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A review by olamisamigos
Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self by Lori Gottlieb
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%.