"What I Lost" is a book that talks about anorexia and the process of dealing with it and eventually healing from it. To be honest, I was a bit hesitant to pick it up, I was scared that maybe a contemporary read wouldn't do justice to such an important matter, but thankfully the author handled very thoughtfully the whole situation and the book was a very enjoyable read, if you can say that about a book that talks about eating disorders!

What I loved most was how it helped us see into the mind of Elizabeth (the protagonist) and explore her thoughts regarding eating and her body image and I loved the fact that it went even deeper, trying to find the root of the problem, so to treat it correctly. I also really liked how her relationship with her mother was explored, we saw her mother promoting a very strict and extra healthy diet, was the very thing that pushed her daughter over the edge and Elizabeth starting starving herself in an effort to make her mum like her more. Behind anorexia there are also many psychological issues, that needed treatment as well, because it's an affliction that affects both the mind and the body in the end.

Another aspect I found quite enjoyable was the fact that there was a little bit of romance in the book, nothing too overboard or too cheesy thankfully. Because Elizabeth is a teenager, I think it was very important to show how anorexia affected that side of her life too, how her friendships and romantic relationships were either harmed or strengthened.

The only negative I have to say, is that it ended a bit abruptly for my liking. I don't really know how a book like this could have ended to be honest, it just felt like I needed a little bit more, maybe a proper epilogue or something. Anyway, that wasn't enough to make me dislike the book of course and "What I Lost" is one of the best contemporaries I've read and I would totally recommend it!