Reviews

Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying

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mycatcricket17's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

emeryyy's review against another edition

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5.0

Val has struggled with her idea of beauty and her mom's expectations regarding her weight for years. But a family tragedy leads to her re-examining her life, looking for help, and searching for happiness.

honestly i don't have much to say about this other than it's definitely worth a read! it's raw and heartbreaking but hopeful and beautiful (not to mention that the artwork is amazing) and there's so much i loved about it. i did think the tragedy was brushed aside almost immediately after but that might be because of how short the story is

ybug09's review against another edition

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4.0

This was such a heartfelt story about a girl who struggles with disordered eating. Along with this she deals with the loss of a parent and has to navigate relationships with her friends and family.

coppitz's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

marisnini's review

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

simon_reads03's review against another edition

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4.0

Hungry Ghost was compelling and touching, presenting Valerie Chu’s struggle with bulimia and her troubling relationship with her mother. The best part of this was the depiction of such a terrible disorder and how it’s handled by a young teenager.

Ying’s art and writing style communicate the best message and help the story to take off. The base is simple and the initial problem is set up very well right from the beginning, hooking readers in— both bulimic and non-bulimic. I believe this book could not only help bulimic people, but also people who are unconsciously encouraging the disorder.

The characters are endearing and the emotions Valerie has are realistic and touching. The book even becomes emotional at times, cleverly showing a glimpse into the world of someone suffering with this disorder.

There are a few moments in the story that feel very unrealistic and tailored specifically for the plot. It’s clear that the focus is on the character and not really the story, so the points that make the story and character evolve feel artificial. Aside from that, Hungry Ghost is a quick, emotional, and highly important book.