摘要
Insatiable is an astonishingly moving story of four teenage girls whose shame, fear and confusion compel them to binge, purge and refuse to eat in misguided attempts to feel safe and in control of their lives.
This incredible, imaginative story, written in episodic format, is based on real case histories and tells a true-to-life story through character-driven vignettes. Insatiable will envelop readers in the personal and seemingly tangible worlds of each of the main characters. What makes this novel so forceful and vibrant is the way Eliot weaves her story through dynamics that inform these friendships and the therapy that helps them address their pain and fears.
For every teen trapped in this seemingly endless cycle, and those who simply enjoy reading about real life issues (i.e. teen bestsellers Speak and Smack ), Insatiable is a must-read.
《学校图书馆杂志》(School Library Journal)书评
Gr 6 Up-Samantha, Hannah, Jessica, and Phoebe are contemporary teens who all deal with the stresses of everyday life by attempting to control their eating. Samantha is a pretty blond cheerleader who is dumped by her boyfriend because he wants a normal girl who isn't controlled by calories. She secretly cuts herself to deal with her anxieties. Hannah, whose mother recently died from breast cancer, binges shamefully. Jessica is so thin that she can't attend English class because she gets dizzy going up the stairs to the second floor of her high school. And Phoebe, despite being the top student in her school, can't stop eating and is pressured by her father, a professional photographer, to lose weight. Phoebe and Jessica know one another from the start, and meet the other two young women in Tuesday-night group therapy. Through the determined efforts of their leader and lots of hard work by the girls, progress is slowly made by all of them except Jessica, who dies from the effects of anorexia. This novel by a well-known therapist who specializes in food addictions demonstrates the pervasiveness of the disorder but fails to bring these teens to life. The plot is predictable and melodramatic. It's often necessary to go back to the beginning of each chapter to see which girl is being discussed, even though their situations are entirely different.-Susan Riley, Greenburgh Public Library, Elmsford, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
出版社周刊评论
A work of fiction based on actual case histories, Insatiable: The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power by Eve Elliot describes a quartet of girls who worry about their body image and attempt to use food to gain control over their lives. The interlinked stories deal with self-mutilation, bulimia and overeating. ( Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
摘录
"You could spend your whole lifebeing a bell, and never know it'til something strikes youand you ring."ùAnonymousSamantha's heart nearly stopped as she realized what Brian was actually telling her. Because there were other students all around them, milling past carrying books and backpacks, she forced herself to breathe evenly, look normal, perfect as always. This is what was expected of her, the blondest cheerleader with the cutest boyfriend, the prettiest girl at Maple Ridge High. Brian sat with one ankle resting on his knee, leaning forward to allow her to hear him, speaking in low tones so nobody else could. He had one hand on his knee, one on his ankle. Samantha focused on the pattern of prominent blue veins in his big square hands, on his long fingers, on the sole of his work boot, the pebbles and twigs that had become embedded in the grooved sole, on anything but his words. A midriff appeared directly in front of Samantha. The midriff was encased in a tight white T-shirt. It belonged to Polly Milkins, the only girl in school whose beauty Samantha feared. "Hi, Sam," said Polly. "Will I see you at cheerleading practice later?" "Sure," replied Samantha, turning to look up and organizing her face into its most radiant smile. "Hi, Brian," said Polly, giggling a little. This was the effect Brian had on girls everywhere, this excitement that usually made them giggle. "Hi, Polly." Brian looked at Polly briefly, then cleared his throat and uncrossed his legs. A brief, awkward silence ensued. "Wellùokay. Later," Polly said finally. At the same time as Polly turned to walk across the athletic field toward the gym, Brian leaned back, far away from Samantha. It seemed, at that moment, as though Brian had pulled far, far away, beyond the distance spanned by the parking lot, beyond the new gym with its gleaming windows, beyond the end of the road to where the street disappeared into the entrance to the bird sanctuary, beyond her reach entirely. He looked down at his feet. He dug the toe of one work boot into the ground, smashing the grass into liquid green sludge. * * *In the village of Leeswood, thirty-five miles to the west, Hannah Bonanti sat on her bed reading Baking for Health and listening to her favorite band, Dracula Jones. They were an upstate band who'd played at a club in New York City on a night when Hannah's friends, Tanya and Kaneesha had taken her out for her sixteenth birthday. Their rhythmic guitars pounded as Hannah read about corn muffin recipes. Baking was a tradition among the women in Hannah's family. Hannah's mother had died two years before and whenever Hannah felt lonely, sad, or anxious, reading this book, which had been her mom's, helped connect her with her mother. It was Friday, and the spring term was coming to an end (finally). She had spent the afternoon hanging out with her friends, Kaneesha and Tanya. They had talked about going to see the new Tom Cruise movie at the mall and Hannah, who love Excerpted from Insatiable: The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power by Eve Eliot All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
