggled this with illness: anorexia nervosa..... but like Katie Green, no book like this existed.
Paul and I both ‘got’ immediately what was different about this graphic memoir....WE WERE INSPIRED! Today, our daughter is healthy, happy and thriving. Today, Katie Green is healthy happy and thriving.
The introduction by Katie Green:
Dear Reader,
You are holding the book I wish had been there for me.
It exists because I wanted nobody else to feel as lost, confused and alone as I felt. I wanted to be honest about how hard recovery is, and how long it takes, at the same providing that it is possible.
In truth, I wished for an instruction manual, and that’s what I hoped to provide. But as my own recovery unfolded and took turns I could never have anticipated I learned why such a bummer could not exist. Getting better is so inherently personal, and everyone must choose it for themselves.
Nonetheless I hope that in sharing my experience, my choices – good and bad – that I might reach out to someone struggling on their own journey.
This book is my promise that it can and does get better. To others, and myself.
Katie Green 2017......
Katie first published this book in 2013 in the UK.
Katie Green, Author and illustrator, .... nature-lover, bookworm, tea-drinker extraordinaire who lives in the UK, hand drew her story of struggle and recovery....
“a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak
they prey on the weak, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure toward happiness”.
The illustrations are incredible.... filled with storytelling expressions - without words. There ‘are’ words...but even without ...Katie’s artwork speaks directly to what is going on.
Paul and I had discussions about the artwork alone —� what was ‘the Shadow’ sayings? It was fascinating to hear Paul’s interpretation which was sometimes different than my own—which was interesting in itself .... because in our family when Katy was sick - each family member internalized Katy’s illness a little different.
Given the topics covered - eating disorders- PTSD - OCD - sexual and emotional abuse — it’s wise to put this book in the right hands. Parents - and professionals should read this book if they are dealing with children struggling with ‘any’ of the mentioned triggers....This is all written from a child’s experience: the struggle and the recovery....( and the many years involved).
Written with courage and sensitivity. Beautiful- harrowing - powerful.
NOTES of Interest.... when I looked up Katie Green on the Internet.... I was treated to much more of her phenomenal colorful artwork: much is of nature.... gorgeous drawings of animals. Wow! Must see....if interested in nature, art, and creative talent.
January 26, 2020
This is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful stories I have ever read. The bravery with which Katie Green shares her story is beyond amazing.
I have never had a personal experience with an eating disorder. But, the way Green shares her story, I could feel her anxiety deep in my bones. I was uncomfortable, and I should have been. She shows us that mental illness is truly an uncontrollable monster. You can't just brush it aside and say "you should eat more" or "stop binging - just don't eat even if you feel like you should". You cannot just turn it off. I have had some anxiety issues in my life - and while I would never pretend that they affected me to the extent you read about in this book - I still can understand when it feels out of control in a way that others don't understand.
The art here is perfect. You can feel Green pouring herself out on the page. This was not a matter of someone just drawing a story they wanted to tell. What I see is pictures that poured forth uncontrollably from her because they had to escape. She had been told so long that there was no future in art for her. Because of this she focused on other subjects while the images that would tell her story built up until she could hold them in no more. The result is phenomenal.
Many will find the story here difficult to read. This is raw. This is real. It was amazing that Green shared this story as many can learn from it and those struggling with similar issues may find some solace in it.
I have never had a personal experience with an eating disorder. But, the way Green shares her story, I could feel her anxiety deep in my bones. I was uncomfortable, and I should have been. She shows us that mental illness is truly an uncontrollable monster. You can't just brush it aside and say "you should eat more" or "stop binging - just don't eat even if you feel like you should". You cannot just turn it off. I have had some anxiety issues in my life - and while I would never pretend that they affected me to the extent you read about in this book - I still can understand when it feels out of control in a way that others don't understand.
The art here is perfect. You can feel Green pouring herself out on the page. This was not a matter of someone just drawing a story they wanted to tell. What I see is pictures that poured forth uncontrollably from her because they had to escape. She had been told so long that there was no future in art for her. Because of this she focused on other subjects while the images that would tell her story built up until she could hold them in no more. The result is phenomenal.
Many will find the story here difficult to read. This is raw. This is real. It was amazing that Green shared this story as many can learn from it and those struggling with similar issues may find some solace in it.
January 1, 2019
This is a personal story of Katie Green and her struggle with food for most of her life. It's interesting her need for control and food was the thing that she can control. I know there are many people out there with eating disorders and this is a great story of someone who has been through this. It took her years to come to terms with what was going on inside.
One of the break-throughs she had was to forgive herself when she binged. When she had compassion for herself, she was able to gain control of what she was doing instead of just watching what was happening. This is something our school deals with and it's in line with what we try to do to help people. It's powerful stuff.
I like the way Katie uses these black squiggles to symbolize her hunger and her anxiety about food. It works really well and it's easy to see how she is feeling in every frame. It works so well.
I also ache for her experience with her energy medicine healer. She was raped by this man. It makes me sick. 99% of us energy healers would never do anything to hurt someone this way. The person's trust is utmost to help people heal. We also don't try and separate them from the people in their lives. It makes me sick to think about this happening. Touch can be so healing and that trust can't be betrayed. My uncle is a preacher and he feels the same way about pastors who rape their parishioners. He says they get the press and everyone thinks that's what pastors do, but most pastors don't do that. He gets so upset by this. He is an upstanding person and has honor in his profession. I really wish this hadn't happened to her, but I hope she gets past the hurt that jerk caused. There are many many practitioners out there who are worthy of trust.
I learned so much from this story. Katie really shows all sides of what she went through. She bares her story to the reader and I appreciate her honesty. This is a great story and I am so glad I read this.
Happy New Year.
One of the break-throughs she had was to forgive herself when she binged. When she had compassion for herself, she was able to gain control of what she was doing instead of just watching what was happening. This is something our school deals with and it's in line with what we try to do to help people. It's powerful stuff.
I like the way Katie uses these black squiggles to symbolize her hunger and her anxiety about food. It works really well and it's easy to see how she is feeling in every frame. It works so well.
I also ache for her experience with her energy medicine healer. She was raped by this man. It makes me sick. 99% of us energy healers would never do anything to hurt someone this way. The person's trust is utmost to help people heal. We also don't try and separate them from the people in their lives. It makes me sick to think about this happening. Touch can be so healing and that trust can't be betrayed. My uncle is a preacher and he feels the same way about pastors who rape their parishioners. He says they get the press and everyone thinks that's what pastors do, but most pastors don't do that. He gets so upset by this. He is an upstanding person and has honor in his profession. I really wish this hadn't happened to her, but I hope she gets past the hurt that jerk caused. There are many many practitioners out there who are worthy of trust.
I learned so much from this story. Katie really shows all sides of what she went through. She bares her story to the reader and I appreciate her honesty. This is a great story and I am so glad I read this.
Happy New Year.
October 30, 2017
At more than 500 pages and in full 8 1/2 x 11 page format, this is an epic memoir by British graphic artist Katie Green about her struggles with various issues around food, including actual eating disorders, which becomes the eventual focus of the whole book. Much of it is familiar territory, if you know anything about eating disorders, or if you are one of the majority of humans, it seems, who endure various "food issues," but it is deftly drawn with plenty of space and not too much text, (which for me means more space for reflection, for reader construction of meaning) and some good scary visual representations (such as a kind of black tornado) of the darkness always threatening to take over her life. In other words, food/body image is part of a web of larger issues she deals with on a daily basis.
Lighter Than My Shadow is also about family, and friends, and perfectionism, and some other issues that would be spoilers to mention. But it is also very definitely about the importance of art in the process of dealing with trauma and making a meaningful life. This is a big book on eating disorders and related issues that is both BIG and powerful but also (as one might expect, and she meets this expectation!) painfully and searingly intimate and frightening.
Some things I struggled with: All the girls look pretty much like Katie in this, so that is interesting, in the representation of body image, but it is also at times confusing , even a little maddening, if you wonder who is talking with whom. So it's also long, as I said; part of the length has to do with the various cycles of relapse that may or may not have had to be done with as much painful detail (it's painful and exhausting for her, surely, but it is (I admit) also exhausting to experience. But I also know it was probably not written with me as a reader in mind; on the whole, this is a great contribution to "the field" of eating disorders, and is beautifully done.
Lighter Than My Shadow is also about family, and friends, and perfectionism, and some other issues that would be spoilers to mention. But it is also very definitely about the importance of art in the process of dealing with trauma and making a meaningful life. This is a big book on eating disorders and related issues that is both BIG and powerful but also (as one might expect, and she meets this expectation!) painfully and searingly intimate and frightening.
Some things I struggled with: All the girls look pretty much like Katie in this, so that is interesting, in the representation of body image, but it is also at times confusing , even a little maddening, if you wonder who is talking with whom. So it's also long, as I said; part of the length has to do with the various cycles of relapse that may or may not have had to be done with as much painful detail (it's painful and exhausting for her, surely, but it is (I admit) also exhausting to experience. But I also know it was probably not written with me as a reader in mind; on the whole, this is a great contribution to "the field" of eating disorders, and is beautifully done.
October 31, 2017
I've read a graphic novel this week that tackles a similar topic of anorexia. I don't have an eating disorder; I think I'm fortunate to have a fast metabolism that's why I don't have a problem with diet or being stressed with weight. Probably it's the exact opposite for me. If anorexics thinks that they are fat or getting huge because of eating even just a small amount, when in reality they are not, having a fast metabolism is like sort of a problem for some because we need to eat double or triple the food intake just to maintain our BMI.
While reading this, I thought that I should be really grateful because I'm not having problems unlike those who have anorexia. They are getting through a lot of anxiety and depression that made them recluse themselves from others. This author's memoir sets a reminder that, just like Katie's family and friends, we should always talk and support those who have this kind of disorder because what they are dealing with is not that easy.
While reading this, I thought that I should be really grateful because I'm not having problems unlike those who have anorexia. They are getting through a lot of anxiety and depression that made them recluse themselves from others. This author's memoir sets a reminder that, just like Katie's family and friends, we should always talk and support those who have this kind of disorder because what they are dealing with is not that easy.
August 22, 2017
I went into this graphic novel knowing nothing about it; it was on the "read now" list on NetGalley, and I was in the mood for a quick graphic novel. (Joke's on me - this graphic novel is over 500 pages long!)
Essentially, Lighter Than My Shadow is a story about eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and sexual assault. It's a memoir in the form of a graphic novel, written to tell the story of Katie Green's own childhood and teen life. It's a very sad and haunting story, but unfortunately, it's just not a very enjoyable read, either. It has incredibly slow pacing for a GN, which is unusual in my experience, and the scenes are extremely repetitive.
If you're particularly fond of memoirs about mental illness, you may be interested in this title, but otherwise, I'd pass it up.
Essentially, Lighter Than My Shadow is a story about eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and sexual assault. It's a memoir in the form of a graphic novel, written to tell the story of Katie Green's own childhood and teen life. It's a very sad and haunting story, but unfortunately, it's just not a very enjoyable read, either. It has incredibly slow pacing for a GN, which is unusual in my experience, and the scenes are extremely repetitive.
If you're particularly fond of memoirs about mental illness, you may be interested in this title, but otherwise, I'd pass it up.
March 13, 2018
HERE'S A LINK TO MY VIDEO REVIEW!
This graphic memoir is incredibly important. Katie Green was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa as an adolescent and she experiences disordered eating behaviors and thoughts about her body into young adulthood. She also experienced a traumatic event that involved non-consensual sexual activity (content warning). It is written in pretty much 100% black and white, but when the color appears in the book, it truly symbolizes the only flecks of hope the author/artist felt in her life and it shook me to the core. She used visual metaphors of a mouth superimposed over her stomach representing hunger or the urge to binge/overeat, and varied the density, length, and width of a black scribble to represent her disordered thoughts screaming at her. It was heartbreaking, but also so important. You can tell how much art and drawing really helped her through her recovery process.
This graphic memoir is incredibly important. Katie Green was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa as an adolescent and she experiences disordered eating behaviors and thoughts about her body into young adulthood. She also experienced a traumatic event that involved non-consensual sexual activity (content warning). It is written in pretty much 100% black and white, but when the color appears in the book, it truly symbolizes the only flecks of hope the author/artist felt in her life and it shook me to the core. She used visual metaphors of a mouth superimposed over her stomach representing hunger or the urge to binge/overeat, and varied the density, length, and width of a black scribble to represent her disordered thoughts screaming at her. It was heartbreaking, but also so important. You can tell how much art and drawing really helped her through her recovery process.
August 15, 2017
A poignant look into the author's battle with an eating disorder and as a victim of sexual assault. This felt more directed to YA than Ink in Water: An Illustrated Memoir, as the protagonist takes us from early childhood until adulthood. I felt that Katie Green's story is just as candid as Lacy J. Davis and that the story combined with its pencil drawings is going to turn heads when it is released in October.
Thanks to NetGalley for an uncorrected proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an uncorrected proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2017
This is a graphic novel with really much pages, so I hoped from the beginning that I would love it. And I did. The pictures are draw in sober, grey nuances and are simple but beautiful. I quite like this kind of drawing style which doesn't overwhelm you. I also think this underlined the problematic and somehow isolated situation of Katie, who doesn't love how she looks and doesn't love who she is and who is very uncertain about everything. She develops an eating disorder and that's what the book is about. It's told in a way you get somehow involved in this situation. You get an insight in the underlying elements that lead to this disorder. You're touched by Katie's mental state and by her way of behaving. You're also moved by the behaviour of Katie's family and friends who can't control the situation and must see to it without being able to do much... It is a sensitive story and it really read as a work of drama.
September 23, 2019
5.0 Stars
This is the most powerful graphic memoir I have ever read. I connected with this story more than I want to admit.The author was very brave to share the intimate details of her personal struggles in such a public manner.
The simplistic artwork fit the weight of subject matter perfectly. The color choices, primarily done in shades of grey, matched the serious, quiet tone of the narrative. The drawings, themselves, were incredibly creative. The author expressed her mental state to the reader through a collection of vivid, memorable images.
The story addressed some very difficult subject matter, including eating disorder and sexual assault, which may be triggering for some readers. However, if you can handle it, the book provided an insightful, thought-provoking window into the topic. For a graphic work, the book was quite long, yet it 4ead quickly. I think the page length was necessary to fully flesh the complexity of her illness into a cohesive, emotionally-heavy narrative.
I would highly recommend this graphic memoir to anyone looking to understand the experience of a person suffering from disordered eating.
This is the most powerful graphic memoir I have ever read. I connected with this story more than I want to admit.The author was very brave to share the intimate details of her personal struggles in such a public manner.
The simplistic artwork fit the weight of subject matter perfectly. The color choices, primarily done in shades of grey, matched the serious, quiet tone of the narrative. The drawings, themselves, were incredibly creative. The author expressed her mental state to the reader through a collection of vivid, memorable images.
The story addressed some very difficult subject matter, including eating disorder and sexual assault, which may be triggering for some readers. However, if you can handle it, the book provided an insightful, thought-provoking window into the topic. For a graphic work, the book was quite long, yet it 4ead quickly. I think the page length was necessary to fully flesh the complexity of her illness into a cohesive, emotionally-heavy narrative.
I would highly recommend this graphic memoir to anyone looking to understand the experience of a person suffering from disordered eating.
March 20, 2023
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 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
January 29, 2018
3.5*
First read in 2018! Read this graphic memoir in one sitting. For the most part I thought this book was very well done - and definitely readable - Katie makes her struggle with eating disorders palpable. One of the things I appreciated so much in reading her account was that it had so much to do with what it *felt* like to have the disorder; it didn’t feel like a spectacle, it felt like taking a step into the mind of someone who struggles with painful patterns and spiraling thoughts. That was so, so well done. What bumped the rating down for me was simply that I felt that the story jumped abruptly sometimes - there were times I wondered whether I’d skipped a page or two. I also didn’t always love the dialogue. But this was definitely, *definitely* worth the read.
First read in 2018! Read this graphic memoir in one sitting. For the most part I thought this book was very well done - and definitely readable - Katie makes her struggle with eating disorders palpable. One of the things I appreciated so much in reading her account was that it had so much to do with what it *felt* like to have the disorder; it didn’t feel like a spectacle, it felt like taking a step into the mind of someone who struggles with painful patterns and spiraling thoughts. That was so, so well done. What bumped the rating down for me was simply that I felt that the story jumped abruptly sometimes - there were times I wondered whether I’d skipped a page or two. I also didn’t always love the dialogue. But this was definitely, *definitely* worth the read.
January 13, 2014
'Lighter Than My Shadow' is an emotive comic book memoir about Katie Green's struggles with eating disorders, the anxieties and pressures of growing up—particularly body image anxieties, the burden on her family, and her striving to recover. It's fairly large (528 pages) and heavy (~1.7 kg), and of the usual high printing standard seen in Jonathan Cape comics.
I was fond before the story began. There's a pre-story sequence of a sinister looking dark cloud of scribblings representing her disease (illustrated on the cover as her weighty shadow) being recalled by Green as she's writing the story. This is then synthesised by her through her pen onto the page, with that page being the next page of the book. These scribblings become a motif in the story, generally representing weight anxieties. I'm particularly fond of the 'dark cloud' usage, as takes a pathetic fallacy cliché and make it seem anew—so much more malignant (largely, I believe, as comics aren't restricted by visual subtlety).
The art is clean, simple, and excellent, particularly the more expressive scenes, such as the representations of body guilt, and the scenes of trying to vomit the 'dark cloud'). It highlights the emotional communicative value of comics, something I believe is undervalued. Comics can use exaggeration and expressiveness that would likely be rejected in more realistic visual mediums (such as film).
I'm not a fan of the folded cardboard panel dividers, though presumably this comes from this originally being drawn on the same recycled photocopy paper that Green uses for her 'The Green Bean' zine (http://katiegreen.co.uk/category/zines/). Regardless it still looks blurry and distorted, like an enlarged jpeg. However it doesn't detract from the comic's quality.
There are parallels with Craig Thompson's 'Blankets', in content, length and quality. For example, the book begins as a representation of the author's childhood imagination, and also a reminder of the vividness of fears it creates (though obviously religion puts these in a slightly different context). Green uses these fears in part to explain her obsessive compulsions (“Little rules and rituals helped me feel safe. Everything had to be in the right order. Everything had to be symmetrical.”—this context, however, makes it more comparable to religious anxieties). Also I found some of the more expressive scenes somewhat comparable to Thompson (which is certainly a compliment).
With high credit to Green, I found the story empathetic and understandable, despite being male with no history of eating disorders. It's easy to be cynical about another tragic comic book memoir, but this (and others) should be judged on its (or their) own merits, of which there are many. Autobiographical comics have a distinguished history, and this is a fine addition. Most notably this comic has made me care, causing me to read about body image issues and consider how I would discuss food/body issues with my newly teenage niece.
I was fond before the story began. There's a pre-story sequence of a sinister looking dark cloud of scribblings representing her disease (illustrated on the cover as her weighty shadow) being recalled by Green as she's writing the story. This is then synthesised by her through her pen onto the page, with that page being the next page of the book. These scribblings become a motif in the story, generally representing weight anxieties. I'm particularly fond of the 'dark cloud' usage, as takes a pathetic fallacy cliché and make it seem anew—so much more malignant (largely, I believe, as comics aren't restricted by visual subtlety).
The art is clean, simple, and excellent, particularly the more expressive scenes, such as the representations of body guilt, and the scenes of trying to vomit the 'dark cloud'). It highlights the emotional communicative value of comics, something I believe is undervalued. Comics can use exaggeration and expressiveness that would likely be rejected in more realistic visual mediums (such as film).
I'm not a fan of the folded cardboard panel dividers, though presumably this comes from this originally being drawn on the same recycled photocopy paper that Green uses for her 'The Green Bean' zine (http://katiegreen.co.uk/category/zines/). Regardless it still looks blurry and distorted, like an enlarged jpeg. However it doesn't detract from the comic's quality.
There are parallels with Craig Thompson's 'Blankets', in content, length and quality. For example, the book begins as a representation of the author's childhood imagination, and also a reminder of the vividness of fears it creates (though obviously religion puts these in a slightly different context). Green uses these fears in part to explain her obsessive compulsions (“Little rules and rituals helped me feel safe. Everything had to be in the right order. Everything had to be symmetrical.”—this context, however, makes it more comparable to religious anxieties). Also I found some of the more expressive scenes somewhat comparable to Thompson (which is certainly a compliment).
With high credit to Green, I found the story empathetic and understandable, despite being male with no history of eating disorders. It's easy to be cynical about another tragic comic book memoir, but this (and others) should be judged on its (or their) own merits, of which there are many. Autobiographical comics have a distinguished history, and this is a fine addition. Most notably this comic has made me care, causing me to read about body image issues and consider how I would discuss food/body issues with my newly teenage niece.
November 10, 2017
I requested this book on Netgalley in return for an honest review
This hit me hard!
I have never struggled with an eating disorder of any kind. I did work with a girl who struggled with anorexia and it is a hard thing to look at, knowing that there isn't much you can do. The fight was in her head and she didn't win. Reading about Katie who's fight did have a positive ending makes it all the more difficult to think about that young woman who always made me a cup of tea, could make the best cakes in the world and didn't mind me stuffing my face with it while she was trying to eat a little simple cookie without feeling terrible about it.
Katie did an amazing, and I bet very difficult, job by putting this disorder and her fight against it on paper. I loved the art-work so much. It's simple, yet haunting and very direct. It's in your face, bam, like that. You can feel every emotion, every struggle and every tiny victory she encountered and I want to thank her for that. There is still so many wrong thoughts in the world about eating disorders. People still think it's a choice. It's not. I know that, having seen it with my own eyes.
Thank you Katie, for bringing your story into our world and I truly hope that girls and boys like you ones were fill find some inspiration out of it. For the people who underestimate this, I hope it's an eye-opener for them.
This hit me hard!
I have never struggled with an eating disorder of any kind. I did work with a girl who struggled with anorexia and it is a hard thing to look at, knowing that there isn't much you can do. The fight was in her head and she didn't win. Reading about Katie who's fight did have a positive ending makes it all the more difficult to think about that young woman who always made me a cup of tea, could make the best cakes in the world and didn't mind me stuffing my face with it while she was trying to eat a little simple cookie without feeling terrible about it.
Katie did an amazing, and I bet very difficult, job by putting this disorder and her fight against it on paper. I loved the art-work so much. It's simple, yet haunting and very direct. It's in your face, bam, like that. You can feel every emotion, every struggle and every tiny victory she encountered and I want to thank her for that. There is still so many wrong thoughts in the world about eating disorders. People still think it's a choice. It's not. I know that, having seen it with my own eyes.
Thank you Katie, for bringing your story into our world and I truly hope that girls and boys like you ones were fill find some inspiration out of it. For the people who underestimate this, I hope it's an eye-opener for them.
November 1, 2017
I feel bad saying a book about such harrowing topics was so low-impact, but... for me this was kind of low-impact. As my GR friend David has noted, all the characters kind of look the same and it's sometimes hard to tell who's who. On the whole, the art is nice but not particularly affecting. I'm sure this book will help some people, and I admire Katie Green for telling her story so bravely, but I think this is a book for younger readers, maybe older high school or college. I did wonder if was brought to justice. I certainly hope so.
January 27, 2020
This is one of the most powerful graphic novels I've read recently, maybe even better than the graphic novel, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, although I would highly recommend both. In some ways, this felt even more emotional, probably because the author is also the illustrator and she is telling her own story. I am in awe of her bravery in sharing her story in hopes it might help others. You experience her pain, despair, pain, and very loud voices as she struggles to fight/live with her demons. Her eating disorder is a complicated illness because it's not about food, but about control. You find out about her recovery process, which is lifelong, and about how there are predators out there that will abuse their power of authority to take advantage of your illness. But there are also kind and supportive people who are there to truly help. Her illustrations captured her emotions perfectly for me and there were times I felt like I was living her nightmare with her. As an educator, I've had students who have struggled with eating disorders of their own and I think a book like this could be helpful if only to help them and their parents see that they are not alone. As painful as some of this book was, I think it also offers hope that things CAN get better, but that the journey to recovery is definitely not a straight path. I highly recommend this especially for anyone who works with youth.
November 11, 2017
Book blurb: Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the vulnerable, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.
Moved this up my TBR for non-fiction November, and I've procrastinated writing my review for this graphic memoir because I'm not sure I can adequately convey why I love it so. I find that's often true for things that evoke deep emotion. All you can say is "you had to be there."
This is a book that deals with the author's struggles with anxiety, anorexia, and sexual assault, and it's not an easy book to read. I loved the art, and how she tells her story. There are so many panels/pages without words, and it's a powerful way to leave space for the reader's own emotions about the material.
Let's first talk about the physical book. Weight is an issue throughout this narrative. Her weight, or lack of it, in particular, so it's rather amazing that this 500 page volume has the heft it does. The heft of the book is much heavier than you'd expect, or it needs to be. You read this story of a girl/ woman struggling with weight while holding an overly heavy book in your hands. It's a tactile experience. Then there are these dark black squiggly tornado like lines that hover over her head, sometimes it's small, and other times it takes over the panel/page. It wasn't until about half way through the book that I realized that those squiggles actually have texture. I went back and ran my fingers over the pages I had already read. Another tactile clue while reading. So even though I was reading a 2D book, there was additional information being transmitted to my brain.
As mentioned earlier, I love the artistic style of the illustrations. The monochromatic use of color is very effective in setting the right mood. I appreciated the honesty in the telling. The author says in the introduction: "It exists because I wanted nobody else to feel as lost, confused and alone as I felt. I wanted to be honest about how hard recovery is, and how long it takes, at the same providing that it is possible." We might not struggle with her exact issues, but anyone who struggles with something will seem parts of themselves in this story. I looked a long time at some of her wordless scenes as entire worlds seem captured in them. There's an illustration where she's eaten something, and the black squiggly tornado is inside her body. She opens her mouth and reaches her hand down her throat trying to pull it out. There are no words, but I don't think I've ever understood the urge to purge in such a visceral way before.
My library system has the Young Adult label on this one, and I would highly recommend it to anyone struggling/recovering from these issues, and everyone who loves them.
Moved this up my TBR for non-fiction November, and I've procrastinated writing my review for this graphic memoir because I'm not sure I can adequately convey why I love it so. I find that's often true for things that evoke deep emotion. All you can say is "you had to be there."
This is a book that deals with the author's struggles with anxiety, anorexia, and sexual assault, and it's not an easy book to read. I loved the art, and how she tells her story. There are so many panels/pages without words, and it's a powerful way to leave space for the reader's own emotions about the material.
Let's first talk about the physical book. Weight is an issue throughout this narrative. Her weight, or lack of it, in particular, so it's rather amazing that this 500 page volume has the heft it does. The heft of the book is much heavier than you'd expect, or it needs to be. You read this story of a girl/ woman struggling with weight while holding an overly heavy book in your hands. It's a tactile experience. Then there are these dark black squiggly tornado like lines that hover over her head, sometimes it's small, and other times it takes over the panel/page. It wasn't until about half way through the book that I realized that those squiggles actually have texture. I went back and ran my fingers over the pages I had already read. Another tactile clue while reading. So even though I was reading a 2D book, there was additional information being transmitted to my brain.
As mentioned earlier, I love the artistic style of the illustrations. The monochromatic use of color is very effective in setting the right mood. I appreciated the honesty in the telling. The author says in the introduction: "It exists because I wanted nobody else to feel as lost, confused and alone as I felt. I wanted to be honest about how hard recovery is, and how long it takes, at the same providing that it is possible." We might not struggle with her exact issues, but anyone who struggles with something will seem parts of themselves in this story. I looked a long time at some of her wordless scenes as entire worlds seem captured in them. There's an illustration where she's eaten something, and the black squiggly tornado is inside her body. She opens her mouth and reaches her hand down her throat trying to pull it out. There are no words, but I don't think I've ever understood the urge to purge in such a visceral way before.
My library system has the Young Adult label on this one, and I would highly recommend it to anyone struggling/recovering from these issues, and everyone who loves them.
September 5, 2017
I want to thank NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review
4.5/5 Stars
you can find this one and more of my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
I went to this book without knowing anything about it and it has left me pleasantly impressed, the work put in here is so good. I just found out that it's a kind of autobiography, since the book tells the journey for which the author has had to cross and is even more meritorious and I think that Katie Green has been very brave in transmitting part of her life on the paper and letting all of us see it and alows us to live that part of her story together with her, is so inspirational
The art is exceptional, is simple, clear and conveys all feelings in a unique way , I believe that I'll never be able of putting myself in the place of someone who is or has experienced such pain and emptiness that comes with this disease, which is the food disorder, but in a way, this graphic book helps us to understand better what happens in the minds of the people who are going through this and the much deeper reasons for which this disease is generated. To put yourself in that place just for a moment is very painful, but also opens your eyes and is really moving
The way the graphics explain the whole thing is amazing and very shocking at the same time, it's really hard, it will hit you hard without any doubt, I had to stop in moments because it was that hard guys. I still recommend it a lot, I feel it's a unique opportunity to put yourself in the skin of a person who is going through an eating disorder. You can feel each of her emotions, her struggle and how she's dragged over and over by the disease, it's really heartbreaking, but bravery and strength are also present here, so I couldn't recommend it more, especially if you're going through something similar or someone close to you is going through something similar, this one could be inspiring and even help people.
4.5/5 Stars
you can find this one and more of my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
I went to this book without knowing anything about it and it has left me pleasantly impressed, the work put in here is so good. I just found out that it's a kind of autobiography, since the book tells the journey for which the author has had to cross and is even more meritorious and I think that Katie Green has been very brave in transmitting part of her life on the paper and letting all of us see it and alows us to live that part of her story together with her, is so inspirational
The art is exceptional, is simple, clear and conveys all feelings in a unique way , I believe that I'll never be able of putting myself in the place of someone who is or has experienced such pain and emptiness that comes with this disease, which is the food disorder, but in a way, this graphic book helps us to understand better what happens in the minds of the people who are going through this and the much deeper reasons for which this disease is generated. To put yourself in that place just for a moment is very painful, but also opens your eyes and is really moving
The way the graphics explain the whole thing is amazing and very shocking at the same time, it's really hard, it will hit you hard without any doubt, I had to stop in moments because it was that hard guys. I still recommend it a lot, I feel it's a unique opportunity to put yourself in the skin of a person who is going through an eating disorder. You can feel each of her emotions, her struggle and how she's dragged over and over by the disease, it's really heartbreaking, but bravery and strength are also present here, so I couldn't recommend it more, especially if you're going through something similar or someone close to you is going through something similar, this one could be inspiring and even help people.
September 21, 2020
This book came in a pile of books selected by our local librarians to collect from our locked down library - I’d requested a graphic book from what was available. I’m so glad and grateful to have read this absolutely stunning work. It is an outstanding example, like Art Spiegelman’s Maus, of how graphic books can tell a story. I have a good friend who is a recovering anorexic, and it has given me further insight into the illness. I will definitely be recommending it.
Thank you, Katie Green!
Thank you, Katie Green!
November 19, 2017
The physical weight of this book is a pretty good indicator of the emotional heft it bears for the creator and the reader. Katie Green beautifully and painfully recounts the spiraling and obsessive thinking she experienced while sinking into and recovering from anorexia.
August 6, 2017
This book is 500 pages long. This book is raw. This book bares all about the authors struggle with her eating disorder, and how hard it was to overcome it.
She tries, and wins, and fails, and tries again. It is heart breaking when she binges and blames herself, and can't figure out when to eat, and starves herself, because that is the only way she is in control of her life. It is all laid bare, and 500 pages of it.
It would seem that that would be excessive, but it works. It would seem that having her try and fail would be disheartening, and it is, but that's is life, things do not get wrapped in a tidy bow the first time you go to a therapist.
Society, peer pressure, expectations of your parents, and teachers all helped to push Katie over the edge, so much so that at one point the said she was going to die if she did not learn to eat.
Sad book, hard book to read, but well worth it.
That is how it is writing about issues that no one wants to talk about.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
She tries, and wins, and fails, and tries again. It is heart breaking when she binges and blames herself, and can't figure out when to eat, and starves herself, because that is the only way she is in control of her life. It is all laid bare, and 500 pages of it.
It would seem that that would be excessive, but it works. It would seem that having her try and fail would be disheartening, and it is, but that's is life, things do not get wrapped in a tidy bow the first time you go to a therapist.
Society, peer pressure, expectations of your parents, and teachers all helped to push Katie over the edge, so much so that at one point the said she was going to die if she did not learn to eat.
Sad book, hard book to read, but well worth it.
That is how it is writing about issues that no one wants to talk about.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
April 5, 2016
Wow..,
Lighter Than My Shadow is the strongest, touching & intense autobiographies, let alone nonfiction graphic novels, that I have ever read.
Warning: there a number of triggers in Lighter Than My Shadow which include:
--eating disorders
--PTSD
--OCD
--Sexual & Emotional Abuse
If these are triggers for you, I highly recommend for you to be in some type of mental health treatment while reading it. Even if you have a history & consider yourself "graduated" & don't think you need support, please don't read it without professional support & strong network of others who support you.
However, (with the exception of above reservations for individuals I mentioned above), I highly, highly recommend Lighter My Shadow. It should be required reading for any professional who works with young people w/eating disorders, PTSD &/or OCD. Admittedly, I cried throughout the 500+ pages & could not sleep until I finished reading it. It made me want to reach through the pages & hug & help the young girl narrating her story (a stand in for the writer).
Years ago, I read Talbot's A Tale of One Bad Rat. At the time, I was working as an Art Therapist at a residential treatment center for teens. My copy floated from staff member to staff member to some of the (more mature) teens. It had such a strong impact, a number of kids brought up their past even the ones who were initially resistant to treatment. It even inspired some of them to become interested in writing & illustrating their stories in graphic novel format.
I would hesitate handing Lighter Than My Shadow to children I worked with, as it's more intense & an autobiography rather than a fictional graphic novel w/fantastical elements that deals w/similar issues.
11 out of 10 rating, highly recommended for professionals. I recommend this book to others as long as they are aware of the above triggers & in a state they can handle reading about a young woman struggling w/eating disorders, OCD & PTSD.
Lighter Than My Shadow is the strongest, touching & intense autobiographies, let alone nonfiction graphic novels, that I have ever read.
Warning: there a number of triggers in Lighter Than My Shadow which include:
--eating disorders
--PTSD
--OCD
--Sexual & Emotional Abuse
If these are triggers for you, I highly recommend for you to be in some type of mental health treatment while reading it. Even if you have a history & consider yourself "graduated" & don't think you need support, please don't read it without professional support & strong network of others who support you.
However, (with the exception of above reservations for individuals I mentioned above), I highly, highly recommend Lighter My Shadow. It should be required reading for any professional who works with young people w/eating disorders, PTSD &/or OCD. Admittedly, I cried throughout the 500+ pages & could not sleep until I finished reading it. It made me want to reach through the pages & hug & help the young girl narrating her story (a stand in for the writer).
Years ago, I read Talbot's A Tale of One Bad Rat. At the time, I was working as an Art Therapist at a residential treatment center for teens. My copy floated from staff member to staff member to some of the (more mature) teens. It had such a strong impact, a number of kids brought up their past even the ones who were initially resistant to treatment. It even inspired some of them to become interested in writing & illustrating their stories in graphic novel format.
I would hesitate handing Lighter Than My Shadow to children I worked with, as it's more intense & an autobiography rather than a fictional graphic novel w/fantastical elements that deals w/similar issues.
11 out of 10 rating, highly recommended for professionals. I recommend this book to others as long as they are aware of the above triggers & in a state they can handle reading about a young woman struggling w/eating disorders, OCD & PTSD.
November 4, 2017
This was absolutely incredible.
August 4, 2017
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of LIGHTER THAN MY SHADOW in exchange for my honest review**
GRADE: C-
2.5 STARS
Katie Green's graphic memoir tells the story of her eventual recovery from eating disorders and sexual assault.
The strongest part of LIGHTER THAN MY SHADOW was the use of metaphor in the drawing. The illustrations of people were also the weakest component in that many the characters were almost indistinguishable from each other.
I was confused in the beginning of the story as to Katie's age, she could have been three or thirteen. LIGHTER THAN MY MY SHADOW often repeated scenarios and while eating disorders are composed of repetitive behaviors, Green depicted them in an unoriginal manner. While graphic novels should be strong examples of showing vs telling, towards the end of the story Green used information dumps to write "this happened, this happened then this happened".
I wanted to empathize with and like Katie, but I had difficulty connecting to the character in the way the story unfolded. Green certainly has drawing talent. Perhaps a less personal story might have more perspective.
GRADE: C-
2.5 STARS
Katie Green's graphic memoir tells the story of her eventual recovery from eating disorders and sexual assault.
The strongest part of LIGHTER THAN MY SHADOW was the use of metaphor in the drawing. The illustrations of people were also the weakest component in that many the characters were almost indistinguishable from each other.
I was confused in the beginning of the story as to Katie's age, she could have been three or thirteen. LIGHTER THAN MY MY SHADOW often repeated scenarios and while eating disorders are composed of repetitive behaviors, Green depicted them in an unoriginal manner. While graphic novels should be strong examples of showing vs telling, towards the end of the story Green used information dumps to write "this happened, this happened then this happened".
I wanted to empathize with and like Katie, but I had difficulty connecting to the character in the way the story unfolded. Green certainly has drawing talent. Perhaps a less personal story might have more perspective.
June 18, 2017
Beautiful, moving, and completely relatable even if you haven't suffered from anorexia, binge eating disorder or abuse at the hands of someone you trusted. Reading the acknowledgements almost made me cry. The art was beautiful and I loved the way Katie Green utilized a variety of panels on each page, alternative structure on full artwork pages, illustrated the passage of time, and used white space to denote her emotional state at that time. I'm interested to see the difference in the artwork in the final book, which will employ full colour, not just grey scale elements. Highly recommended reading material for anyone who has ever struggled with eating disorders, self esteem, perfectionism, and learning to trust yourself and others again.
December 31, 2023
4.75/5 ⭐
Bolesna, przerażająca i niezwykle ważna. Podziwiam autorkę za to, w jaki sposób opisała swoje doświadczenia. Myślę, że dla osób z zaburzeniami odżywiania ten pamiętnik może być źródłem nadziei i dawać poczucie, że nie jest się samym w tym, przez co się przechodzi, że ktoś też to zna i rozumie. Z kolei dla osób, które nigdy nie zmagały się z zaburzeniami odżywiania ta powieść graficzna może jasno wytłumaczyć myśli osób na nie cierpiących, jak poważna jest to choroba i że nie wystarczy powiedzieć "po prostu jedz". Jestem pod ogromnym wrażeniem
Bolesna, przerażająca i niezwykle ważna. Podziwiam autorkę za to, w jaki sposób opisała swoje doświadczenia. Myślę, że dla osób z zaburzeniami odżywiania ten pamiętnik może być źródłem nadziei i dawać poczucie, że nie jest się samym w tym, przez co się przechodzi, że ktoś też to zna i rozumie. Z kolei dla osób, które nigdy nie zmagały się z zaburzeniami odżywiania ta powieść graficzna może jasno wytłumaczyć myśli osób na nie cierpiących, jak poważna jest to choroba i że nie wystarczy powiedzieć "po prostu jedz". Jestem pod ogromnym wrażeniem
March 4, 2018
3.4 stars--This thought-provoking graphic memoir examines anorexia and its effect on a young woman and her family. While slow-moving, SHADOW will hopefully make parents and peers aware of the warning signs of this disease.
January 25, 2024
*contiene spoilers por que estoy muy frustrada con una situación en especifico*
vamos a decir que toda la novela grafica es fuerte pero hay una parte donde ella hace una especie de terapia donde esta inconsciente y no sabe que pasa en el plano terrenal, no esta mal eso, lo que ya olía raro es que lo haga en una carpa en el medio del bosque con un hombre sin supervisión adulta. cuando leí esa escena dije "dios por favor que no pase lo que creo que va a pasar" pero paso, y me dolió horrores, me sentí asqueada de toda la situación aun sabiendo que iba a pasar.
como es costumbre, la victima se siente culpable, aun cuando no tiene ninguna culpa ella estaba pasando una enfermedad como la anorexia, busco ayuda y en esa ayuda ella fue abusada por alguien que sentía que era como su familia. aun así se siente culpable ella y es lindo ver cuando va a la psicóloga y esta la ayuda y de a poco vamos viendo como ella va cambiando.
no se, no me espere que fuera tan fuerte y una parte de mi cuando leía esas escenas no quería que fuera real lo que suponía.
vamos a decir que toda la novela grafica es fuerte pero hay una parte donde ella hace una especie de terapia donde esta inconsciente y no sabe que pasa en el plano terrenal, no esta mal eso, lo que ya olía raro es que lo haga en una carpa en el medio del bosque con un hombre sin supervisión adulta. cuando leí esa escena dije "dios por favor que no pase lo que creo que va a pasar" pero paso, y me dolió horrores, me sentí asqueada de toda la situación aun sabiendo que iba a pasar.
como es costumbre, la victima se siente culpable, aun cuando no tiene ninguna culpa ella estaba pasando una enfermedad como la anorexia, busco ayuda y en esa ayuda ella fue abusada por alguien que sentía que era como su familia. aun así se siente culpable ella y es lindo ver cuando va a la psicóloga y esta la ayuda y de a poco vamos viendo como ella va cambiando.
no se, no me espere que fuera tan fuerte y una parte de mi cuando leía esas escenas no quería que fuera real lo que suponía.
August 31, 2017
Katie had (has?) an eating disorder. She starts the book from when she was a little kid which set off all kinds of warning bells for me. Sure, it's important to know that things can start as a kid. Things can happen when a child is young that push their way into a psyche and bad shit can happen to anyone at any age. But she says "she had a perfect childhood...". I feel like I can see all the people who work with EDs shaking their heads right now. She also says she didn't want to grow up. More nodding. She talks about being anorexic and restricting and then when she gets taken to a doctor the doctor only weighs her and tells her she's a little under weight and sets her up with a nutrition to set her straight. Dude. What the fuck. I can't even imagine a situation where that is the response. I'm going to let that go, though, because it just got worse from there.
Katie does get some help, and she goes from anorexia to secret binges and then purging by working off all the food she eats. Here comes a big spoiler so don't read any further if you don't want to be SPOILERED!!!
The part I have the most problem with in this whole book, which is saying a lot, is when Katie figures out that the holistic guy who has been her "therapist" for a few years took advantage of her sexually. Not just once, but the whole time she was seeing him, and she has blocked it out. All of a sudden it all clicks into place and she gets it. She tells her friends. She gets a real therapist. And everything starts to go back to normal and she gets very okay very quickly. I don't feel this is realistic at all. I know it's a book, she had to condense, but nothing else in here is condensed and all of a sudden to go from - hey! this is what happened! this is why I'm fucked up! - to hey! look ma! I'm all better! I'm gonna go back to school and do what I really want to do because I have figured it all out and everything is okay! I can't tell you how much frustration I had with this.
This is a graphic novel. There were pages that almost SCREAMED to me because I couldn't figure out how she made a page look exactly like a feeling. That was phenomenal. The rest of it I could do without. I'm not trying to judge the author or her life, and I hope that is clear here. It's just hard for me to know there are a lot of kids with EDs running around trying to look for every book and every trick they can get their hands on and seeing something make it look simplistic.
Katie does get some help, and she goes from anorexia to secret binges and then purging by working off all the food she eats. Here comes a big spoiler so don't read any further if you don't want to be SPOILERED!!!
The part I have the most problem with in this whole book, which is saying a lot, is when Katie figures out that the holistic guy who has been her "therapist" for a few years took advantage of her sexually. Not just once, but the whole time she was seeing him, and she has blocked it out. All of a sudden it all clicks into place and she gets it. She tells her friends. She gets a real therapist. And everything starts to go back to normal and she gets very okay very quickly. I don't feel this is realistic at all. I know it's a book, she had to condense, but nothing else in here is condensed and all of a sudden to go from - hey! this is what happened! this is why I'm fucked up! - to hey! look ma! I'm all better! I'm gonna go back to school and do what I really want to do because I have figured it all out and everything is okay! I can't tell you how much frustration I had with this.
This is a graphic novel. There were pages that almost SCREAMED to me because I couldn't figure out how she made a page look exactly like a feeling. That was phenomenal. The rest of it I could do without. I'm not trying to judge the author or her life, and I hope that is clear here. It's just hard for me to know there are a lot of kids with EDs running around trying to look for every book and every trick they can get their hands on and seeing something make it look simplistic.
November 20, 2017
Ik heb dit boek op NetGalley gekregen in ruil voor een eerlijke review.
Deze graphic novel is indrukwekkend. Heel erg indrukwekkend!
Het verhaal gaat over Katie en zij heeft anorexia. Je leest over haar weg naar herstel, die zeker niet makkelijk is. Ook lees je over mensen die haar misbruiken. Erg heftig om al Katies gedachten te lezen. Ook vond ik het erg naar om te lezen dat ze dan wel beter wil worden, maar dat die ziekte haar in z'n greep houdt waardoor ze toch naar de ziekte moet luisteren.
De schrijfster van dit verhaal heet ook Katie, dus ik ging eens even op onderzoek uit. Wat blijkt? Dit is een autobiografie. En juist daardoor is het verhaal nog veel indrukwekkender! Het feit dat iemand dit verhaal met een of twee mensen durft te delen is al knap, maar om het dan ook nog eens in boekvorm te publiceren voor de hele buitenwereld, wauw!
Maar pfoe, dit was toch wel enorm lang.. Meer dan 500 pagina's? Dat was naar mijn idee toch echt te lang. Mijn telefoon deed er ook nog eens 5 seconden over om elke pagina te laden, dus daardoor duurde het lezen nog langer.
Mijn eindconclusie: lees deze graphic novel, want hij is heel erg mooi en indrukwekkend.
Deze graphic novel is indrukwekkend. Heel erg indrukwekkend!
Het verhaal gaat over Katie en zij heeft anorexia. Je leest over haar weg naar herstel, die zeker niet makkelijk is. Ook lees je over mensen die haar misbruiken. Erg heftig om al Katies gedachten te lezen. Ook vond ik het erg naar om te lezen dat ze dan wel beter wil worden, maar dat die ziekte haar in z'n greep houdt waardoor ze toch naar de ziekte moet luisteren.
De schrijfster van dit verhaal heet ook Katie, dus ik ging eens even op onderzoek uit. Wat blijkt? Dit is een autobiografie. En juist daardoor is het verhaal nog veel indrukwekkender! Het feit dat iemand dit verhaal met een of twee mensen durft te delen is al knap, maar om het dan ook nog eens in boekvorm te publiceren voor de hele buitenwereld, wauw!
Maar pfoe, dit was toch wel enorm lang.. Meer dan 500 pagina's? Dat was naar mijn idee toch echt te lang. Mijn telefoon deed er ook nog eens 5 seconden over om elke pagina te laden, dus daardoor duurde het lezen nog langer.
Mijn eindconclusie: lees deze graphic novel, want hij is heel erg mooi en indrukwekkend.
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