I loved the drawings that told most of the story. 5 full stars for those. I’m so glad that author-illustrator eventually pursued an education in art and a career as an artist. I appreciate that she says that this was the book she wished she’d had when she was going through her eating disorder problems. I do think that it might help many people but I also think it could be triggering for some. Then again, I know that for some people just about anything can be a trigger. I was mesmerized by her story and thought it was really well and honestly told. Anyone who is trying to understand eating disorders (and anxiety disorders including OCD) will come away with some additional understanding. Recommended for those struggling and the people in their lives. Recommended for all teachers as well given what an powerful impact they can have on their students. The paper (paperback!) book is heavy and huge and I found it difficult to read so I borrowed a Hoopla e-edition copy and read that. 4-1/2 stars ( )

This book is beautiful and brilliant and needs HUGE content warnings for anorexia, sexual assault and depression.

Absolutely worth the read, but be prepared. ( )

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed a copy of this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: This was a very well done memoir from Green about growing up as a kid and spiraling into a an eating disorder.

The book starts when Katie is young and having power struggles over food with her parents; I laughed at some of this because I remember the whole "You will sit there until you eat this" thing my parents used to do as well (ugh, cream of mushroom soup and I have an eternal struggle). Then she starts to struggle more and more with her appearance as the people around constantly comment (both good and bad) on it. Katie is super smart and works very hard; she wants to be perfect at everything. But with the pressures around her, she can't seem to figure out how to be perfect at anything. The only complete control she has is around what she eats and if she stops eating anything she's doing perfect at that in her mind.

This is a tough read because there are vast portions of this book I think all women (and probably some men) can relate to. The constant discussion and judging around women's looks, a high acheiver's struggles to be perfect for everyone...these are things a lot of people struggle with. I can totally understand a young teen's desire to try and control something in her life. Katie doesn't have a bad home life, she does deal with some bullying at school but she has friends. She makes it clear in this book that this is a mental struggle for her and it's an exhausting one. While the book is a positive one, the story doesn't hide the fact that this is a life long struggle for her.

The graphic novel is beautifully drawn and the story is easy to follow. The way Katie portrays and brings to life images of her feelings and struggles is increidbly well done. I really enjoy the art style and it's made even more engaging as you find out making this art is part of what pulled Katie out of her spiral with anorexia and binging. This also addresses some sexual abuse that she faced with one of her therapists as well, it's not graphic, but definitely there so a heads up on that.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. It's not a comfortable read and made me feel very sad at points, but it is an honest and hopeful look at Katie's struggles with anorexia and trying to live with this mental disorder. If you are struggling with this yourself or have an interest in learning more about it this is an incredibly well done graphic novel to do that with. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Green's future graphic novels.

I was extremely lucky when I was nineteen years old to have a grandfather who helped me figure out that my relationship with food and exercise (too little of the former, too much of the latter) was unhealthy. At a time that could reasonably be called the worst point of my life – I had taken a leave of absence from college, my dog and stepfather were both dying from cancer, and I couldn’t figure out how to have a positive attitude – I turned to controlling my food and exercise regime to help me cope.

I’m also extremely lucky that I picked up Lighter Than My Shadow and was able to personally thank Katie for writing it when I was in New York. It has taken me a month and a half to finish her exceptional work of art and writing because every single page hits so close to home. Every single emotion is captured perfectly. The quote from Joss Whedon (yep, creator of Buffy, director of The Avengers, Joss Whedon) sums it up pretty succinctly – “It’s universal yet specific and those together make such strong medicine. Wow.”

It also goes to show how little we are willing to talk about eating disorders when I can share my experience with strangers on the internet, but when one of my own friends starts to show the warning signs, I attempt to help her in every way I can, save the most important – I’m too scared to tell her that I’ve been in the exact same position that she is in. I struggle to tell her that I too was not eating and overexercising. It wasn’t until after I started reading Lighter Than My Shadow, it wasn’t until she’d been struggling for almost 2 full years that I could finally bring myself to share that truth with her – that she wasn’t the only one in our friend group to have experienced the despair that accompanies such a loss of control.

Because while a great number of people use their eating disorder as a way to feel in control in a uncontrollable world, exercising that control over yourself also makes you feel out of control, even if you’re not willing to admit it to yourself. Katie perfectly captures that feeling through her illustrations and text. If you, or someone you love and care about, is struggling and you’re not sure what you can do to help yourself or them, take a look at Lighter Than My Shadow. ( )

Beautiful and powerful, Lighter Than My Shadow is a perfect example of the benefits of a graphic novel format rather than a traditional prose novel. The visual depiction of Katie's thinning body, her warped body image (and the way she sees other around her as fatter than they are), her distance when she watches herself binge, the flashbacks of her abuse... all are raw and stunningly depicted, more real to the reader than simply reading descriptions would be.

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