Hunger (Early Review)

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
Rider's Quartet #1

"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.

This book surprised me, it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. However, I did enjoy it, and felt a strong connection with Lisa. It was very short, but there was a lot of material jammed packed into it. The plot centers around the destruction anorexia and other eating disorders cause, but with a little twist. I never would have pictured an anorexic person as Famine, but surprisingly it works. The characters were really well developed, and the trials Lisa goes through are very realistic. The emotions were such a roller coaster, and I can only guess what it would be like to be really experiencing them first hand, either on the side of the one with the disorder, or the ones who care for them.

I think this book would greatly appeal to anyone going through some of these issues, or anyone who cares for someone that has been damaged by an eating disorder. It really was a good look into the trials of an eating disorder, the constant nagging inner voice, and the terrible self-body image. Hopefully this book will be able to help people as the author intends it to. I know I now have a better understanding of the disorders after reading the book. I really admire the fact that some of the proceeds are going to be donated to the National Eating Disorders Association. Even if nothing like this has ever touched your life, I highly recommend this book.

(Received for review from Netgalley) 

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Hunger