Sign in with Facebook
emma's Reviews > Piglet
Piglet
by
by
emma's review
bookshelves: arc, from-publisher-author, literary-fiction, non-ya, 1-and-a-half-stars, unpopular-opinion, nope, reviewed
Oct 06, 2023
bookshelves: arc, from-publisher-author, literary-fiction, non-ya, 1-and-a-half-stars, unpopular-opinion, nope, reviewed
eating disorder fiction is just so boring. much like having one!
there is nothing new or interesting about disordered eating, which at its core is unable to shake off the embedded falsehood that women should be small or should deny themselves. these stories can try to be new or interesting, but they'll always come off as fatphobic, they'll always tie human worth to appearance, and they'll always feel outdated and overdone.
this is no exception.
this book wanted to be nightbitch + milk fed + exciting times all in one. it wanted to have a big secret but not really, and it wanted to be stylized but only in italicized final paragraphs, and it wanted to be character-driven without the pesky character development. it wanted to empower and liberate through eating, without actually having to reckon with any of the thinking that goes with that. it wanted to be literary and unique, while covering some of the most well-covered topics of all time.
like its protagonist, it wanted a lot and ended up with very little.
bottom line: EDs have taken a lot from me, but they've also given me the chance to write this review without anyone being allowed to get mad at me. so who wins, really.
1.5
------------------
pre-review
warning: reading while hungry
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
------------------
tbr review
judging books by their covers
there is nothing new or interesting about disordered eating, which at its core is unable to shake off the embedded falsehood that women should be small or should deny themselves. these stories can try to be new or interesting, but they'll always come off as fatphobic, they'll always tie human worth to appearance, and they'll always feel outdated and overdone.
this is no exception.
this book wanted to be nightbitch + milk fed + exciting times all in one. it wanted to have a big secret but not really, and it wanted to be stylized but only in italicized final paragraphs, and it wanted to be character-driven without the pesky character development. it wanted to empower and liberate through eating, without actually having to reckon with any of the thinking that goes with that. it wanted to be literary and unique, while covering some of the most well-covered topics of all time.
like its protagonist, it wanted a lot and ended up with very little.
bottom line: EDs have taken a lot from me, but they've also given me the chance to write this review without anyone being allowed to get mad at me. so who wins, really.
1.5
------------------
pre-review
warning: reading while hungry
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
------------------
tbr review
judging books by their covers
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
Piglet.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
September 14, 2023
– Shelved
April 3, 2024
–
Started Reading
April 4, 2024
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-47 of 47 (47 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
alanna � ˎˊ˗
(new)
-
rated it 1 star
Mar 08, 2024 01:36PM
emma i did not enjoy this and i really wanna know your thoughts now
reply
|
flag
on the edge of my seat for this one since I finally read this book before this
Just finished over the weekend and have mixed feelings. Curious your thoughts
as someone struggling with a ED and having it take so much away from me - thank you for this review
the title has my red flag alert SCREAMING
so this *isn't* Winnie the Pooh extended universe fiction?
I so appreciate this review. I loathed this also and I questioned in my review why this book is getting a pass on being an ED book and instead people seem to be claiming she is a master of metaphor (with the only metaphor employed being that of binge eating). It’s a poorly written and irresponsible and yeah, boring, ED book. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience - you couldn’t have said it better.
as someone w/ an ED, characters having eating disorders doesn't bother me, i usually like it when it's relatable (this was not). what really pissed me off about this was the way it it's been marketing as this "female rage" book when 1 - that's a wildly overused phrase to begin with 2 - no it's not. it's just a really privileged woman "coming undone." like i thought nightbitch was corny AF and like that god awful "labor" song that was popular on tiktok, but at least nightbitch knew what it was and didn't masquerade as anything other than a corny take on female rage.
i'm confused. are you saying actual eating disorders are inherently fatphobic? bc if so that's fucked up. most eating disorders dont't start just so someone can "be skinny." it very much stems from a need for control (coming from someone who has had an eating disorder for over a decade.)
haven’t read this book but ummm emma i hope you’re not saying having an ED makes you fatphobic
lol i've been monitoring these comments bc i knew that even though i am writing about something that i myself have someone would want me canceled for this! updated to make the actual point i'm trying to make clearer to people who haven't read this book
Lilly wrote: "as someone struggling with a ED and having it take so much away from me - thank you for this review"girl i'm there with ya!
alanna � ˎˊ˗ wrote: "THANK YOUUUUUU"woo!
Adam wrote: "so this *isn't* Winnie the Pooh extended universe fiction?"if you can believe it!
Jenna wrote: "I so appreciate this review. I loathed this also and I questioned in my review why this book is getting a pass on being an ED book and instead people seem to be claiming she is a master of metaphor..."i love the way you said this, it's so true!! it is lazy and cruel
M wrote: "as someone w/ an ED, characters having eating disorders doesn't bother me, i usually like it when it's relatable (this was not). what really pissed me off about this was the way it it's been market..."YES!!! i also didn't like nightbitch bc i thought it was pretty unoriginal and one note, but after reading this book, which is even lazier and far less self aware, i'm feeling fondly towards it
Ah bummer to hear this is a let down. Hope your next reads are all amazing instead
My thoughts exactly on this book! It was neither interesting or clever
Victoria wrote: "My thoughts exactly on this book! It was neither interesting or clever"exactly!!!
s.penkevich wrote: "Ah bummer to hear this is a let down. Hope your next reads are all amazing instead"thank you!!! i would take that trade
Who is trying to cancel someone with only 4000 subscribers and absolutely no “influence� on anything lol? Delusional. And while I don’t particularly think you wrote anything wrong, people are still allowed to disagree with you despite what you’ve experienced. Because guess what? You’re not the only one who has experienced EDs lol. You are NOT the spokeswoman lmfao
Dakota wrote: "Who is trying to cancel someone with only 4000 subscribers and absolutely no “influence� on anything lol? Delusional. And while I don’t particularly think you wrote anything wrong, people are stil..."
lol what? i wasn't using the extremely goofy term cancel seriously. i don't even know what 4k subscribers is about. and i'm not saying that i am the spokeswoman for EDs??? who would want to be??? i was accused of saying something i didn't say so i updated what i said to be clearer. you seem chill
If you also suffered from an eating disorder I not sure why you are saying they are "so boring". I also experienced disorded eating and body dysmorphia for the bulk of my existence and it was anything but boring. It was consuming, exhausting and painful. The reasons a person has one has one can stem from a variety reasons. I agree with other commenters that you're making it sound like eating disorders are fatphobic and that's simply not true. I haven't read this book, I came here to check reviews on it. I'm going to start it right now.
Your reviews are written in a language that I understand, which is why I follow you on GR. Unfortunately not everyone speaks (or reads) that language. Gonna skip this book. Thanks.
Love the review. What book was recommended to me and I’m left with WTF what did I miss?
Tara wrote: "If you also suffered from an eating disorder I not sure why you are saying they are "so boring". I also experienced disorded eating and body dysmorphia for the bulk of my existence and it was anyth..."to me, the consuming and exhausting and painful nature of it is what made it so boring. it makes life boring. all life is is what you eat, which is, to me, boring! we can disagree with each other's impressions without calling each other fatphobic. i hope this book works for you!
Maddie wrote: "Odd review"thank you
Stacey wrote: "Thank you"<3
Heather wrote: "Your reviews are written in a language that I understand, which is why I follow you on GR. Unfortunately not everyone speaks (or reads) that language. Gonna skip this book. Thanks."i like this comment so much. thank you truly!
Laura wrote: "Love the review. What book was recommended to me and I’m left with WTF what did I miss?"yes!!! thank you, this feeling exactly!
Exactly correct. Thank you
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. There is no conclusion. It's a prime example of 'I know people in the business and they got this through for me'. Thank you for your frank review.
Gemma wrote: "This is one of the worst books I have ever read. There is no conclusion. It's a prime example of 'I know people in the business and they got this through for me'. Thank you for your frank review."i'm with you honestly. thank you!
Rebekah wrote: "Exactly correct. Thank you"<3
Absolutely agree with this review. I preferred Milk Fed.
Read this book in one go and was nauseous the entire time - the relationship with food, stuffed down feelings, impending disaster, and also that none of it was happening quickly enough or without hope for brightness. It’s well enough written, and maybe intentionally fixated not unlike an eating disorder. Really an unpleasant experience without too many redeeming qualities. Wish I’d read your review first.
i enjoyed the book but i also agree with your review
Without character development? Did we read the same book? while bored at times this was an interesting read and the imagery and character development throughout made it at least a 3 star read.
I read this because of the comparisons to Nightbitch (which I LOVED). Nope. This ain't it. Boring with a capital B, and completely pretentious. I almost never quit a book, but I googled spoilers and quit this one, and I'm glad I did.
I was a little post holiday depressed and this book sure didn’t help. I enjoyed the descriptions of food and prep but little else. It felt like impending disaster.
Someone had to say it, and I’m glad you did. Review right out of my mouth. Probably the worst book I’ve read in the past year.
Took the words right out of my mouth! This was so awful, I skipped most of the pages just to get to the very disappointing and predictable end.
I read this review and took it off my to be read. As an ed survivor I refuse to read
