A review by thewizardofbooks
Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Hungry Ghost tells the story of grief, emotional abuse, and forgiveness. At the center is Val, a teenager struggling with her body in a parental environment that focuses on her weight and her eating. The relationship depicted between Val and her mother is heartbreaking but friendships, family and a stranger are there to help pick up the pieces and be a loving reprieve. As a reader, I could tell that the mother figure was largely influenced by her own upbringing and the sadness of great loss. This is not an excuse but a depiction of generational abuse.
The art style and character growth work together organically to strengthen the story as Val slowly eases toward some body acceptance. It's a hard road, but the illustrations are light and honest with color being expertly chosen to strengthen character emotions. The color scheme is based in light pastels of pink, greens, and blues which work to soften, ever so slightly, the heaviness of the topic. Darker tones are used to depict strong, negative emotions like sadness, depression, and grief. The mother, and with her, the abusiveness, is often pictured in a darker blue hue and when Val deals with intrusive thoughts about her body, food, and her mother, she too is depicted in deeper tones.
The story, while difficult, is hopeful and poignant. It reaches out and holds tight, making it a quick read. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy graphic novels, realistic fiction, and art.
CW: ED, Emotional Abuse, Fatphobia, Death
The art style and character growth work together organically to strengthen the story as Val slowly eases toward some body acceptance. It's a hard road, but the illustrations are light and honest with color being expertly chosen to strengthen character emotions. The color scheme is based in light pastels of pink, greens, and blues which work to soften, ever so slightly, the heaviness of the topic. Darker tones are used to depict strong, negative emotions like sadness, depression, and grief. The mother, and with her, the abusiveness, is often pictured in a darker blue hue and when Val deals with intrusive thoughts about her body, food, and her mother, she too is depicted in deeper tones.
The story, while difficult, is hopeful and poignant. It reaches out and holds tight, making it a quick read. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy graphic novels, realistic fiction, and art.
CW: ED, Emotional Abuse, Fatphobia, Death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse