What do you think?
Rate this book
Insatiable: The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power
Written in episodic format, this moving story follows four teenage girls whose shame, fear, and confusion compel them to binge, purge, and refuse to eat in misguided attempts to feel safe and in control of their lives. Original. 100,000 first printing.
292 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2001
7 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Eve Eliot
4 books5 followersA therapist for the past twelve years, during which time she has treated patients individually and in groups, Eve is also a consultant for The Caron Foundation, where she is a facilitator in their week-long compulsive eating treatment program.
A frequently sought after expert in the field of food addictions, Eve has appeared on television with Barbara Walters, as well as on radio and local cable shows. She participated in the Choice Opens Our Lives (C.O.O.L.) Project, visiting schools to do workshops with students on the topic of eating disorders.
An award-winning advertising copywriter in New York City prior to pursuing her current work in clinical psychology, Eve is the co-author of The Health Family Cookbook. She pursued additional training in the field of nutrition, and studied cooking for health at the Kushi Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Eve Eliot received both her undergraduate degree in psychology and her graduate training in psychology and social work at Queens College, City University of New York; Adelphi and Stonybrook Universities. She worked as a research associate in the department of psychology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She has certificates of completion in both addiction counseling and eating-disorder counseling programs, and has been trained to use experiential techniques, including psycho-drama, to treat trauma survivors. In addition, Eve is the co-creator of The Eliot-Caplan Method, a new way of treating food addiction, and co-founder of the Menu for Living Weekend Workshops.
A frequently sought after expert in the field of food addictions, Eve has appeared on television with Barbara Walters, as well as on radio and local cable shows. She participated in the Choice Opens Our Lives (C.O.O.L.) Project, visiting schools to do workshops with students on the topic of eating disorders.
An award-winning advertising copywriter in New York City prior to pursuing her current work in clinical psychology, Eve is the co-author of The Health Family Cookbook. She pursued additional training in the field of nutrition, and studied cooking for health at the Kushi Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Eve Eliot received both her undergraduate degree in psychology and her graduate training in psychology and social work at Queens College, City University of New York; Adelphi and Stonybrook Universities. She worked as a research associate in the department of psychology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She has certificates of completion in both addiction counseling and eating-disorder counseling programs, and has been trained to use experiential techniques, including psycho-drama, to treat trauma survivors. In addition, Eve is the co-creator of The Eliot-Caplan Method, a new way of treating food addiction, and co-founder of the Menu for Living Weekend Workshops.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 22, 2008
I read this as part of a course I did at Lesley on Adolescent Literature. I highly recommend this series. The author follows a group of friends who meet in an eating disorder support group and the storyline is not only true-to-life but it is truer then we would like to believe.
November 8, 2015
Seems fairly accurate in capturing the facts and textbook feelings of various eating disorders. If you are a junkie for eating disorder books, this might be your fix, but the writing's pretty darn awful.
September 17, 2010
Insatiable and Ravenous tell the story of a group of high school (and then college) students struggling with eating disorders.
I had a hard time giving these books credence based upon either the writing or the treatment of eating disorders. The plot is fairly thin, the characters flat (even into the second book I occasionally had to check to see which character I was reading about), and the lessons very, very heavy-handed. The treatment of eating disorders borders on pop psychology - everybody's reasons for having an eating disorder, and their triggers, are insanely clear-cut (and, yes, almost always come back to the parents).
The one thing that I did appreciate about these books was that they weren't unrealistically positive. Yes, the characters have eating disorders. Yes, some of them will get better. No, perhaps not all of them, and no, it won't be easy. I was glad that the books didn't wrap up tidily with a bow on top - but otherwise I was less than impressed.
Note: Cross-posted as a review for Ravenous.
I had a hard time giving these books credence based upon either the writing or the treatment of eating disorders. The plot is fairly thin, the characters flat (even into the second book I occasionally had to check to see which character I was reading about), and the lessons very, very heavy-handed. The treatment of eating disorders borders on pop psychology - everybody's reasons for having an eating disorder, and their triggers, are insanely clear-cut (and, yes, almost always come back to the parents).
The one thing that I did appreciate about these books was that they weren't unrealistically positive. Yes, the characters have eating disorders. Yes, some of them will get better. No, perhaps not all of them, and no, it won't be easy. I was glad that the books didn't wrap up tidily with a bow on top - but otherwise I was less than impressed.
Note: Cross-posted as a review for Ravenous.
January 21, 2014
Teen fiction again so not really my thing. Author Eve Eliot is herself an anorexic with degrees in psychology and experience as a therapist with an agenda. It shows. I'm afraid I found the style of writing poor with loads of repetition, and far too many descriptive phrases. Amateurish and in need of a good strong edit. It’s about four girls with eating disorders who all attend a group session with the same therapist. It's difficult to remember the detail of each one, so constant changing between all four is tricky. The author doesn’t stay true to the viewpoint of individuals and that further confuses the reader. Sorry, I wanted to sound more sympathetic to an author who's known trouble herself.
January 23, 2014
Very poor writing but a good look at eating disorders in all areas and perspectives. Felt like I was reading from a psychology scenario for class at each scene so it definitely didn't read like a true novel. Poorly written but good if you don't know much about eating disorders and want to understand.
July 28, 2008
I remember liking this book back when I was in middle school, but I've found it somewhat lacking since then. It's a good introduction to the unhappy world of eating disorders for the younger crowd, but pretty much stops there.
July 21, 2017
The girls stories were interesting, but I couldn't get through it. The characters weren't very believable.
March 26, 2011
A really great look at eating disorders, and well-written for a younger reader. The "recovery" stage of the teens in the book is a bit too unrealistic, but in all it's an enjoyable read.
March 21, 2019
"Insatiable: The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food, and It's Power", and it's sequel, "Ravenous: The Stirring Tale of Teen Love, Loss, and Courage" were both written by Eve Eliot. They are young adult novels, published in 2001 and 2002. The books follow characters that meet in eating disorder group therapy. I enjoyed these stories in high school and revisited them in college. Unsurprisingly, now that I am in my mid 20s, Eliot's work does not hold up as well under scrutiny. I understand they her books are written with a younger audience in mind, but my criticisms stem more from how the different eating disorders are depicted. Seeing as the author is both a survivor of an eating disorder, and a practicing clinician, close examination is warranted.
It isn’t entirely clear what Eve Eliot’s credentials are. From author bios and back covers, I’ve gathered that Eliot studied psychology and social work at Queens College, The University of New York, Adelphi, and Stonybrook University. She was also research associate in the psychology program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although the certifications and degrees are not specifically named, her author bios state she is certified in both Addiction and Eating Disorder counseling. Eliot was co-creator of the Eliot-Caplan Method for treating food addiction, and co-founder of “The Menu for Living Weekend Workshops”. I haven’t found any current information on either of these programs. The website shared in the books is no longer operating.
It is abundantly clear Eliot’s clinical practice at the time was not HAES (Health at Every Size) informed. HAES may not have been the common vernacular at the time. But while I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when eating disorder clinicians began to understand body diversity, I know there were therapists and dietitians practicing in the early 2000s that incorporated HAES-like principles when treating clients. . I understand even today, the HAES model is not universal to eating disorder treatment. But I was treated using HAES. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) backs HAES. If you don’t like HAES, you probably won't like what I have to say.
In the Afterword of “Insatiable”, Eliot talks about her experiences with emotional eating as a child. On the back of both books, it’s stated that Eve Eliot has “suffered from and overcome Anorexia Nervosa, Compulsive Overeating, and Obesity. ” In a bio toward at the end of “Ravenous”, it states she is in recovery from “all the major eating disorders”, which rubs me the wrong way. What is a “major” eating disorder? Does that mean other eating disorders are somehow minor? “Overcoming obesity” is also a red flag for me, as it implies that being fat is in itself, an eating disorder. I am hoping Eve Eliot’s views have changed since 2002. From what I have found online, Eliot is still a practicing psychotherapist and an instructor of both yoga and meditation. She writes for the Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association.
It is apparent Eve Eliot was a clinician and not a seasoned novelist. Especially as the main characters are introduced, “Insatiable” reads more like a list of case studies rather than a fluid narrative. It describes the character, their clinically significant behaviors, and an interpersonal issue at or near the root of their eating disorder. These issues often deal directly with their relationship to their parents, and center around intimacy, grief, or autonomy. I refuse to believe these teenagers are that self-aware prior to seeking treatment. Some sections of the books go into excruciating detail about the character’s outfits, or interior decorating. This may very well be Eve Eliot’s patient fan-fiction.
Samantha is a cheerleader with Anorexia. She also struggles with self-injury. Although it’s never stated outright, it’s implied she may have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She begrudgingly joins Gale’s group when her mother gives her an ultimatum- outpatient therapy or inpatient treatment. Most of her plot lines revolve around her romantic interests.
Hannah struggles with Bulimia, and is coping with the death of her mother, who battled both cancer and Anorexia. She is also coming to terms with her sexual orientation.
Phoebe struggles with Binge Eating Disorder. Her mother is a former model, and her father is a well-known photographer who works with super models and other celebrities. He constantly makes disparaging comments about Phoebe’s physical appearance. Phoebe works in his studio, and is therefore surrounded by successful and conventionally attractive people in the entertainment industry.
Jessica is Phoebe’s best friend. She is also a cheerleader struggling with Anorexia. She is still grieving the loss of her father, who contracted the HIV virus while working as a nurse, and died of AIDS. Her mother is often absent, and Jessica therefore shoulders most of the responsibility in caring for her little brother.
Binge Eating Disorder was not categorized as it’s own disorder until the DSM-5 was published in 2013. Clinical diagnoses of people who binged, but did not purge, usually fell into the Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) category. In these books, Eliot uses the term “Compulsive Overeating.”
In reality, most people who binge eat do so as a response to restrictive eating patterns. Whether this be intentionally starving oneself, dieting, or having to weather food scarcity. We do see Phoebe try to diet or restrict at times. But most of her restriction is inflicted by her parents. They serve low fat, low calorie foods for family meals, leaving Phoebe craving sweets and carbohydrates. She eats the foods she enjoys in secret, but in large amounts. Phoebe’s emotional reasons for eating and body image are the only trigger that is explored. Neither book addresses the role deprivation often plays in binge eating cycle.
Having a book that portrays Binge Eating Disorder at all is rare. I am still critical of Eliot, because while she wrote Phoebe with the best of intentions, this depiction is misleading for people stuck in a restrictive-binge-cycle. This applies to people with eating disorders, and to people without a clinically defined disorder that yo-yo diet. “Insatiable” and “Ravenous” come close, but are still rife with misconceptions when it comes to binge eating.
Hannah, who has Bulimia, does not restrict at first. She appears to eat normally outside her binge and purge sessions, yet is described as being underweight. She binge eats to self soothe. There are people who binge eat that do not restrict, but this is rare. Eliot writes both Hannah and Phoebe as only binging for emotional reasons, and this is an oversimplification of their eating disorders. When Hannah begins to abstain from purging, she avoids her trigger foods entirely. While this may be necessary early in treatment, it’s usually not sustainable in the long term.
There is a minor character in both books named Billy, who also struggles with “Compulsive Overeating.” Billy and Phoebe are both characters with clinical eating disorders who are described as fat. Gale includes weight loss in both of their treatment plans. During Phoebe’s second individual session, Gale puts her on a low fat diet and encourages her to start reading food labels. Someone who isn’t familiar with treating eating disorders may not see a problem with this, but to me, this is a red flag for a treatment provider. Weight loss should never be an objective of eating disorder treatment, and prescribing a diet is akin to prescribing another eating disorder. But at the time this book was written, and with the education the author received, this was often considered an acceptable practice. Today there are still treatment providers that practice this way, but it’s frowned upon.
Author Eve Eliot is said to be well recognized in the field of “food addiction.” In her bio in the back of “Ravenous” it states she was a consultant for The Caron Foundation’s Compulsive Eating Treatment program. I don’t care how extensive her resume is. I still don’t agree with the methods she depicted in her books. If you are not familiar with HAES-based eating disorder treatment or intuitive eating, I strongly encourage you check out the websites and social media accounts of clinicians like Jennifer Rollin , Mary Radovich, Christy Harrison. These are just three people I’m naming off the top of my head. There are numerous therapists and dietitians that practice HAES.
Read the rest of my review for Insatiable, and it's sequel, Ravenous:
https://bitemeblogs.wordpress.com/201...
It isn’t entirely clear what Eve Eliot’s credentials are. From author bios and back covers, I’ve gathered that Eliot studied psychology and social work at Queens College, The University of New York, Adelphi, and Stonybrook University. She was also research associate in the psychology program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although the certifications and degrees are not specifically named, her author bios state she is certified in both Addiction and Eating Disorder counseling. Eliot was co-creator of the Eliot-Caplan Method for treating food addiction, and co-founder of “The Menu for Living Weekend Workshops”. I haven’t found any current information on either of these programs. The website shared in the books is no longer operating.
It is abundantly clear Eliot’s clinical practice at the time was not HAES (Health at Every Size) informed. HAES may not have been the common vernacular at the time. But while I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when eating disorder clinicians began to understand body diversity, I know there were therapists and dietitians practicing in the early 2000s that incorporated HAES-like principles when treating clients. . I understand even today, the HAES model is not universal to eating disorder treatment. But I was treated using HAES. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) backs HAES. If you don’t like HAES, you probably won't like what I have to say.
In the Afterword of “Insatiable”, Eliot talks about her experiences with emotional eating as a child. On the back of both books, it’s stated that Eve Eliot has “suffered from and overcome Anorexia Nervosa, Compulsive Overeating, and Obesity. ” In a bio toward at the end of “Ravenous”, it states she is in recovery from “all the major eating disorders”, which rubs me the wrong way. What is a “major” eating disorder? Does that mean other eating disorders are somehow minor? “Overcoming obesity” is also a red flag for me, as it implies that being fat is in itself, an eating disorder. I am hoping Eve Eliot’s views have changed since 2002. From what I have found online, Eliot is still a practicing psychotherapist and an instructor of both yoga and meditation. She writes for the Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association.
It is apparent Eve Eliot was a clinician and not a seasoned novelist. Especially as the main characters are introduced, “Insatiable” reads more like a list of case studies rather than a fluid narrative. It describes the character, their clinically significant behaviors, and an interpersonal issue at or near the root of their eating disorder. These issues often deal directly with their relationship to their parents, and center around intimacy, grief, or autonomy. I refuse to believe these teenagers are that self-aware prior to seeking treatment. Some sections of the books go into excruciating detail about the character’s outfits, or interior decorating. This may very well be Eve Eliot’s patient fan-fiction.
Samantha is a cheerleader with Anorexia. She also struggles with self-injury. Although it’s never stated outright, it’s implied she may have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She begrudgingly joins Gale’s group when her mother gives her an ultimatum- outpatient therapy or inpatient treatment. Most of her plot lines revolve around her romantic interests.
Hannah struggles with Bulimia, and is coping with the death of her mother, who battled both cancer and Anorexia. She is also coming to terms with her sexual orientation.
Phoebe struggles with Binge Eating Disorder. Her mother is a former model, and her father is a well-known photographer who works with super models and other celebrities. He constantly makes disparaging comments about Phoebe’s physical appearance. Phoebe works in his studio, and is therefore surrounded by successful and conventionally attractive people in the entertainment industry.
Jessica is Phoebe’s best friend. She is also a cheerleader struggling with Anorexia. She is still grieving the loss of her father, who contracted the HIV virus while working as a nurse, and died of AIDS. Her mother is often absent, and Jessica therefore shoulders most of the responsibility in caring for her little brother.
Binge Eating Disorder was not categorized as it’s own disorder until the DSM-5 was published in 2013. Clinical diagnoses of people who binged, but did not purge, usually fell into the Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) category. In these books, Eliot uses the term “Compulsive Overeating.”
In reality, most people who binge eat do so as a response to restrictive eating patterns. Whether this be intentionally starving oneself, dieting, or having to weather food scarcity. We do see Phoebe try to diet or restrict at times. But most of her restriction is inflicted by her parents. They serve low fat, low calorie foods for family meals, leaving Phoebe craving sweets and carbohydrates. She eats the foods she enjoys in secret, but in large amounts. Phoebe’s emotional reasons for eating and body image are the only trigger that is explored. Neither book addresses the role deprivation often plays in binge eating cycle.
Having a book that portrays Binge Eating Disorder at all is rare. I am still critical of Eliot, because while she wrote Phoebe with the best of intentions, this depiction is misleading for people stuck in a restrictive-binge-cycle. This applies to people with eating disorders, and to people without a clinically defined disorder that yo-yo diet. “Insatiable” and “Ravenous” come close, but are still rife with misconceptions when it comes to binge eating.
Hannah, who has Bulimia, does not restrict at first. She appears to eat normally outside her binge and purge sessions, yet is described as being underweight. She binge eats to self soothe. There are people who binge eat that do not restrict, but this is rare. Eliot writes both Hannah and Phoebe as only binging for emotional reasons, and this is an oversimplification of their eating disorders. When Hannah begins to abstain from purging, she avoids her trigger foods entirely. While this may be necessary early in treatment, it’s usually not sustainable in the long term.
There is a minor character in both books named Billy, who also struggles with “Compulsive Overeating.” Billy and Phoebe are both characters with clinical eating disorders who are described as fat. Gale includes weight loss in both of their treatment plans. During Phoebe’s second individual session, Gale puts her on a low fat diet and encourages her to start reading food labels. Someone who isn’t familiar with treating eating disorders may not see a problem with this, but to me, this is a red flag for a treatment provider. Weight loss should never be an objective of eating disorder treatment, and prescribing a diet is akin to prescribing another eating disorder. But at the time this book was written, and with the education the author received, this was often considered an acceptable practice. Today there are still treatment providers that practice this way, but it’s frowned upon.
Author Eve Eliot is said to be well recognized in the field of “food addiction.” In her bio in the back of “Ravenous” it states she was a consultant for The Caron Foundation’s Compulsive Eating Treatment program. I don’t care how extensive her resume is. I still don’t agree with the methods she depicted in her books. If you are not familiar with HAES-based eating disorder treatment or intuitive eating, I strongly encourage you check out the websites and social media accounts of clinicians like Jennifer Rollin , Mary Radovich, Christy Harrison. These are just three people I’m naming off the top of my head. There are numerous therapists and dietitians that practice HAES.
Read the rest of my review for Insatiable, and it's sequel, Ravenous:
https://bitemeblogs.wordpress.com/201...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2017
I read the book Insatiable, by Eve Eliot. This novel covered the stories of four girls who all struggle with eating disorders. Samantha is anorexic and cuts herself in order to feel in control. She obsessively cleans her room to take her mind off of other things. Hannah is bulimic and uses this as a coping mechanism for her past. Jessica not only starves herself but tries to force her self-destructive ways on her friend, Phoebe. Phoebe is overweight and constantly binges because food makes her happy. All of these girls use food to numb other pains in their lives and it harms them greatly. The parents catch on to the issues and try to get the girls. The rest of the book covers the girls’ journey with their relationships with food and the possibility of recovery.
I enjoyed the concept of this book, but it tried to illustrate complex subjects through simple words. I would have preferred if the vocabulary would have been more advanced, but I suppose that this book is intended for younger audiences. Personally, the reading level of this book was too low for me, but the message that it was trying to get across about being aware of eating disorders is important and this would be a good introduction to eating disorders for young students. This book dealt with a lot of serious issues and reminded me of Perfect by Natasha Friend, though, personally, I didn’t think it was as good. The use of four main characters was overwhelming and I think that there was a significant amount of character development. I typically read more advanced books, but the topic was important. I just found this poorly written.
This book heavily revolved around the topic of suffering. The concept was a twisted, yet common ailment of self-destructive tendencies. It is ironic that a thing that keeps us alive can cause suffering. Samantha suffers both mentally and physically, with obsessive thoughts and an emaciated and battered body. Without necessary nutrients and fuel, her body is dying and she is experiencing the consequences of this. She isn’t able to think clearly and feels inclined to puncture her skin so that she is able to make herself feel in control. Because she feels that she has no control over her life, Samantha obsessively vacuums and organizes her room to reach a certain state of security. “When her room was vacuumed and the zebras were arranged all in a neat row, and when she hadn’t eaten in a whole day, life was bearable and the world seemed like a safe predictable place” (Eliot 21).
Hannah’s suffering is more mental, but this doesn't mean that her body is without harm from her vomiting and binging habits. Hannah’s mom passed away in the past with cancer, and an eating disorder that only Hannah noticed. Hannah blames herself for her mother’s death and thinks that she could have prevented it. Her body lacks necessary fuel due to purging , which fills her stomach with unhealthy food in overabundance, only to force it from her stomach to the empty toilet bowl. Hannah feels disgusted with herself constantly, but knows that her habits are bad, as she tries to hide her starved body from others with baggy clothing.
Jessica is suffering, but she also causes other people to suffer from her advice and what she is doing to herself. (***SPOILERS***) Jessica feels her starved body makes her better than others and that she is special. She tries to tell others to limit their eating as well to become like her. “I tell myself how happy I’ll feel when I wake up tomorrow morning feeling clean and thin” (Eliot 10). Her peers look to her for advice because her sickness seems beautiful, while her internal organs are shutting down and she can't even walk up a flight of stairs without feeling dizzy. Jessica eventually ends up in the hospital and she finds ways to destroy her food without eating even then, and her mother helps her. Jessica eventually dies, leaving the rest of her family in great pain.
Finally, Phoebe cannot stop eating and she hates herself for it. Her family and friends seem more focused on her weight than her outstanding grades. “Phoebe sighed. ‘I can’t stand the idea of not eating things that I like.’ She felt hopeless, helpless and alone” (Eliot 8). Not only does her best friend, Jessica dies, but she is left with the thought that her health is hopeless. Eventually, Phoebe gets into counseling and she takes control of her life, and starts losing weight for herself, and greatly diminishes her pain.
Works Cited
Eliot, Eve. Insatiable: the Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food, and Its Power. Health Communications, 2001.
I enjoyed the concept of this book, but it tried to illustrate complex subjects through simple words. I would have preferred if the vocabulary would have been more advanced, but I suppose that this book is intended for younger audiences. Personally, the reading level of this book was too low for me, but the message that it was trying to get across about being aware of eating disorders is important and this would be a good introduction to eating disorders for young students. This book dealt with a lot of serious issues and reminded me of Perfect by Natasha Friend, though, personally, I didn’t think it was as good. The use of four main characters was overwhelming and I think that there was a significant amount of character development. I typically read more advanced books, but the topic was important. I just found this poorly written.
This book heavily revolved around the topic of suffering. The concept was a twisted, yet common ailment of self-destructive tendencies. It is ironic that a thing that keeps us alive can cause suffering. Samantha suffers both mentally and physically, with obsessive thoughts and an emaciated and battered body. Without necessary nutrients and fuel, her body is dying and she is experiencing the consequences of this. She isn’t able to think clearly and feels inclined to puncture her skin so that she is able to make herself feel in control. Because she feels that she has no control over her life, Samantha obsessively vacuums and organizes her room to reach a certain state of security. “When her room was vacuumed and the zebras were arranged all in a neat row, and when she hadn’t eaten in a whole day, life was bearable and the world seemed like a safe predictable place” (Eliot 21).
Hannah’s suffering is more mental, but this doesn't mean that her body is without harm from her vomiting and binging habits. Hannah’s mom passed away in the past with cancer, and an eating disorder that only Hannah noticed. Hannah blames herself for her mother’s death and thinks that she could have prevented it. Her body lacks necessary fuel due to purging , which fills her stomach with unhealthy food in overabundance, only to force it from her stomach to the empty toilet bowl. Hannah feels disgusted with herself constantly, but knows that her habits are bad, as she tries to hide her starved body from others with baggy clothing.
Jessica is suffering, but she also causes other people to suffer from her advice and what she is doing to herself. (***SPOILERS***) Jessica feels her starved body makes her better than others and that she is special. She tries to tell others to limit their eating as well to become like her. “I tell myself how happy I’ll feel when I wake up tomorrow morning feeling clean and thin” (Eliot 10). Her peers look to her for advice because her sickness seems beautiful, while her internal organs are shutting down and she can't even walk up a flight of stairs without feeling dizzy. Jessica eventually ends up in the hospital and she finds ways to destroy her food without eating even then, and her mother helps her. Jessica eventually dies, leaving the rest of her family in great pain.
Finally, Phoebe cannot stop eating and she hates herself for it. Her family and friends seem more focused on her weight than her outstanding grades. “Phoebe sighed. ‘I can’t stand the idea of not eating things that I like.’ She felt hopeless, helpless and alone” (Eliot 8). Not only does her best friend, Jessica dies, but she is left with the thought that her health is hopeless. Eventually, Phoebe gets into counseling and she takes control of her life, and starts losing weight for herself, and greatly diminishes her pain.
Works Cited
Eliot, Eve. Insatiable: the Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food, and Its Power. Health Communications, 2001.
October 31, 2018
Confusing, mediocre, and displeasing are a few words to describe this book. Overall this book had some good moments but needed to tie many loose strings. This book is about several girls dealing with mental disorders. How they overcome challenges and deal with everyday scenarios. They all go to a therapist and go to a group to help them. This book had some good moments like explaining how and why these girls think like that. I think this book had many loose strings especially at the end of the book it left me confused and dissatisfied after reading the whole book. In all I think this book would be good for children knowing someone else with a mental disorder.
July 24, 2020
Feels like the author was trying too hard to be informative about eating disorders, triggers, therapy, at the expense of character/story depth, maybe because it was covering four different girls. Useful I guess, in that it showed recovery isn't even, people can revert, etc. But ended without being at a definitive point - a more natural break would have been at the point at which they each decided to seek help, then have the start of group therapy as the beginning of the sequel.
December 13, 2018
I liked how there were many different characters with different eating disorders, however I just felt some of them whined a lot. As someone who also suffers from ED, I just found it not as realistic.
August 25, 2017
Quite the story of people with eating disorders seen through the eyes of very many people and it helps you to step into their shoes a little bit to see why they do what they do. Very well written.
February 7, 2018
Not too bad overall. It's a more realistic (than most) look at teens with eating disorders. It would probably be a good book for a teen to read to understand that they aren't alone in their feelings.
February 8, 2024
Truly a heartbreaking story
February 7, 2017
So poorly written with such halting, jerky chapter sections. Important topic, cliche and surface.
September 3, 2013
This is a good book but.....its triggering
While reading this book I myself suffered from being a Cutter and a Bulimic, every time Samantha cut herself it made me want to cut, every time Hannah made herself throw up I wanted to make myself throw up, every time Phoebe went into the kitchen to fill up on milk, cookies, ice cream and pie, it made me want to do the same thing, and every time Jessica starved her self for food it made me want to starve myself.
If your Anorexic, Bulimic or a Cutter you shouldn't read this book because it doesn't help you at all it only inspires you to harm yourself even more.
This was a good book but it has some bad effects.
While reading this book I myself suffered from being a Cutter and a Bulimic, every time Samantha cut herself it made me want to cut, every time Hannah made herself throw up I wanted to make myself throw up, every time Phoebe went into the kitchen to fill up on milk, cookies, ice cream and pie, it made me want to do the same thing, and every time Jessica starved her self for food it made me want to starve myself.
If your Anorexic, Bulimic or a Cutter you shouldn't read this book because it doesn't help you at all it only inspires you to harm yourself even more.
This was a good book but it has some bad effects.
December 9, 2013
The issue about this book is teens starving their selves, cutting, making their selves throw up, or eating too much. This book covers all of that. It is about 4 teens that do one of them or more. They are out seeking for help or their parents are trying to get them help. One of the teens died because of how bad it got for her. I would recommend this book to get the issue out there on how bad it is and how serious it can be for girls to do that. It also could happen for boys. Teens need to get help if they are depressed or changing their eating habits. I rate this book a 5 because it was a very informational book.
January 24, 2008
This story is about 4 girls who all have some form of an eating disorder; 1 bulimic, 2 anorexics, and 1 compulsive eater. This story follows them through out their troubled years, their losses and their gains, but it mostly focuses on their eating behaviors. It goes quite in-depth, in my opinion, and offers good insight into the minds of people who have eating disorders. It was better than I thought it would be. The only real complaint I have is that they seem to whine about themselves too much.
January 21, 2009
I thought this was a pretty good book. It was quite interesting to view things from their point of view. I've never been bulimic, anorexic nor have I ever had a food problem and bad as Phoebe did. Still, I can almost understand what they were thinking about. I can almost understand what kind of emotions they experience with their habit. I think the author did a good job telling the readers about the characters. There were a couple of bad parts that I didn't agree with but I guess thats just supposed to happen in any book. I guess. I just don't see why there was so much drama.
November 16, 2016
This book was pretty good. I think that if the author did not jump around characters as much, it would be more interesting. The overall effect of the book was very powerful because I do not think people realize how helpful or damaging food can be. In this book, it does not only show the power of food, but shows the power of people. By explaining the different situations of severely overeating or under eating, it allows reader to understand how crucial iy is to take care of yourself. By including other peoples point of views, you see how important your impression can be other people.
December 31, 2013
After skimming through through this book it seems pretty flat both character wise and in writing style. All main girls sound exactly same. I was expecting a better approach to the subject of eating disorders. If you are looking for a book that deals with the subject matter honestly this is not the book for you. May be a good introduction for younger readers on eating disorders butt that 's about it. Probably not going to read the rest. It is also very triggering.
February 12, 2013
Super good book with very realistic ending. I promise you will be able to relate to at least one person in at least one portion of the book. I xan definitely relate to everyone in this book, especially considering I used to have AN. This is a very touching book. The author even shares her own story in the afterword.
March 17, 2015
I am conflicted with this book. I read it in eighth grade and loved it for how unapologetically described how eating disorders affect a young girls life. I read it for a second time at 20 and realized it could also be toxic in that it almost perfectly tells girls how to HAVE an eating disorder. I still am not sure how I feel about it
April 29, 2015
A very good book about anorexia, bulimia and BED.
December 12, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was very powerful and moving. The characters are very real life and the stories are compelling...
July 26, 2012
A very insightful look into four different ways in which teenage girls experience eating disorders.
Read
April 12, 2019The story of three teens that struggle with Bulimia, Anorexia, Binging and cutting. The teens seek counseling yet one still dies as her mental state is way to damaged to tun things around. A great book for teens to read as an eye opener!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews