Food School

by Jade Armstrong (illustrator)

"Funny and informative, Jade effortlessly hits the sweet spot between silly and sincere to deliver a delightful treat despite its heavy topic. Grab a snack, a drink and definitely grab Food School!" – Hana Chatani, author of  Give Her Back To Me
A twenty-something college dropout enrols in a full-time outpatient program for eating disorder recovery. As they change their relationship with food, their relationships with people change, too.  
Olive's post-secondary education isn't what they'd planned. Instead of college, they spend five days a week, eight hours a day at what Olive calls "Food School": a full-time outpatient program for eating disorder recovery where they learn, talk, and cry about eating disorders as part of a survivor support group.  Intensely committed to recovery, Olive confronts the secretive, self-destructive, and sometimes tragically comedic nature of their illness, while struggling with the complexities of modern mental health care. With support and perspective from their roommate, a fellow patient, and their partner, Olive learns to open up about their abusive relationship with food and exercise—and finds ways to cope with the reality of living in a society that actively encourages disordered eating.  In this fictional slice of life comic, Jade Armstrong ( Scout Is Not a Band Kid ) explores the ways our relationships with food impact our connections with the people we love.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Queer, LGBT, Graphic Novels Comics, Graphic Novels Manga, Adult

80 pages, Paperback

Published April 23, 2024

About the author

My name is Jade Armstrong, and I’m a non-binary cartoonist. I was raised in a little town called Almonte, Ontario, before heading off to Toronto to work in comics and animation. I worked as background painter in television for 4 years before committing myself to comics full-time. I now live in Montréal.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great art, but the ending felt rushed.

[Leskenlehti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to be wary of stories centered around EDs, but this was probably the best one I’ve read! It handles the topic with nuance and compassion. The whole comic made me feel bittersweet.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggle to "review" this because of the subject matter. I don't want to devalue ED recovery or the disease itself. From a book standpoint, though, I really didn't like it. It was mostly informational. The characters were undeveloped and defined by their diseases. Overall, just meh.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this graphic novel had a lot of nuance. Many books about eating disorders focus on deep trauma or try to shock people with numbers or depictions of behaviours. This book doesn't do that, and it's very refreshing!
This book will no doubt make you think deeper about eating disorders and their causes/motivations. The parts about the barriers to treatment that many people face was very realistic. I loved the way the main character explored the role food plays in each of their friend's lives. If you want a short, realistic, day-in-the-life of eating disorder treatment, this is a great read!

[Lena Ocampo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this randomly at work— I am not sure why I ordered it but I did and I am not disappointed. Something about having an awkward, toxic relationship to your own body and it manifesting in different ways was interesting to me. MC is under the trans umbrella and also struggling with an ED so it was nice to see a somewhat lighthearted comic that addresses the complex, diverse nature of it while still making it very accessible to read and very heartfelt. Something about the last pages made me cry, being able to feel emotions after periods of being obsessive and numb is... Nice to see represented outside of my own brain.

[Jonah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books are a great way to view perspectives and lives you wouldn’t ever really get a chance to experience, here is a great and very specific example. It’s very short, the character arcs are pretty simple and it feels moreso like a diary of sorts which is what I expected from something this small. Loved the art, and loved the occasional time it strayed from the books standard style.

[Gracyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully well done in a short yet mighty format. 4.5/5

I could go on for hours about how much I adore this story, especially for the ways it stays authentic and true to the nuances within the represented topics.

For me, the author does an excellent job representing an experience without sacrificing community safety. Any ED behaviors are referenced with reverence and the representation of treatment contextualizes the story without overexplaining or getting too caught up in one specific moment. As an audience, we are invited to continue the conversation/reflect on different scenes, but the story itself does not force it. It continues on with a healthy flow forward, in order to tell the story it aims to tell.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

powered thru the whole thing standing in Bookmark

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this and wasn't sure how much I liked it, so put off a review, but then found myself reading it again the next day, and revisiting it is again the day after that -- so I definitely do like it. Armstrong does an impressive job of being "real" and vivid without (for me) triggering despair. The art style is very charming with lots of personality. I also really enjoyed the slow realisation that it was set in my beloved former home city of Toronto-- it really increased the feeling that this was a precious story just for me.

[Ness (Vynexa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really short graphic novel showing the process of one Olive through their journey with their ED.
like so many works revolving around ED, I connected with this immediately, but somehow Armstrong created this work that is the closest portrayal of my experience with mine.
it can be tricky to lick this up, but I honestly enjoyed it and recommend to anyone who is able to consume it.

[Leen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very real and nuanced graphic novel on an enby who suffers from an ED. I bought this book at the Montreal Expozine and got it signed by the artist (yay). I postponed reading it for a while, maybe unconsciously avoiding being possibly triggered. I do not know what having an ED feels like but my relationship with food is complicated, burdensome and hurtful. This book made me feel less guilty about being neurodivergent and mentally ill. It’s also really well written and all the supporting characters have lots of color and personality. It was touching to see Muslim representation done right through Barakah <3. The ending paid off , but was very unexpected and bittersweet. I look forward to anything that Jade puts out in the future !

[Kayleigh Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was a quick read, it was a hard read that felt like a gut punch. I can relate to struggling with obsessive thoughts and how that impacts your ability to be present with others in your life. I think this graphic novel did a great job at informing the reader what it is like to struggle with an eating disorder and what treatment might look like in the Canadian context. Also, I loved the webcomic-style of the art, it was super cute and fun to look at! I would say that while there are some humour elements included in this book, I would be gentle with yourself while reading this.

[Rachel Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art. Heavy but positive and insightful subject matter.

[Hesbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pacing was kinda bonkers but I really enjoyed this comic, both the art and the content. I'd love to see this in a longer format!

[Minh Anh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Dianna 🥺

[Oliver Alford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually there is just one type of ED that gets talked about in books, but this was the type that I struggle with. It's really nice to see myself portrayed in comics like this.

The artstyle is amazing, and I can tell a lot of hard work went into this comic.

The story was very good, despite the book only being 75 pages. It leaves me wanting more of this story. I do have to say, though, the ending seems a bit rushed. I feel like the author could have spread it out into a few more pages at least.

I really loved this book!

[Jasmine]

Rating someone's experience is weird, so I won't. However, this book is going to be so important to someone when it comes out. Read as an arc on Edelweiss.

[Y. Am Anegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - I work in healthcare now, in a different area, and I did treatment for eating disorder treatment years ago elsewhere in Canada, and I appreciate how honest this was. I understand the impulse, but I'm generally not a fan of how a lot of books about EDs try and spin up excess interpretation that often seems to still be really rooted in ED (at the time of writing) without really depicting the experience or the immediate feelings without just overload of far too graphic details.

I do want to bring up one point that I had a concern with though in terms of misinformation - it seems like this is a depiction with some changes for anonymity of personal experiences, and I appreciate that this is probably a relatively accurate depiction of that, but I wish you'd added a note or something to the comments by your roommate about privilege and treatment and Halal food. I understand wanting to likely depict the criticism of someone you know accurately, but it feels factually incorrect in a way that's harmful.

1) Halal food is served in many Canadian hospitals. It was served in my program, and I'm in a much, much less massive city and a less diverse area than metro Ontario. I understand the fear of cross-contamination, but Muslims need medical care are well, and many Muslims still undergo medical treatment and eat Halal in Canada every single day/month/year. I was in an inpatient unit with a Muslim woman (and friend) and it seriously is incredibly important to acknowledge that sometimes treatment is life or death and that includes Muslims. It's probably easier to brush off if someone hasn't been in that position - as in, oh, I never could do that - but especially with the lack of representation of Muslims in ED depictions, or resources targeted at Muslims (there are some though! If you're struggling, they are out there - please look!) I worry that someone might read that and think they can't get Halal food or that treatment isn't something Muslims can do or should do - which is incorrect and harmful.

I don't think there's anything wrong with depicting Olive's roommate's reactions as someone who's never had to deal with an ED, but I DO wish you provided a footnote about Halal food in hospital with a suggestion for resources for Muslims with EDs to counteract that.

2) This is less important, but a similar note is on the privilege to attend treatment. I think this comes off as more obviously a somewhat detached/unfamiliar perspective, but in a similar vein I think it speaks to a harmful myth about EDs and ED treatment only for being for the wealthy.

I'm not saying it doesn't complicate things and that it can't cause financial difficulties, but treatment is not a privilege. It's free, and in many provinces you can get on short-term disability or IA relatively quickly while you're off of work (I can't say how that is in every province).

Maybe this isn't true of programs in wealthier areas, but I can say, frankly, that almost no one in the program I went to was well-off and very few were being supported by their parents while there - many had been on disability for years, and some were on medical leave from work (also a possibility in Canada with many jobs). Financial difficulties were VERY common for adults with EDs - it can really interfere in life, which is why people are there. And it's serious - we shouldn't and wouldn't say that getting treated for cancer is a privilege in a country with free healthcare, and same for EDs. I know people who died, and having to go to treatment to try and prevent that is not a privilege.

I get that both of those are presented by a character who doesn't have an ED or know much about them, and perhaps the intention isn't to take them as legitimate criticisms or drawbacks, but they kind of come off that way, and while it's a realistic depiction of misunderstandings I think it may help to have a footnote or a sidenote with some context. Especially I want Muslims to know THEY CAN HAVE EDS and YOU CAN GET HELP. It seriously matters so much.

That being said - this is one of the best books about EDs or mental health graphic novels I've read, out of a lot. It was very honest and it's about what it was about, and that's surprisingly rare. I apologize for spending so much time on those 2 points, but it's not because the book was bad, it's because I think the facts really matter here.

Thanks for sharing this book and your experiences.

[Sobbin’ Scenes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I liked this! I thought it was cute and funny, and I think Olive’s habit of constantly thinking of food really leant to the comic book format. The friendships were quite sweet and I liked how it showed that you can rely on different people for different needs, since no one person will have all of your same interests. The blue ink colourscheme is sooo fun and the artstyle was so nice as well! I think this is one of my favourite artstyles I’ve come across for a comic. Olive’s character arc revolving food was well done, and the climax really hit well.

Now, since this a topic that requires a lot of care, it’s also the type to incite a lot of discussion.The following are things that I enjoyed less/think could have been better, but they don’t greatly affect the fact that my experience was mainly positive.

Spoiler territory:
I feel conflicted about the ending, I do like the conclusion to Olive working out their ED, but throughout the story Olive stays somewhat of an unlikeable person.

Their partner says they don’t pay attention to them and while Olive is currently looking over their own health (which is incredibly mentally taxing) I do feel like it would’ve been nice in the aftermath for Olive to have a self-realisation that their relationships DID suffer in light of their ED, and that is something they should work on too.

Then again, maybe it’s good to have one struggle at a time who knows. I do like the decision to have the boyfriend breakup though.


And while I think lightly touching on certain aspects of EDs was okay for the type of story this was, I do feel like there should have been a bit more elaboration on the « exercise is a symptom » plotpoint. I feel like it’s a really nuanced discussion and the way it’s presented was almost harmful?

Yes, absolutely exercise can be a negative and obssessive coping mechanism for those who have bad relationships with food & their body image. BUT staying active is also incredibly important for the body & soul! And, when done in a non-obssessive way or with better intentions, is a great way to relieve stress, gain endrophins, and help other aspects of life like sleep quality. So I would’ve liked for that to be explored cause it kinda seemed to say exercise should be outlawed for people with EDs.

Having the juxtaposition of maybe a gym rat who has a tough time with body image/goes to the gym to compensate versus the positive effects of activity like coming together to have fun, exploring nature, and achieving new goals (doing a trickshot, finishing a dancing routine, learning a new swim move) would have been really interesting!


So I do think that the story would have benefitted from an extra 15-20 pages or so, but I did love this and am interested in the author’s other works!

[Robert Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not obvious to me whether or not this is autobiographical or not—I think it works either way. The intent was to educate the reader about eating disorders—including some of the variety of symptoms, as well as how it is treated. The protagonist’s particular ED is an obsession with food—not so much in eating it or abstaining from it. Just a mental fixation. With a combination of humor and shame, she explains how “sometimes I feel I’m cheating on my boyfriend with my eating disorder because I think more about food than I do about him.” The next panel shows them having sex from her point of view, while visual daydreams of various foods float about in the foreground. At one point, two characters decide to go to a movie together because each has bad memories of binging while watching movies alone, so they decide seeing a movie together in a theater was a way to practice “being normal.” These moments were memorable, but there isn’t much story here. It’s halfway between an instructional pamphlet and a story.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short slice of life comic that was more about Olive in a Canadian ED outpatient program. It is about Olive and not in depth about how the program after the first 30 pages. I enjoyed the blue and white color. There is a big magazine influence in the reactions. I enjoyed it despite in not being too in depth on characters or plot.

[Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and frank comic about Olive, a non-binary person, working to recover from an eating disorder (ED) in a program. They have successes and stumbles, epiphanies and backsliding. My favorite scene was near the end when Olive and their friend Jam (also in the program) talk about why they both decided to join the program, and about how close they are to finishing.

[Avery Fast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. I struggle with ED and all that comes with it and used to fantasize about being in all-day patient treatment like this. The printing was really nice too and I liked the blue they used. Perhaps I liked it because I relate to the version of ED where I couldn't stop thinking about food, so it was nice to see it portrayed in something so fun and cute.

[Renaud Bédard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il y avait un rabais "achète 2 livres et les 2 sont à 20% de rabais" chez Drawn & Quarterly, et ça avait l'air joli, alors un blind buy complet. J'ignorais que ça parlait de eating disorder d'une façon aussi ouverte et intense, mais c'était eye-opening, informatif et j'ai bien aimé! Le style manga cutesy aidait à détendre l'atmosphère.

[Julia Song · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought the art style was really cute and expressive! I especially liked the half-tone shading, line-work and the use of 1 colour- a dark blue. Olive, the main character, leads a comedic narrative throughout the book :) The side characters all have their own charms and personality which shines through their few panels of dialogue. Some aspects were heavy, which was expected for a book about ED.

[Millie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jade Armstrong is one of the best comic artists out there. There is a lot I ended up relating to in this story, a lot of stuff I'm struggling to deal with on my own end. It's so well written and engaging, and the art is such fun.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read! Deals with some pretty heavy stuff with grace and humor. Honestly could've used a few more pages because there are beats that get skipped over I would've liked to see - it debuted at ShortBox though, so I get it.

[Marj Gaber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this last year I think? Maybe the year before? But it was really fun to read the print edition of it, the screen tones really pop and the little book packs a punch! Love Jade Armstrong's stuff, gotta read more of their shortbox comics.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I liked the anime style of art and the informational bits, and there were some moments that I personally related to. It just ended veryyy abruptly. I wanted to get to know the characters better and see more of their experience at the program.

[Merossy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read but gave insight to Eating Disorders and also treatment and remaining challenges in these recovery programs (long wait lists, time commitment and white centred plans) in Ontario, Canada.