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rickjones 's review for:
Eat, and Love Yourself
by Sweeney Boo
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Box for providing me an advanced reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I'd like to commend Sweeney Boo for tackling such a difficult subject matter. Everyone experiences insecurities about body image, but for people with body dysmorphia and eating disorders, those insecurities can feel all-consuming. Mindy's story is told with sensitivity and I personally did not feel unsettled reading it, but I would recommend that readers who are triggered by depictions of disordered eating read this title with care or put it aside until they're in a less vulnerable mental state.
Sweeney's art perfectly captures Mindy's emotional state. Even in panels without words, her detailed expressions make Mindy's emotions clear. Her layouts are dynamic and easily captured my interest, which seems challenging to accomplish in a story told mainly through restrained conversations and depictions of difficult moments. Sweeney's use of color is also crucial to the story and effectively provides separation between Mindy's past and present.
I did find that my own experiences with body image issues were echoed in this narrative. Mindy's reflections on low points in her life felt authentic. The small yet biting comments she recalls about her weight are dispensed too often to children by those who don't realize the trauma those words can inflict. I felt that the vicious cycles Mindy fell victim to were also displayed accurately. Those are incredibly difficult patterns to break, even if the person is aware they're experiencing them. Mindy's less-than-helpful experience with therapy also ties into a central theme in the narrative that self-love problems must be solved by the self, and outside help can only supplement the growth we are ready to work towards.
This book does not end with Mindy healed from her body dysmorphia or eating disorder, but she is in recovery. As a child, Mindy could not heal because she could not bear to accept herself as she was. Now twenty-seven, Mindy has the wisdom and opportunity she needs to become a person who loves herself, and when we leave her, she's finally convinced she's strong enough to begin the journey.
First of all, I'd like to commend Sweeney Boo for tackling such a difficult subject matter. Everyone experiences insecurities about body image, but for people with body dysmorphia and eating disorders, those insecurities can feel all-consuming. Mindy's story is told with sensitivity and I personally did not feel unsettled reading it, but I would recommend that readers who are triggered by depictions of disordered eating read this title with care or put it aside until they're in a less vulnerable mental state.
Sweeney's art perfectly captures Mindy's emotional state. Even in panels without words, her detailed expressions make Mindy's emotions clear. Her layouts are dynamic and easily captured my interest, which seems challenging to accomplish in a story told mainly through restrained conversations and depictions of difficult moments. Sweeney's use of color is also crucial to the story and effectively provides separation between Mindy's past and present.
I did find that my own experiences with body image issues were echoed in this narrative. Mindy's reflections on low points in her life felt authentic. The small yet biting comments she recalls about her weight are dispensed too often to children by those who don't realize the trauma those words can inflict. I felt that the vicious cycles Mindy fell victim to were also displayed accurately. Those are incredibly difficult patterns to break, even if the person is aware they're experiencing them. Mindy's less-than-helpful experience with therapy also ties into a central theme in the narrative that self-love problems must be solved by the self, and outside help can only supplement the growth we are ready to work towards.
This book does not end with Mindy healed from her body dysmorphia or eating disorder, but she is in recovery. As a child, Mindy could not heal because she could not bear to accept herself as she was. Now twenty-seven, Mindy has the wisdom and opportunity she needs to become a person who loves herself, and when we leave her, she's finally convinced she's strong enough to begin the journey.