Insatiable - The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power [Paperback]

Eve Eliot (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

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

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: HCI Teens; 1 edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558748180
• ISBN-13: 978-1558748187
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Realistic view of eating disorders, October 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Insatiable - The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power (Paperback)

I'm glad this book was written. I couldn't put it down, and it was really moving. It's obvious that someone who really understands eating disorders wrote this. My only complaint is that it could have been written better. The scenes are choppy, jumping from scene to scene - character to character - every 2-3 pages or so. The writing style just seemed kind of plain and boring to me too. And even though the accounts of the eating disorders seemed so very real, the characters didn't come to life at all. Still, I would recomend this book to anybody who has an eating disorder or even is just unhappy with their weight. I wish I'd had this book to read when I was 12.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars insatiable: this customer is still unsated., August 23, 2008

By 

Ellua (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insatiable - The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power (Paperback)

The title of "Insatiable" drew me in immediately, but the painfully crude and rudimentary writing forced me to stop reading it less than halfway through.

As as recovering anorexic/bulimic of almost 10 years, I usually devour books on the subject- but "insatiable" is just too unrefined to stomach (eh, no pun intended). The first chapter alone left me feeling as though someone just came and robbed me of 20 IQ points. I tried to give it a chance and read through a few more, but it just didn't hold my interest in any way- I was distracted by the terrible writing the entire time.

Save your money and buy something else. ANYTHING else. This was the worst book that I've ever read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Reading., January 30, 2008

By 

Julia Young (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Insatiable - The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food and Its Power (Paperback)

I read this book back in high school (not too long ago) and enjoyed it. I read it two or three times. Having struggled with eating disorders, I could relate to different instances that the characters portrayed, although the author makes certain instances more dramatic then they might be in reality. The book, however, is not overly dramatic, and gives insight about what may go on in the minds of those who struggle with food issues, from different angles. Insatiable includes the story of four fictional characters, all who deal with life by either over-eating, hardly eating, or binging/purging. This book is a good one for a person struggling with an eating disorder. I didn't feel it was as "triggering" as many other books out there. When you are caught up in an eating disorder, your emotions regarding food and weight are very strong and very real, which makes this book relatable and insightful. I remember sitting in my bedroom in tears from something that happens to the character Jessica, because I could relate so much to it, and it opened my eyes--hit me with reality. Also, one of the characters who I couldn't relate to as much decides to go to therapy, and though I didn't have the same story, it inspired me to think about getting help. I didn't act on it for years and still struggle after multiple treatments, but treating eating disorders are about small steps, and books like this are small steps that get a person to think just a little bit deeper about what they are doing to themselves, as well as their family and friends.