Carmen doesn't really want to be thin, doesn't really start throwing up her food until about half of even two-thirds of the way into the book. It's about mothers, daughters, friends (and how evil they can be), growing up and many things in between, and although bulimia is a main part of the story, all these minor subplots and elements make up the rest of Massive and what ultimately drives Carmen towards eating disorders. It also makes you realise how sinister some mother-daughter relationships can be both should definitely read this.įor such a short book, it's quite slow-going, and the bulimia/anorexia part of the book wasn't as huge an aspect of the story as I had thought. Massive is the sort of book that makes you want to go into the kitchen and eat something just because you you don't want to suddenly and mysteriously want to be as thin as possible. Perhaps I look at the covers of books too deeply.

One thing: am I the only one that's noticed that while the title of the book is written on the weighing scales on the front, the needle is actually pointing to the very smallest number of the scale, as if nobody was stood on it at all? As if you were overweight, even if you weigh nothing at all. However, this means that I don't know if Massive describes having an eating disorder accurately or not. I've never had anorexia or bulimia, and nor has anybody I know. But you may or may have not noticed that I'm currently on a contemporary fiction kick, and so I bought it at a library sale a couple of weeks ago. Mainly because I find it slightly depressing. Review: I don't normally read a lot of contemporary fiction, and even less about eating disorders. If she were thin, very thin, could it all be different? As her life spirals out of control Carmen begins to take charge of the only thing she can - what she eats. When her mother sweeps her off to live in the city, Carmen finds that her old world is disappearing. Carmen knows that as far as her mom is concerned, there is only one option: be thin. How could it not? Her mom is obsessed with the idea that thin equals beautiful, thin equals successful, thin equals the way to get what you want. Summary (from Goodreads): Weight has always been a big issue in Carmen's life. This is a slightly short review, alas, but life interrupts my blogging like it too often does *sigh*.

Massive by julia bell