Title: Hunger, Horseman of the Apocalypse #1 Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Harcourt Graphia
Publication Date: October 18, 2010
Format: e-galley from NetGalley
Genre: YA, science fiction/social issues
Amazon Summary:
You know the old story, boy and girl have been friends forever, but now they might start liking each other? And then, at the end, they're together and happy? Hunger kind of takes place after the together and happy part. Lisabeth, who prefers to be called Lisa, started dating her friend James. She was happy, couldn't believe her luck... how long until James realizes that she's not good enough for him?
Publisher: Harcourt Graphia
Publication Date: October 18, 2010
Format: e-galley from NetGalley
Genre: YA, science fiction/social issues
Amazon Summary:
Review:"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 fight her own inner demons?A wildly original approach to the issue of eating disorders, Hunger is about the struggle to find balance in a world of extremes, and uses fantastic tropes to explore a difficult topic that touches the lives of many teens.
You know the old story, boy and girl have been friends forever, but now they might start liking each other? And then, at the end, they're together and happy? Hunger kind of takes place after the together and happy part. Lisabeth, who prefers to be called Lisa, started dating her friend James. She was happy, couldn't believe her luck... how long until James realizes that she's not good enough for him?
"It's because your fat," whispers the Thin voice, "disgusting and fat!" And Lisa starts to listen.
Her mother is a busy woman, too busy for the daughter who would look so much better if she just lost ten pounds. Her father, well he's perfect, so she hates to disappoint him. Especially since he's so henpecked by her mother (Lisa views her mother as overly critical of everyone). Lisa tries desperately to control her life and her body, trying to fit into the "perfect" mold that is her family. Whenever she wants to breakdown and indulge in food, say a piece of cheese, the Thin voice reminds her:
"Cheddar cheese, one ounce... One hundred fourteen point three calories. Nine point four grams of fat. Forty minutes on the exercise bike."
We come to Lisa after a messenger interrupts her suicide attempt. She'd had a spectacular argument with James the night before (all they do is argue now) and her former best friend Suzanne called her horrible names. How could she? She wasn't anorexic! ("Anorexics don't have muffin tops, the Thin voice said. You're not anorexic. You're just fat."). Lisa had developed an friendship with Tammy, who had such great control over her body (she could purge all of her food in 20 minutes!). Tammy understood her, not like Suzanne or her perfect mother.
So there Lisa sits on her bed, high from the 3 Lexapros (24 more to go), holding Famine's Scale of office (who knew Famine had scales?) and wondering about what the messenger had said, "Though art the Black Rider; go thee out unto the world."
Oddly enough, with Death (who currently resembled a dead alternative rock singer) as a rather sympathetic guide, Lisa struggles to figure out what she's supposed to do as Famine and if she can get her life back.
I really felt bad for Lisa, she's so used to trying to be perfect for her parents and not causing any problems, that she never stands up to her doubts and fears - giving birth to the Thin voice. Her father wasn't disappointed in her when she forgot something or made a mistake, it was her skewed perceptions that made it seem that way. But she might have been kind of right about her mom. Her mother seemed wrapped up in herself, and very concerned about appearances. Her friendship with Tammy was unhealthy, but James and Suzanne loved her enough to confront her. Unfortunately for Lisa, her parents still were not seeing the problem in front of them. Strangely enough, it was her role as Famine that made Lisa use her strengths to stand up for herself and seek the balance that she needed. While many of the characters weren't as fully realized as they could have been, I think that was part of Lisa's problem. She didn't see people as they really were (with faults, issues, and hopes) she saw most people as perfect, and she was so lacking... and fat (her words, not mine).
In the Author's Note at the end, Kessler shares her own fight with bulimia and that of her friend Lisa who was never able to overcome her own eating disorder. It's not a tear jerker and doesn't feel forced, her story, like the rest of Hunger, was honest and frank, with a tinge of her gallows humor. Kessler and Harcourt Graphia are donating a portion of the proceeds from Hunger to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
Notable bits and pieces:
While at times it seemed Kessler was trying a little too hard in her writing, I generally enjoyed the book. The writing style, the characters (Death was awesome), and the story itself were great. I will definitely be checking out her next book, Rage, when it comes out next year.
Related Reviews:
The Hiding Spot review
Books With Bite review
The author's website can be found here.
Her mother is a busy woman, too busy for the daughter who would look so much better if she just lost ten pounds. Her father, well he's perfect, so she hates to disappoint him. Especially since he's so henpecked by her mother (Lisa views her mother as overly critical of everyone). Lisa tries desperately to control her life and her body, trying to fit into the "perfect" mold that is her family. Whenever she wants to breakdown and indulge in food, say a piece of cheese, the Thin voice reminds her:
"Cheddar cheese, one ounce... One hundred fourteen point three calories. Nine point four grams of fat. Forty minutes on the exercise bike."
We come to Lisa after a messenger interrupts her suicide attempt. She'd had a spectacular argument with James the night before (all they do is argue now) and her former best friend Suzanne called her horrible names. How could she? She wasn't anorexic! ("Anorexics don't have muffin tops, the Thin voice said. You're not anorexic. You're just fat."). Lisa had developed an friendship with Tammy, who had such great control over her body (she could purge all of her food in 20 minutes!). Tammy understood her, not like Suzanne or her perfect mother.
So there Lisa sits on her bed, high from the 3 Lexapros (24 more to go), holding Famine's Scale of office (who knew Famine had scales?) and wondering about what the messenger had said, "Though art the Black Rider; go thee out unto the world."
Oddly enough, with Death (who currently resembled a dead alternative rock singer) as a rather sympathetic guide, Lisa struggles to figure out what she's supposed to do as Famine and if she can get her life back.
I really felt bad for Lisa, she's so used to trying to be perfect for her parents and not causing any problems, that she never stands up to her doubts and fears - giving birth to the Thin voice. Her father wasn't disappointed in her when she forgot something or made a mistake, it was her skewed perceptions that made it seem that way. But she might have been kind of right about her mom. Her mother seemed wrapped up in herself, and very concerned about appearances. Her friendship with Tammy was unhealthy, but James and Suzanne loved her enough to confront her. Unfortunately for Lisa, her parents still were not seeing the problem in front of them. Strangely enough, it was her role as Famine that made Lisa use her strengths to stand up for herself and seek the balance that she needed. While many of the characters weren't as fully realized as they could have been, I think that was part of Lisa's problem. She didn't see people as they really were (with faults, issues, and hopes) she saw most people as perfect, and she was so lacking... and fat (her words, not mine).
In the Author's Note at the end, Kessler shares her own fight with bulimia and that of her friend Lisa who was never able to overcome her own eating disorder. It's not a tear jerker and doesn't feel forced, her story, like the rest of Hunger, was honest and frank, with a tinge of her gallows humor. Kessler and Harcourt Graphia are donating a portion of the proceeds from Hunger to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
The Thin voice whispered, Brown rice, one hundred thirty five calories. Steamed broccoli, two cups, fifty calories. One bite of chicken, thirty-six calories. Two hours on the exercise bike.Verdict:She and James, newly dating, strolling through the diner door hand in had and Suzanne leading the chorus of "About Time" and Lisa's cheeks heating because everyone's looking at her differently than before and she sees two popular girls rolling their eyes as if to say, "What does he see in her?" and she feels fat for the first time ever...Finally, a cold, thin hand offered her a lifeline; it rested on her shoulder, lightly, and squeezed, providing some small measure of comfort (albeit cold comfort). Blinking, Lisa looked up and saw Death smiling at her. The part of her ruled by hormones couldn't help but notice how damn cute he was. The rest of her screamed that her hormones had a, ha-ha, death wish.
"Come on , Lisabeth," Death said not unkindly. "It's time to do your job."
The words didn't make any sense. "My job?" Lisa said as Death helped her to her feet. She was a seventeen-year-old high school junior in the suburbs; she didn't have a job.
"Thou art Famine, yo," Death said. "Time to make with the starvation."Death smiled at her - such a heartbreakingly sad smile - and said, "I can't make you be anything, Lisabeth Lewis. Only you can change what you choose to be.""But what she felt with all of her soul was that until she was thin, she would never be happy.
When she was thin, everything would be perfect.
While at times it seemed Kessler was trying a little too hard in her writing, I generally enjoyed the book. The writing style, the characters (Death was awesome), and the story itself were great. I will definitely be checking out her next book, Rage, when it comes out next year.
The Hiding Spot review
Books With Bite review
The author's website can be found here.
Posts
6 comments:
I've heard some mixed reviews for this one but I still want to read it. It sounds like a really unique take on a serious issue.
October 12, 2010 6:54 PM@ Karen - I think it's a serious but not too dark look at eating disorders. The destructive Thin Voice really added to the story.
October 13, 2010 8:10 AMI also requested this one from NetGalley and am so glad you liked it! It will be interesting to get inside the head of someone who has an eating disorder with her very own Thin Voice.
October 13, 2010 10:32 AM@ Daisy - I really think you're going to like this one.
October 13, 2010 11:27 AMI really liked Hunger :) I liked the Horsemen parts best, but Kessler did a really good job of explaining anorexia to people (like me) who didn't really understand it. The book felt very personal, and like you said, from her Author's Note you understand why.
March 18, 2011 10:55 PM@ Kayla + Cyna - Kessler did a good job bringing readers into the mentality of someone suffering from anorexia, I never felt that same connection or understanding with RAGE.
March 19, 2011 1:57 AMPost a Comment