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haunt's review against another edition
4.5
4.5 stars
A lot of the negative reviews for this book seem to have somehow vastly missed the point. This is (as is made quite clear) the diary of the author, written at age 11, showing her childhood perspectives on and experiences of severe anorexia. Nothing more, nothing less, except for a brief concluding reflection written by the author as an adult. If you’re expecting an adult-written memoir or a treatise on the causes and effects of eating disorders in Western societies, this is not the book you’re searching for, although it certainly spotlights some leading contributing factors in no uncertain terms. That said, to me—someone who had similar experiences with childhood mental health issues, including an ED—this account absolutely rings familiar and true. If you’re looking to learn about the development/mechanics/internal experience of an eating disorder, this is a good book to get you started.
A/N: Again, wanted to emphasize the fact that the writer is ELEVEN years old. Yes, the book presents a very black and white, sometimes simplistic depiction of things—her disorder, the cultural underpinnings and how she interpreted them, her family members, her treatment team and their care strategies—because that’s how children, particularly mentally ill children, think and see the world. She does not go into much detail at all about actual treatments provided, other than dietary rules in the hospital, which means her account of her recovery might come across to some people as sudden or “just deciding to get better”. A little critical reading should make the reasons for this gap in coverage pretty obvious: she was an 11-year-old girl who didn’t want to be there, didn’t care about the therapies being promoted, and was writing a personal journal about the experiences she found memorable. This is a little girl’s diary, not an academic exposition on how eating disorders work.
TL;DR: A child wrote this, and it’s absurd to expect anything other than a child’s—in this case, also a frequently unreliable narrator’s—point of view.
A lot of the negative reviews for this book seem to have somehow vastly missed the point. This is (as is made quite clear) the diary of the author, written at age 11, showing her childhood perspectives on and experiences of severe anorexia. Nothing more, nothing less, except for a brief concluding reflection written by the author as an adult. If you’re expecting an adult-written memoir or a treatise on the causes and effects of eating disorders in Western societies, this is not the book you’re searching for, although it certainly spotlights some leading contributing factors in no uncertain terms. That said, to me—someone who had similar experiences with childhood mental health issues, including an ED—this account absolutely rings familiar and true. If you’re looking to learn about the development/mechanics/internal experience of an eating disorder, this is a good book to get you started.
A/N: Again, wanted to emphasize the fact that the writer is ELEVEN years old. Yes, the book presents a very black and white, sometimes simplistic depiction of things—her disorder, the cultural underpinnings and how she interpreted them, her family members, her treatment team and their care strategies—because that’s how children, particularly mentally ill children, think and see the world. She does not go into much detail at all about actual treatments provided, other than dietary rules in the hospital, which means her account of her recovery might come across to some people as sudden or “just deciding to get better”. A little critical reading should make the reasons for this gap in coverage pretty obvious: she was an 11-year-old girl who didn’t want to be there, didn’t care about the therapies being promoted, and was writing a personal journal about the experiences she found memorable. This is a little girl’s diary, not an academic exposition on how eating disorders work.
TL;DR: A child wrote this, and it’s absurd to expect anything other than a child’s—in this case, also a frequently unreliable narrator’s—point of view.
ajhatt's review against another edition
1.5
While I understand an 11 year old wrote these entries, it feels unedited in a way I don’t like (why is an entire school essay that contributes nothing in here). I also know it is from the 70s and published in the 2000s, but there is some problematic material in here.
racheltheripper's review against another edition
1.0
I read this years ago at the height of my eating disorder, and rather than feeling inspired by Gottlieb's story, I felt encouraged. The majority of this memoir feels like a pro-Ana blog from the early aughts. It isn't until the very end when she miraculously sees herself in a bathroom with a lot of mirrors (?) and immediately bounces back. It felt disingenuous, and I wouldn't recommend it for anybody who has ever struggled with eating disorders. It's just one long trigger. And really felt like a slap in the face to the genuine struggle I continue to have with food.
Tbh, I probably would've rated it higher back then. This book did help me keep up with my "diet", that's for sure.
Tbh, I probably would've rated it higher back then. This book did help me keep up with my "diet", that's for sure.
katisfullybooked's review against another edition
3.0
rameysaurus's review against another edition
1.0
I’m sorry but nobody with half a brain cell would believe this is an actual diary, let alone the diary of an 11 year old.
dakmommy's review against another edition
5.0
All moms (and dads) of young girls should read this book
dotorsojak's review against another edition
3.0
3.2 stars
I read this right after I read MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE. Written 19 years before, it tells the story of the author's bout with anorexia when she was a pre-teen.
Very interesting and not particularly sympathetic portrayal of the psycho-therapist. Also her portrait of her parents is quite negative. Ouch!
I read this right after I read MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE. Written 19 years before, it tells the story of the author's bout with anorexia when she was a pre-teen.
Very interesting and not particularly sympathetic portrayal of the psycho-therapist. Also her portrait of her parents is quite negative. Ouch!
olamisamigos's review against another edition
4.0
I'm back from my hiatus (hopefully!)
I almost dnf'ed this book about 20% of the way in because I just couldn't stand the character's inner voice and just the mini-plot before we actually started entering the real plot. However, I'm super glad I didn't dnf it. The characterization and description of mental illness, specifically restrictive eating disorders, was done really well (which makes sense considering it is a diary entry/memoir-esque book). I think this book was one of the first that actually touched upon the family issues that mental illness causes, and the improper ways parents react. Specifically, for this book, the hypocrisy (and semi victim complex) of the mother was most especially prominent and that situation is not rare in the experiences of many with mental illness, so I'm super glad this book touched upon that.
Stick Figure really encapsulated the experience of people dealing with restrictive eating disorders in a raw manner, and highlighted crucial discussion topics like the influence of diet culture on young women, the societal expectations for men vs women, and mental illness in young children, among so many other important topics. I'm super glad I kept on reading after the 20%.
I almost dnf'ed this book about 20% of the way in because I just couldn't stand the character's inner voice and just the mini-plot before we actually started entering the real plot. However, I'm super glad I didn't dnf it. The characterization and description of mental illness, specifically restrictive eating disorders, was done really well (which makes sense considering it is a diary entry/memoir-esque book). I think this book was one of the first that actually touched upon the family issues that mental illness causes, and the improper ways parents react. Specifically, for this book, the hypocrisy (and semi victim complex) of the mother was most especially prominent and that situation is not rare in the experiences of many with mental illness, so I'm super glad this book touched upon that.
Stick Figure really encapsulated the experience of people dealing with restrictive eating disorders in a raw manner, and highlighted crucial discussion topics like the influence of diet culture on young women, the societal expectations for men vs women, and mental illness in young children, among so many other important topics. I'm super glad I kept on reading after the 20%.