Book Review: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

This review is part of a book tour for Traveling to Teens. Check out the site and the rest of the tour schedule here.

Rating: 2.5/5; Somewhat interesting, but had too many issues with the book.

Release Date: October 18, 2010

Synopsis:
“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.” 

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? 

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?
-goodreads


Thoughts: 
Realistic? Yes. Entertaining? Somewhat.
The reason I was immediately compelled to read this book was mostly because it deals with eating disorders plus it's also a fantasy story! I thought, "fantasy plus the real world, count me in!" The book ended up not being at all what I thought it would be like. Kessler did a freakishly amazing job and realistically portraying the life of two girls with eating disorders (all the criteria was there and yup they'd be diagnosed [read below for more info on these psychological disorders!]). Lisa is the protagonist, she has Anorexia and her new "friend" has Bulimia.
What kept me from reading the small (approx. 200 pages) book quickly and with more enthusiasm, was that it was quite slow, the characters without eating disorders were not developed enough to be interesting, and most importantly, the Apocalypse?! What the heck? The story starts off really strong and interesting but then excruciatingly slowly loses it's way. Kessler was not able to effectively tie in a good and entertaining fantasy + eating disorder story. If this story did not have the Apocalypse and Famine factor (by the way, Death was quite cute and the whole Nirvana thing: nice), it might have been much better...or if Kessler had expanded on it more. Either way, you will get a very realistic take on Anorexia and Bulimia which I thought was a wonderful accomplishment.
If you read the Author's Note at the end, Kessler states that she used to be Bulimic and so was a friend of hers who unfortunately passed away. I really think this book will speak volumes to those who have an eating disorder or know of someone who has an eating disorder.

Extras:
As many of you may know the "Bible" for psychologists is the DSM-IV. Anorexia and Bulimia are two psychological disorders. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates of any mental illness.


From the DSM-IV (DSM-V to come in 2012 or 2013, can't wait!) is the criteria describing Anorexia Nervosa:
A. A refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g. weight loss leading to a maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected, or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).

B. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.

C. Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
Specify type:

Restricting Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour (i.e. self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas)

Binge-Eating/Purging Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour (i.e. self induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas).

and Bulimia Nervosa:

(1) eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g. within any 2 hour period), and amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances
(2) a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating)

B. Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviour in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise.

C. The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviours both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.

D. Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.

E. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.
Specify type:

Purging Type: During the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

Non-purging Type: During the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviours, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

*note: Even if you don't fit all the criteria, you can still have an eating disorder. Get informed!

Okay so those were my thoughts. Be sure to check out The Hiding Spot's thoughts on this book tomorrow!

Related:
Jackie Morse Kessler's site / Twitter / Live Journal
National Eating Disorders Association website / 1-800-931-2237
1-800-SUICIDE <-- for your information, those with eating disorders tend to have high rates of suicide and depression.

A portion of the proceeds from Hunger will be donated to NEDA. So buy the book for you if you are interested or even for a friend, stranger, or your local library.

*ARC provided by publishing company
~~Lisette~~