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bobisthecoolest's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I could write a long review, but I don’t want to waste more time on this. I fucking hated the main character so much
mozbolt's review
5.0
Paperweight has truly impacted my personal growth - Stevie is such a raw, relatable character. Also, screw you, Ed.
madkc4ever's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book. This might be triggering for those still struggling with an ED but it was a great insight into the mind of someone who is sick with an ED. Everyone is competition and everyone and everything is a threat. It’s like a badge of honor to be the “sickest” or like in the book be a “red bracelet” and you start to think hateful thoughts about others. I think the author did a great job of depicting Stevie as someone who isn’t always likable at first but when a person is sick they probably aren’t in a very likable state and as the story progressed she ended up becoming better overall.
A couple of things I didn’t like was the dialogue between the argument with her brother was a little too mean - her brother was painted as this lovely person and for most of the book he is but calling her a slut was a little tough to read. This book was written in 2015 so I do wonder how the author would write this scene differently today.
I think this is a great book to pick up if you’ve been wanting to read it. It’s an accurate depiction as to what most people sick with an ED are thinking and feeling and seeing the world.
A couple of things I didn’t like was the dialogue between the argument with her brother was a little too mean - her brother was painted as this lovely person and for most of the book he is but calling her a slut was a little tough to read. This book was written in 2015 so I do wonder how the author would write this scene differently today.
I think this is a great book to pick up if you’ve been wanting to read it. It’s an accurate depiction as to what most people sick with an ED are thinking and feeling and seeing the world.
enaralouise's review against another edition
4.0
*Another* eating disorder book but this one is purely fictional but absolutely realistic! I found myself highlighting so many quotes about treatment (and life in general) that held so much relevance for me. Definitely give it a try though I will prefix it with some serious trigger warnings for multiple things (too many to mention). Read in a good headspace. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
somnolentflower's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Minor: Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content
cupcates's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book. I really, really, really did. While I think there are some aspects of it that are well-written and well-researched, there are some that fall short.
I've been in inpatient treatment before for my own eating disorder, and I know just how horrible and how hard it is. I know how we saw threats everywhere we looked—our treatment teams, the eating table, each other, therapy sessions. I know it all, but I was treated at a hospital, not at a facility, so I can't really give my opinion on how well it was handled in the book.
I liked Stevie. I liked how flawed she was, and how realistic her evolution was. It wasn't too fast or too long, as eating disorders can easily become chronic and it's not something you develop or get cured of overnight (which was touched in the book, during a group therapy session through a dialogue between Cate, Stevie and Anna). Her inner monologues really hit me hard, especially her relationship with Ashley at the beginning of the book, because i saw myself in her thoughts. I've thought stuff like that from my fellow 'inmates' in treatment—that I had the upper hand, that I was sicker, that I was the youngest there, that I ruled that place. In retrospective, I truly hate how despicable this thinking is, but there are times I don't have the luxury of analyzing my thoughts. With that being said, I see myself a lot in Stevie, even if our backstories are very different.
The hardest part for me was having a character with the same name and same eating disorder as me—Cate. Of course it's not the author's fault, but I spent a lot of my time reading this book comparing myself to her (a fictional character!!!), and eating disorders are very competitive illnesses. You'll compete with everyone in your life, even people you don't know, even yourself. Nevertheless, her character was handled well and with care.
What I didn't like was the eating disorder dichotomy I've grown used to seeing and reading everywhere—and it utterly pisses me off. There are MORE than just two eating disorders, and not everyone suffers from either Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa. I've mentioned this before, but it really irked me when they changed Stevie's diagnostic from anorexia to bulimia just based on the weight criterion, when there's OSFED, another eating disorder, which includes atypical anorexia—which is what I feel like should have been stevie's diagnostic.
This book had a lot of good points, but, in the end, it was just that one thing that made me drop the rating from four starts to three. I'm sorry, I am.
I've been in inpatient treatment before for my own eating disorder, and I know just how horrible and how hard it is. I know how we saw threats everywhere we looked—our treatment teams, the eating table, each other, therapy sessions. I know it all, but I was treated at a hospital, not at a facility, so I can't really give my opinion on how well it was handled in the book.
I liked Stevie. I liked how flawed she was, and how realistic her evolution was. It wasn't too fast or too long, as eating disorders can easily become chronic and it's not something you develop or get cured of overnight (which was touched in the book, during a group therapy session through a dialogue between Cate, Stevie and Anna). Her inner monologues really hit me hard, especially her relationship with Ashley at the beginning of the book, because i saw myself in her thoughts. I've thought stuff like that from my fellow 'inmates' in treatment—that I had the upper hand, that I was sicker, that I was the youngest there, that I ruled that place. In retrospective, I truly hate how despicable this thinking is, but there are times I don't have the luxury of analyzing my thoughts. With that being said, I see myself a lot in Stevie, even if our backstories are very different.
The hardest part for me was having a character with the same name and same eating disorder as me—Cate. Of course it's not the author's fault, but I spent a lot of my time reading this book comparing myself to her (a fictional character!!!), and eating disorders are very competitive illnesses. You'll compete with everyone in your life, even people you don't know, even yourself. Nevertheless, her character was handled well and with care.
What I didn't like was the eating disorder dichotomy I've grown used to seeing and reading everywhere—and it utterly pisses me off. There are MORE than just two eating disorders, and not everyone suffers from either Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa. I've mentioned this before, but it really irked me when they changed Stevie's diagnostic from anorexia to bulimia just based on the weight criterion, when there's OSFED, another eating disorder, which includes atypical anorexia—which is what I feel like should have been stevie's diagnostic.
Atypical Anorexia Nervosa: All criteria are met, except despite significant weight loss, the individual’s weight is within or above the normal range.
from: Classifying Eating Disorders
This book had a lot of good points, but, in the end, it was just that one thing that made me drop the rating from four starts to three. I'm sorry, I am.
literaturefaerie's review
4.0
3.75 stars* this book was emotional for sure. The best kind in my opinion. And the character development was soooo good, even though I’m normally a plot driven reader. Definitely worth a read.
TW: self harm, eating disorders, abuse from a family member
TW: self harm, eating disorders, abuse from a family member
laurenbookishtwins's review
4.0
I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.
4.5
First Impression: Stevie was not an easy character to like, but as the story progressed, the more I empathised with her. Paperweight is an honest, raw and emotional novel with strong character development. However I would put a trigger warning on this book as I think it can have damaging effects for people already suffering from an eating disorder.
Review: Stevie is signed up to a eating disorder treatment centre by her father for 60 days. Stevie feels trapped; nurses watch her every move, accompany her to her meals, and she's challenged to eat the things she's been trying so hard to avoid. She didn't want to be in the treatment centre when the Anniversary came; a year since her brother died. In 27 days she plans to join him.
This was a difficult book to get through at first because Stevie's narrative is very negative and she's a difficult character to like. However, I loved how complex she was as a character and how realistically eating disorders are portrayed. I loved Stevie's relationship with Anna, her therapist, and her relationship with Ashley. I think that Stevie's development was by far my favourite aspect of Paperweight and how she started the road to recovery.
Whilst also being predominately about Stevie's struggle with an eating disorder, Paperweight was also a novel dealing with grief.
Overall, Paperweight is a great, emotional, fantastically well-written novel dealing with some serious issues, and is one I would highly recommend to someone trying to understand eating disorders.
4.5
First Impression: Stevie was not an easy character to like, but as the story progressed, the more I empathised with her. Paperweight is an honest, raw and emotional novel with strong character development. However I would put a trigger warning on this book as I think it can have damaging effects for people already suffering from an eating disorder.
Review: Stevie is signed up to a eating disorder treatment centre by her father for 60 days. Stevie feels trapped; nurses watch her every move, accompany her to her meals, and she's challenged to eat the things she's been trying so hard to avoid. She didn't want to be in the treatment centre when the Anniversary came; a year since her brother died. In 27 days she plans to join him.
This was a difficult book to get through at first because Stevie's narrative is very negative and she's a difficult character to like. However, I loved how complex she was as a character and how realistically eating disorders are portrayed. I loved Stevie's relationship with Anna, her therapist, and her relationship with Ashley. I think that Stevie's development was by far my favourite aspect of Paperweight and how she started the road to recovery.
Whilst also being predominately about Stevie's struggle with an eating disorder, Paperweight was also a novel dealing with grief.
Overall, Paperweight is a great, emotional, fantastically well-written novel dealing with some serious issues, and is one I would highly recommend to someone trying to understand eating disorders.
morgan_mmr's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ashlyns_booknook's review
4.0
So realistic, and so well written. Possibly triggering for someone struggling or recovering from an eating disorder, but I think it does an amazing job of showing what an eating disorder truly is like and how serious they can be.