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Nothing Tastes as Good
Don’t call her a guardian angel. Annabel is dead – but she hasn’t completely gone away. Annabel immediately understands why her first assignment as a ghostly helper is to her old classmate: Julia is fat. And being fat makes you unhappy. Simple, right?
As Annabel shadows Julia’s life in the pressured final year of school, Julia gradually lets Annabel’s voice in, guiding her thoughts towards her body, food and control.
But nothing is as simple as it first seems. Spending time in Julia’s head seems to be having its own effect on Annabel . . . And she knows that once the voices take hold, it’s hard to ignore them.
As Annabel shadows Julia’s life in the pressured final year of school, Julia gradually lets Annabel’s voice in, guiding her thoughts towards her body, food and control.
But nothing is as simple as it first seems. Spending time in Julia’s head seems to be having its own effect on Annabel . . . And she knows that once the voices take hold, it’s hard to ignore them.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2016
28 people are currently reading
1570 people want to read
About the author
Claire Hennessy
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Writer, reader, reviewer, creative writing facilitator, editor.
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Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chennessybooks
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Website: http://www.clairehennessy.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
April 1, 2017
fatphobia, glorification of EDs
August 22, 2016
This book has come in for some negative comments - claiming the author is upholding an anti-obesity message. Forgive me if I'm missing something that these readers have picked up on, but this is a story where the central character has died of anorexia. She is still in the grips of the illness, so of course her views towards fat are negative.
Annabel acts as a commentary on Julia's life. We can see there are issues, but we learn about them slowly. Through Annabel's voice we learn about the issues a number of girls in the novel face.
For me, this is a brave book that teenagers - and those working with them - should be encouraged to read.
Annabel acts as a commentary on Julia's life. We can see there are issues, but we learn about them slowly. Through Annabel's voice we learn about the issues a number of girls in the novel face.
For me, this is a brave book that teenagers - and those working with them - should be encouraged to read.
May 31, 2016
Couldn't get through first 50 pages
not-gonna-happen-because-reasons
April 24, 2018That's a NOPE from me! Fatphobic and glorifies eating disorders.
June 4, 2016
This is so...good! A new realistic topic that could've neglected by some of us. Love the meaningful quotes, the humorous writing and I love the ending! Nothing Tastes As Good is the next phenomenon after All The Bright Places.
Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the distributor in exchange of my honest review.
These words are printed on the ARC cover of the book. The words caught me in the eye because I'm one of the fat girls who suffers from obesity so I find it relatable.
So, Annabel is a ghost/spirit/soul (you name it) that is still lingering in our world after death. She's on a mission to save a girl whom she know from a high school she was attending. And her reward? To be able to send a message to her family members.
The girl Annabel is supposed to help is Julia Jacobs, a deputy editor of the school newspaper. Apparently she's having some eating disorder that caused her to be fat. In the book, Annabel describes Julia's body in this way:
There's actually more but that's enough. Okay, so we know that Julia is fat and she needs help in controlling her excessive intake of junk food. As Annabel learns more on Julia, there's something behind the reason why Julia's body grows from sexy to gross. How does Annabel get into Julia's mind or do anything else to get her back into shape?
The writing of the author is what attracted me first and I never stop loving it towards the end of the book. I love how Claire presents the book in a humorous way. From time to time, a meaningful or realistic quote is slotted in perfectly in between those paragraphs. In fact, the first few quotes of the book on Goodreads are actually added by me.
Apart from the teen romance in the book that made me clenched my teeth a few times, I love the main contrast of the book, i.e. getting a girl who died in anorexia to help one suffers in eating disorder which caused obesity. Often, we would see campaigns that raised awareness on health issues associated with obesity. How about anorexia? They're actually mental issues that needs to be addressed correctly.
Anyway, no matter how, they're both considered as what mentioned in the book:
Nothing Tastes As Good is what I think a refreshing read among the YA books that I've read. The ending did touch my heart that I feel proud of Julia and also Annabel. The central topic of the book is also quite new. Also, there's actually another real life issue that is related to Julia but I'm not going to share it here as it'll be a huge spoiler. Wonder what is it? Be sure to pre-order your copy before the book is published in July 2016.
This review is originally posted on my blog: http://wp.me/p6Uw1h-m5
Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the distributor in exchange of my honest review.
Two things hit me in the gut, or would if I still had one. One: I know this girl. Two: She's fat. If I'm supposed to save her from obesity, this is really not funny.
These words are printed on the ARC cover of the book. The words caught me in the eye because I'm one of the fat girls who suffers from obesity so I find it relatable.
So, Annabel is a ghost/spirit/soul (you name it) that is still lingering in our world after death. She's on a mission to save a girl whom she know from a high school she was attending. And her reward? To be able to send a message to her family members.
The girl Annabel is supposed to help is Julia Jacobs, a deputy editor of the school newspaper. Apparently she's having some eating disorder that caused her to be fat. In the book, Annabel describes Julia's body in this way:
Her belly kicks off from just under her bra. Where there should be ribs protruding, gorgeous bone, there is fat. It bulges out all the way down, a different kind of bump to the kind you'd get if you were pregnant but just as gross. If I could throw up I would. This is wobble-when-you-walk-fat. Blubber.
There's actually more but that's enough. Okay, so we know that Julia is fat and she needs help in controlling her excessive intake of junk food. As Annabel learns more on Julia, there's something behind the reason why Julia's body grows from sexy to gross. How does Annabel get into Julia's mind or do anything else to get her back into shape?
The writing of the author is what attracted me first and I never stop loving it towards the end of the book. I love how Claire presents the book in a humorous way. From time to time, a meaningful or realistic quote is slotted in perfectly in between those paragraphs. In fact, the first few quotes of the book on Goodreads are actually added by me.
Apart from the teen romance in the book that made me clenched my teeth a few times, I love the main contrast of the book, i.e. getting a girl who died in anorexia to help one suffers in eating disorder which caused obesity. Often, we would see campaigns that raised awareness on health issues associated with obesity. How about anorexia? They're actually mental issues that needs to be addressed correctly.
Anyway, no matter how, they're both considered as what mentioned in the book:
...have you considered that you might have a bit of a problem with food?
Nothing Tastes As Good is what I think a refreshing read among the YA books that I've read. The ending did touch my heart that I feel proud of Julia and also Annabel. The central topic of the book is also quite new. Also, there's actually another real life issue that is related to Julia but I'm not going to share it here as it'll be a huge spoiler. Wonder what is it? Be sure to pre-order your copy before the book is published in July 2016.
This review is originally posted on my blog: http://wp.me/p6Uw1h-m5
April 25, 2017
5 Words: School, pressure, eating-disorder, relationships, secrets.
This book is fantastically written, but it is so draining, so difficult, so demanding...
This book should absolutely come with trigger warnings.
This book is fantastically written, but it is so draining, so difficult, so demanding...
This book should absolutely come with trigger warnings.
April 9, 2017
This was an okay read about a girl who has been recruited, after her death, to help the living.
Annabel was a bit of a messed-up narrator and really loved to fat-shame, which got a bit tedious at times. She did grow by the end of the book, though, which was a relief. Julia was okay, but she needed to stand up for herself a bit more, especially with her horrible, toxic friend.
The story centered around Annabel berating Julia for eating too much and being overweight, and Julia's life at school which mostly involved the school newspaper. The narration was fine and it was easy to keep reading but the school newspaper didn't really interest me very much.
This book has come under a lot of fire for fat-shaming and glamorising eating disorders, but I didn't really get that. It was narrated by someone who was suffering from an eating disorder even after death, so yes, she did have very unhealthy attitudes towards food and body images. But it's not like we, the readers, are supposed to empathise with her views. We know her attitudes are messed-up. And the second main character was overweight because she binge-ate to try and get over a traumatic experience, so again, not very healthy behaviour.
The only way I can think the author might be seen to glamorise eating disorders is by not going into enough detail about the effects of Annabel's anorexia. In Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, the prose is so horrific and the narration so messed-up that there's no effing way you'd think she was glamorising eating disorders. In this book, the effects seemed a bit glossed-over or only mentioned in passing.
All in all, I thought this book was okay. It was an easy enough read but it didn't have enough bite to make it a real page-turner.
Annabel was a bit of a messed-up narrator and really loved to fat-shame, which got a bit tedious at times. She did grow by the end of the book, though, which was a relief. Julia was okay, but she needed to stand up for herself a bit more, especially with her horrible, toxic friend.
The story centered around Annabel berating Julia for eating too much and being overweight, and Julia's life at school which mostly involved the school newspaper. The narration was fine and it was easy to keep reading but the school newspaper didn't really interest me very much.
This book has come under a lot of fire for fat-shaming and glamorising eating disorders, but I didn't really get that. It was narrated by someone who was suffering from an eating disorder even after death, so yes, she did have very unhealthy attitudes towards food and body images. But it's not like we, the readers, are supposed to empathise with her views. We know her attitudes are messed-up. And the second main character was overweight because she binge-ate to try and get over a traumatic experience, so again, not very healthy behaviour.
The only way I can think the author might be seen to glamorise eating disorders is by not going into enough detail about the effects of Annabel's anorexia. In Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, the prose is so horrific and the narration so messed-up that there's no effing way you'd think she was glamorising eating disorders. In this book, the effects seemed a bit glossed-over or only mentioned in passing.
All in all, I thought this book was okay. It was an easy enough read but it didn't have enough bite to make it a real page-turner.
March 25, 2017
I did not like the execution of the story and the treatment of certain topics. It wasn't as difficult to read as I expected from the shitty title (which has horrible connotations as is) but I did have to stop and breath in and out a couple of times to stop feeling dirty. As an approach to teenagers and ED I do think the book could be triggering, and the end didn't reply redeem its faults in my eyes.
The story could've been better executed.
The story could've been better executed.
June 30, 2019
. Why I really liked reading this story is that Claire Hennessy has came up with a refreshing idea to write a novel about a guardian angel.
November 2, 2016
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I am so glad I read it. I didn’t like dearly-departed Annabel much at the start of the story, but as things were revealed, I started to understand her. As she gained her own insights, she became much more sympathetic. I think her story arc was very tricky to write, and Claire has managed it every effectively. I like that Annabel is able to dip into the thoughts, feelings, and memories of various characters to some degree without revealing everything. It’s an effective device that allows us to get a little more information than we might normally from a first-person point of view. I loved Annabel’s relationship with her younger sister, Imogen. Claire provides just enough information so that we understand the loss for Imogen and her family.
I strongly identified with Julia, who is dealing with a private trauma and a lot of the normal stresses you face as a young woman finishing school and making plans for the future. She is a high-achieving perfectionist, passionate about her career choice, and tends to take life a little too seriously, which frustrates her friends and means she feels less than perfect if she’s not always in control and able to do it all. I like how complicated her friendships are with Deb and Lorraine. Nothing is simple with Gavin either, and I like that he has more going on than just being her “love interest”. With some spectral pushing from Annabel, who is assigned as a kind of ghostly guardian to help her, Julia veers from binge eating into bulimia in order to lose weight and take control when she’s feeling overwhelmed.
Julia turns to food to cope, as so many of us do. However, when things comes to a head within the story, Julia shows that she has backbone and a core of strength.
The story will resonate with anyone who has disordered eating (and a lot of people have “problems with food”) or a full-blown eating disorder, but don’t avoid it out of fear. I have an eating disorder and found the book intense and challenging to read at times, but ultimately it was a positive experience. Claire doesn’t go into too much detail about the physical act of Julia’s eating or purging. She does show some of the cognitive distortions that can lead people to starve, binge, or binge/purge, as a means to feel like they have some control over their bodies and their lives.
I cried twice while reading this book, once because I could relate so well, and once because I was happy with the outcome for these characters who became like real people to me. There are no perfect endings for this book, but it is satisfying, hopeful, and believable.
I strongly identified with Julia, who is dealing with a private trauma and a lot of the normal stresses you face as a young woman finishing school and making plans for the future. She is a high-achieving perfectionist, passionate about her career choice, and tends to take life a little too seriously, which frustrates her friends and means she feels less than perfect if she’s not always in control and able to do it all. I like how complicated her friendships are with Deb and Lorraine. Nothing is simple with Gavin either, and I like that he has more going on than just being her “love interest”. With some spectral pushing from Annabel, who is assigned as a kind of ghostly guardian to help her, Julia veers from binge eating into bulimia in order to lose weight and take control when she’s feeling overwhelmed.
Julia turns to food to cope, as so many of us do. However, when things comes to a head within the story, Julia shows that she has backbone and a core of strength.
The story will resonate with anyone who has disordered eating (and a lot of people have “problems with food”) or a full-blown eating disorder, but don’t avoid it out of fear. I have an eating disorder and found the book intense and challenging to read at times, but ultimately it was a positive experience. Claire doesn’t go into too much detail about the physical act of Julia’s eating or purging. She does show some of the cognitive distortions that can lead people to starve, binge, or binge/purge, as a means to feel like they have some control over their bodies and their lives.
I cried twice while reading this book, once because I could relate so well, and once because I was happy with the outcome for these characters who became like real people to me. There are no perfect endings for this book, but it is satisfying, hopeful, and believable.
April 18, 2024
When Annabel is assigned to help her old classmate Julia, she agrees as it is her only chance to get a last message through to her family - because Annabel is a ghost. She knows how to 'fix' Julia too - after all, if she is overweight, Annabel knows all the tips and tricks to stop yourself from eating...but who is really helping who?
A smart, thought-provoking and moving tale.
A smart, thought-provoking and moving tale.
July 17, 2017
RTC. Jarring, good but yeah...different
June 22, 2016
This book is literally stunning- a stand out dialogue of Irish mental health, the education system and coming of age. The very existence of 'Annabel''s narrative makes us question if she is the 'ana' of 'pro-ana' blog posts or if she is the innocent child she should have been.
I do wish the book had acknowledged the difficulty of recovering from an eating disorder mind set, because even slight tendencies related to a phobia of food or body image can take time and effort to shift.
But, ending aside, I have to give this book 5 stars because of the detailed development of vulnerable and genuine characters, especially female characters.
I do wish the book had acknowledged the difficulty of recovering from an eating disorder mind set, because even slight tendencies related to a phobia of food or body image can take time and effort to shift.
But, ending aside, I have to give this book 5 stars because of the detailed development of vulnerable and genuine characters, especially female characters.
October 10, 2016
This review appears on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a review copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Nothing Tastes As Good was a very confronting but important read about body image and confidence. I was a little bit tentative going into the story but ultimately, it blew me away. However, there were a couple of things that held me back from giving it a higher rating and I’m going to get into those now.
Trigger warning for eating disorders.
My biggest problem with the book isn’t really a problem. I was just a bit uncomfortable with some of the things that were going on in the book. Let me explain the plot. Annabel is dead and in order to get one final message back to her family, she must help someone in need and be their spirit guide. Spirit guides don’t actually interact with humans but is more of an all-knowing being who is able to put certain thoughts into their heads. Annabel assigned Julia, a girl who goes to the school that Annabel used to attend… and Julia is overweight. As someone who was engaging in very unhealthy behaviours when she was alive, Annabel seems to think that the solution to Julia’s problems is to lose weight. This was kind of what made me really uncomfortable when I was reading the novel. For a good portion of the book, Annabel encourages very disordered eating behaviour and there’s also a lot of fat-shaming. Even though I’ve never struggled with restrictive eating or really had any problematic body image concerns, I still found it to be a little bit hard to read. I can imagine this story being a trigger for some readers who might have issues with body image and eating. There are also a few things that I found to be really inappropriate, such as teachers discussing a student’s weight and how they think this particular student should exercise. Of course, all of these issues are addressed later on in the book and explicitly deemed problematic, but I was still taken aback by how confronting it was.
Having said that, I really did enjoy what the book offered. Even though the book does contain some problematic behaviours, it was obvious from the start that these things would be tackled later on during the book. I thought it was a really important read that lots of readers would get a lot out of, as long as it’s not triggering at the start. It explores the causes and consequences of eating disorders through both Annabel and Julia’s characters. It also explores self-esteem and standing up for yourself. What I especially loved about the book was that it contains characters that were career-focused and driven and I thought it was a really realistic story. I also loved the little elements of mystery in this book. It’s unclear what Annabel’s story is until halfway through the story and it was an interesting experience trying to figure that out. Likewise, it’s a bit of a mystery what Julia’s story is and exactly why she needs help and guidance from Annabel. These mystery elements kept me engaged in the book because I wanted to find out more.
I also highly enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the book. Annabel was definitely not a likeable character at the start because of how judgmental she was, but she gradually develops more empathy and starts to be able to see others and herself more clearly. I ended up loving her character in the end. Julia was definitely my favourite character of the novel though. I found her to be such a relatable character and I could connect with her worries and her struggles. She was definitely a really realistic character. What I appreciated most about the book is that there are no perfect characters. The author highlights each character’s flaws brilliantly and it was so easy to connect with them because they were real people.
Nothing Tastes As Good is a confronting story that might potentially be triggering for some readers. However, I thought the themes and the issues explored in this book were really important and I thought they were executed quite well. The characters were flawed but realistic and the plot of the book was engaging and interesting.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a review copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Nothing Tastes As Good was a very confronting but important read about body image and confidence. I was a little bit tentative going into the story but ultimately, it blew me away. However, there were a couple of things that held me back from giving it a higher rating and I’m going to get into those now.
Trigger warning for eating disorders.
My biggest problem with the book isn’t really a problem. I was just a bit uncomfortable with some of the things that were going on in the book. Let me explain the plot. Annabel is dead and in order to get one final message back to her family, she must help someone in need and be their spirit guide. Spirit guides don’t actually interact with humans but is more of an all-knowing being who is able to put certain thoughts into their heads. Annabel assigned Julia, a girl who goes to the school that Annabel used to attend… and Julia is overweight. As someone who was engaging in very unhealthy behaviours when she was alive, Annabel seems to think that the solution to Julia’s problems is to lose weight. This was kind of what made me really uncomfortable when I was reading the novel. For a good portion of the book, Annabel encourages very disordered eating behaviour and there’s also a lot of fat-shaming. Even though I’ve never struggled with restrictive eating or really had any problematic body image concerns, I still found it to be a little bit hard to read. I can imagine this story being a trigger for some readers who might have issues with body image and eating. There are also a few things that I found to be really inappropriate, such as teachers discussing a student’s weight and how they think this particular student should exercise. Of course, all of these issues are addressed later on in the book and explicitly deemed problematic, but I was still taken aback by how confronting it was.
Having said that, I really did enjoy what the book offered. Even though the book does contain some problematic behaviours, it was obvious from the start that these things would be tackled later on during the book. I thought it was a really important read that lots of readers would get a lot out of, as long as it’s not triggering at the start. It explores the causes and consequences of eating disorders through both Annabel and Julia’s characters. It also explores self-esteem and standing up for yourself. What I especially loved about the book was that it contains characters that were career-focused and driven and I thought it was a really realistic story. I also loved the little elements of mystery in this book. It’s unclear what Annabel’s story is until halfway through the story and it was an interesting experience trying to figure that out. Likewise, it’s a bit of a mystery what Julia’s story is and exactly why she needs help and guidance from Annabel. These mystery elements kept me engaged in the book because I wanted to find out more.
This is what she needs to do. Not this crazed eating/starving/exercising/panicking cycle, I finally, finally realise. In this moment, she is glorious.
I also highly enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the book. Annabel was definitely not a likeable character at the start because of how judgmental she was, but she gradually develops more empathy and starts to be able to see others and herself more clearly. I ended up loving her character in the end. Julia was definitely my favourite character of the novel though. I found her to be such a relatable character and I could connect with her worries and her struggles. She was definitely a really realistic character. What I appreciated most about the book is that there are no perfect characters. The author highlights each character’s flaws brilliantly and it was so easy to connect with them because they were real people.
Nothing Tastes As Good is a confronting story that might potentially be triggering for some readers. However, I thought the themes and the issues explored in this book were really important and I thought they were executed quite well. The characters were flawed but realistic and the plot of the book was engaging and interesting.
July 17, 2016
I connected with this book, as I could see a lot of myself in Julia.
I feel for her and also try to smother my emotions with food.
Annabel was a difficult narrator to read, and it became clear why after a few chapters. Once I adjusted my mindset to see the struggles that Annabel faced - her own issues with food - I really got into this book. It was well-written, with realistic reactions and shows an understanding of the topics, while still telling a relatable and intriguing story.
One thing that did throw me out early on was the character names. To me, they seemed old fashioned - names of teenagers in my mam's year at school rather than current teens. I work in schools and have yet to come across a teenage Lorraine or Deborah... but I know they will exist somewhere. It just seemed weird to have them all assembled in the same year at school, but I reasoned these names may be popular in Ireland for teens.
The book was fantastic and I raced through it, casting aside my other books just to enjoy it sooner.
It's a book I will shelve in my classroom and recommend to teens.
I feel for her and also try to smother my emotions with food.
Annabel was a difficult narrator to read, and it became clear why after a few chapters. Once I adjusted my mindset to see the struggles that Annabel faced - her own issues with food - I really got into this book. It was well-written, with realistic reactions and shows an understanding of the topics, while still telling a relatable and intriguing story.
One thing that did throw me out early on was the character names. To me, they seemed old fashioned - names of teenagers in my mam's year at school rather than current teens. I work in schools and have yet to come across a teenage Lorraine or Deborah... but I know they will exist somewhere. It just seemed weird to have them all assembled in the same year at school, but I reasoned these names may be popular in Ireland for teens.
The book was fantastic and I raced through it, casting aside my other books just to enjoy it sooner.
It's a book I will shelve in my classroom and recommend to teens.
June 16, 2017
I can see why people have negative reactions to this book. But I think that it is very well done. Yes, it seems as though it is 'fat shaming' and 'glorifying eating disorders', but it is not really doing that. If you have ever had a real eating disorder, then you will reckonise this narrator's talk quite well. This is what its like to have that ed voice in your head (although this is a pretty light example). Its a positive outlook at the end and I think those who did not read until the end, gave up because of how negative it must have seemed, needed to finish the story. Id definitely re-read this. Its a fast read and its got sensitive topics but its worth it.
May 25, 2017
I was so excited for this book and as usual with Claire's books, it exceeded my expectations. I haven't the words to do it justice but the writing really lets you get into the mind and world of eating disorders. The developments along the way and just everything was so perfect. I actually cried at the end. I wish everyone could read this. Well done Claire Hennessy, can't wait for the next!
April 22, 2017
This is such a harmful book. I have pages and pages of notes as to why this is harmful, which I will type up at some point.
If you suffer with an ed, or have suffered from one, or just are a decent human being, do not read this book. I've been in a state of depression since I read this a few weeks ago. I thought I was OK to read it, but I wasn't. Do not risk your health by reading it.
If you suffer with an ed, or have suffered from one, or just are a decent human being, do not read this book. I've been in a state of depression since I read this a few weeks ago. I thought I was OK to read it, but I wasn't. Do not risk your health by reading it.
August 15, 2016
Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy!
This book is amazing and focuses on food, friends, family and your lasting legacy.
Definitely recommend you pick it up!
Full review will be here soon: https://rosiefrecklereads.wordpress.com/
This book is amazing and focuses on food, friends, family and your lasting legacy.
Definitely recommend you pick it up!
Full review will be here soon: https://rosiefrecklereads.wordpress.com/
August 3, 2016
It was really well written and I think it portrayed the mentality of someone with body image issues very well. Really enjoyable
January 31, 2018
Warnings for the book (besides eating disorders): sexual assault/rape , young girl being in a relationship with a much older man. These are the few I can think off the top of my head, there may be more I've missed.
EDIT: Additionally, the author seems to become aggressive when her books are critiqued? https://twitter.com/heidiheilig/statu...
https://twitter.com/heidiheilig/statu...
https://twitter.com/HillaryMonahan/st...
https://twitter.com/Bibliogato/status...
Here's some stuff on it!
Now here's a review from before I found out about her behaviour.
I liked this book a lot. However, I am not a plus-size person and have a fairly unremarkable relationship with food, and not struggled with an ED. Please take that into account when reading this review.
What I liked: It was an interesting narrative. Anabel definitely has an extremely toxic way of thinking, but I suppose we just don't see a lot of anti-recovery characters. Which is fair, considering that's the opposite of what we want people to be doing. But we got one this time, so that was interesting and new to see.
What I didn't like: I'm not really sure why the trope "young barely legal high school girl gets involved with a man who is literally a father" crops up now and then in YA novels these days? This is the second time this year. I have to say I'm not a fan.
EDIT: Additionally, the author seems to become aggressive when her books are critiqued? https://twitter.com/heidiheilig/statu...
https://twitter.com/heidiheilig/statu...
https://twitter.com/HillaryMonahan/st...
https://twitter.com/Bibliogato/status...
Here's some stuff on it!
Now here's a review from before I found out about her behaviour.
I liked this book a lot. However, I am not a plus-size person and have a fairly unremarkable relationship with food, and not struggled with an ED. Please take that into account when reading this review.
What I liked: It was an interesting narrative. Anabel definitely has an extremely toxic way of thinking, but I suppose we just don't see a lot of anti-recovery characters. Which is fair, considering that's the opposite of what we want people to be doing. But we got one this time, so that was interesting and new to see.
What I didn't like: I'm not really sure why the trope "young barely legal high school girl gets involved with a man who is literally a father" crops up now and then in YA novels these days? This is the second time this year. I have to say I'm not a fan.
November 4, 2016
Claire Hennessy pulls off a really interesting narrative trick in this book. It's told in first person from the perspective of a ghost, Annabelle, who is haunting her former classmate, Julia. The really interesting part is that Annabelle, being a ghost, has the ability to read the thoughts of those around her: so not only does she know what Julia is thinking, but also her classmates and parents. This sounds needlessly complex, but Hennessy makes it work. The narration feels effortless and authentic, in its depiction not only of Annabelle and Julia, but the other students, parents, and teachers around her.
This is not a comfortable book. It is not a spoiler to say that Annabelle has died of complications due to her anorexia: that is the centre of the story. But it's not just the depiction of a serious mental illness that's uncomfortable: the writing about body image, young women's sexuality, and predatory men, are all very genuinely and honestly recounted, and this creates a powerful story, but one that is at times brutal. I have admired Hennessy's work for a long time, and this is an important addition to YA novels. Not only does it delve into important issues and is unapologetically feminist, it is also clever, funny and has an excellent and original conceit. I recommend it highly.
This is not a comfortable book. It is not a spoiler to say that Annabelle has died of complications due to her anorexia: that is the centre of the story. But it's not just the depiction of a serious mental illness that's uncomfortable: the writing about body image, young women's sexuality, and predatory men, are all very genuinely and honestly recounted, and this creates a powerful story, but one that is at times brutal. I have admired Hennessy's work for a long time, and this is an important addition to YA novels. Not only does it delve into important issues and is unapologetically feminist, it is also clever, funny and has an excellent and original conceit. I recommend it highly.
April 2, 2017
Being a bigger person I related with this book, I know the bad connection you can have with food and how hard it is to break it.
I liked that this book promotes that and does it in a good way.
I really enjoyed the character development and the story development :) it was just a stunning read.
Definitely a recommend read.
I liked that this book promotes that and does it in a good way.
I really enjoyed the character development and the story development :) it was just a stunning read.
Definitely a recommend read.
August 13, 2018
Julia is a girl affected by her past, Annabel is the voice urging her on into disordered eating, a voice of a girl who died due to her anorexia.
In order to get a message home from beyond the grave, Annabel must help Julia to become happy believing Julia is stressed and sad because of her pressure she puts on herself to be perfect, flawless in her future career as a journalist and run the school newspaper efficiently.
However as deeper issues surrounding an older man come to light, broken friendships, new friendships and even a relationship bloom and soon Julia is destroying but living her life at the same time during her rocky patch inspired by Annabel's memory.
This was a strange read personifing yet making anorexia a ghost at the same time. Julia was a believable character to suffer as you see her become engrossed in discovering Annabel and her desire to be perfect on the newspaper team. It was realistic but could be triggering at places too. I feel the writing flitted from amateurish to just uninteresting in areas but I finished the story and that was good overall.
In order to get a message home from beyond the grave, Annabel must help Julia to become happy believing Julia is stressed and sad because of her pressure she puts on herself to be perfect, flawless in her future career as a journalist and run the school newspaper efficiently.
However as deeper issues surrounding an older man come to light, broken friendships, new friendships and even a relationship bloom and soon Julia is destroying but living her life at the same time during her rocky patch inspired by Annabel's memory.
This was a strange read personifing yet making anorexia a ghost at the same time. Julia was a believable character to suffer as you see her become engrossed in discovering Annabel and her desire to be perfect on the newspaper team. It was realistic but could be triggering at places too. I feel the writing flitted from amateurish to just uninteresting in areas but I finished the story and that was good overall.
June 23, 2020
Na prvý pohľad som si myslela že to bude taká fajn oddychovka na leto. Po prečítaní anotácie to získalo nádych duchariny.
No a počas čítania som zistila že je to niečo úplne iné. Čo MUSÍM knihe vytknúť je, že na knihe nie je VAROVANIE, na väčšine kníh ktoré sa venujú rôznymi psychickými problémami tieto varovania sú, no tu som ho vôbec nenašla. To je podľa mňa najväčší problém ktorý som z knihou mala. Inak ma bavil autorkin štýl písania aj to, ako mala príbeh vymyslený. Postavy mi boli sympatické a celkom mi kniha pomohla s lepším chápaním mentality anorektičiek.
Knihu hodnotím celkom kladne, no a hviezdičku strhávam za absenciu varovania, nakoľko si nemyslím že si táto kniha môže dovoliť nemať ho.
No a počas čítania som zistila že je to niečo úplne iné. Čo MUSÍM knihe vytknúť je, že na knihe nie je VAROVANIE, na väčšine kníh ktoré sa venujú rôznymi psychickými problémami tieto varovania sú, no tu som ho vôbec nenašla. To je podľa mňa najväčší problém ktorý som z knihou mala. Inak ma bavil autorkin štýl písania aj to, ako mala príbeh vymyslený. Postavy mi boli sympatické a celkom mi kniha pomohla s lepším chápaním mentality anorektičiek.
Knihu hodnotím celkom kladne, no a hviezdičku strhávam za absenciu varovania, nakoľko si nemyslím že si táto kniha môže dovoliť nemať ho.
May 29, 2019
It's predictable. But the feeling rollercoaster is real.
Read
March 27, 2025no rating for this because nobody should read this. in actual fact i don't think it should have been written. awful and very very harmful
May 1, 2017
I happened to see this book by chance, in my local library. I was drawn to it because it's cover, it's title - I'm anorexic, and I happen to be drawn to things relating to mental health. It doesn't expressly say on it that it's about anorexia, but the cover made it pretty obvious to me. A warning to anyone that wants to read it: it's hard. If you suffer from something like this, like me, then you will probably have difficulty reading something so close to home. Especially if you're recovering. But it gets better. (I mean the book; I'm not using that "life gets better" crap.)
So Annabel is dead. I'm studying The Lovely Bones at school so the whole beyond-death narration isn't that special to me now. But Hennessy does it pretty differently to Sebold.
We don't know much about Annabel, not at first. But we begin to learn about her while she helps her assigned "soul-in-need" - The Boss (definitely not God) has promised her a final communication with her family if she helps Julia. And this looks easy, at first - Julia is from Annabel's old school, with a loving family and good grades. Everything is fine, except she's fat. Annabel thinks this should be easy - after all, she's an expert in weight loss. She lost weight until she died.
But Annabel soon finds out that Julia's issues are a whole lot more complex than her weight. At first, losing weight helps. But then her old scars come back to haunt her, and Annabel realises that maybe losing weight isn't going to fix all her problems.
Aside from the obvious issue, this book does talk about a lot of important topics. It covers friendships and relationships, like most YA novels do, but it also combats ideas on feminism, affairs with older men, and people all having their own hidden demons.
At first, I wasn't keen on Annabel. I wanted to like her - I felt I should, because I could relate to her story so much. But she was a bitch. She wanted other people to be like her, and rather than encouraging recovery and health and happiness, she shared tipped on weight loss. It really did hurt to read. Her ideas on "perfection" and being weak for eating just really hit a nerve for me. Not because it was wrong (though I'd never encourage an eating disorder in someone else), but because it's exactly how I'd think about myself. Her behaviours, her worries, her anger - they were so real.
But Annabel, despite being dead, grows alongside Julia. Yes, she tells Julia to starve herself and run on an empty stomach and hate herself, but eventually she starts to feel for her. She wants Julia to combat her issues, to actually be happy. And she realises, despite having been so upset with her old friends for recovering, that maybe she wasted her life. Maybe she could have been something more, rather than striving to be less.
I found this really emotional. Annabel's love for her sister, the sister she neglected for years while she was focused on her goals, and the future she cut short. The way Julia's life changed when her passion for writing and journalism was overtaken by her obsession with food, calories, exercise. It's so real and so sad. And the ending isn't "happily ever after" - Annabel's still dead, Julia's in counselling - but it's real. It gives hope that things can change, that Julia can really achieve happiness.
At first, I didn't like this that much. I know Annabel is just a character, but I just didn't like her. She was one of those girls that makes anorexia sound like a choice, a lifestyle, and I hated that. But later she realises she is sick, and I actually felt sorry for her. I was sorry that she had been brainwashed by her illness into believing she was doing what was right.
The only reason I'm giving just 4.5 stars to this book is because Annabel was a bitch. Yes, she is a character, and yes, she grows considerably throughout the novel, but her encouragement of EDs just drove me insane. Personal pet peeve, I guess.
So Annabel is dead. I'm studying The Lovely Bones at school so the whole beyond-death narration isn't that special to me now. But Hennessy does it pretty differently to Sebold.
We don't know much about Annabel, not at first. But we begin to learn about her while she helps her assigned "soul-in-need" - The Boss (definitely not God) has promised her a final communication with her family if she helps Julia. And this looks easy, at first - Julia is from Annabel's old school, with a loving family and good grades. Everything is fine, except she's fat. Annabel thinks this should be easy - after all, she's an expert in weight loss. She lost weight until she died.
But Annabel soon finds out that Julia's issues are a whole lot more complex than her weight. At first, losing weight helps. But then her old scars come back to haunt her, and Annabel realises that maybe losing weight isn't going to fix all her problems.
Aside from the obvious issue, this book does talk about a lot of important topics. It covers friendships and relationships, like most YA novels do, but it also combats ideas on feminism, affairs with older men, and people all having their own hidden demons.
At first, I wasn't keen on Annabel. I wanted to like her - I felt I should, because I could relate to her story so much. But she was a bitch. She wanted other people to be like her, and rather than encouraging recovery and health and happiness, she shared tipped on weight loss. It really did hurt to read. Her ideas on "perfection" and being weak for eating just really hit a nerve for me. Not because it was wrong (though I'd never encourage an eating disorder in someone else), but because it's exactly how I'd think about myself. Her behaviours, her worries, her anger - they were so real.
But Annabel, despite being dead, grows alongside Julia. Yes, she tells Julia to starve herself and run on an empty stomach and hate herself, but eventually she starts to feel for her. She wants Julia to combat her issues, to actually be happy. And she realises, despite having been so upset with her old friends for recovering, that maybe she wasted her life. Maybe she could have been something more, rather than striving to be less.
I found this really emotional. Annabel's love for her sister, the sister she neglected for years while she was focused on her goals, and the future she cut short. The way Julia's life changed when her passion for writing and journalism was overtaken by her obsession with food, calories, exercise. It's so real and so sad. And the ending isn't "happily ever after" - Annabel's still dead, Julia's in counselling - but it's real. It gives hope that things can change, that Julia can really achieve happiness.
At first, I didn't like this that much. I know Annabel is just a character, but I just didn't like her. She was one of those girls that makes anorexia sound like a choice, a lifestyle, and I hated that. But later she realises she is sick, and I actually felt sorry for her. I was sorry that she had been brainwashed by her illness into believing she was doing what was right.
The only reason I'm giving just 4.5 stars to this book is because Annabel was a bitch. Yes, she is a character, and yes, she grows considerably throughout the novel, but her encouragement of EDs just drove me insane. Personal pet peeve, I guess.
February 13, 2019
I particularly liked the way Claire manages to make her characters sound like real teenagers and not simply what an adult thinks teenagers sound like. The plot is interesting and the guardian angel/spirit idea is cute.
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