Title:  Hungry Ghost

Author: Victoria Ying

Publisher: First Second

Copyright Date: 2023

Reading Level: ATOS 9.0-9.9

Interest Level: 13-18

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Synopsis:  Val, a soon-to-be college student, has a lot to look forward to for her future. She already has her university of choice and she has a sponsored trip to Paris with her high-school. Despite all the positivity in Val's life, Val struggles with a purging eating disorder (ED). Stemming from her mother's incessant and intrusive perspective on Val's weight and health, Val's eating disorder is like a virus that Val can't seem to shake, or want to shake. Val's life, and her ED, are both shaken to the core when her father later dies in a plane crash. As a result, there are a lot of questions ringing around in her mind: Will she be able to get over her father's death? Will she ever be able to be enough for her mother? Will Val ever love herself the way she needs to? Val doesn't know, but she's going to try. 

Personal Reaction:

Victoria Ying's Hungry Ghost (2023) was a deeply gut wrenching story that was simultaneously about shame and its more positive counterpart: recovery. From the very first moment that Val's eating related trauma is introduced, it was apparent that the story itself was going to be difficult to stomach (no pun intended). I felt especially awful for Val during her childhood birthday section, when her mother insisted that she not eat but taste the food. This moment plucked a chord in my memory that reminded me of my childhood as well as my old relationship with eating and food. I remember that my family members would remind me to be careful of how much I ate, while simultaneously remarking on how skinny I was. It felt like their eyes were always on me, no matter what I ate. It's for this reason that I felt an immediate connection to Val in this birthday moment. This moment especially got me thinking about how strict and intrusive many parents are in regards to their children (specifically their eating habits). Though I understand that parents play an important role in how children view food and eating, I think that there is a distinct line between teaching healthy food relationships and soap-boxing' about perfectionism.

As the story progressed, it became evident how impactful Val's mother was on her personal impression and psyche. Val thought about her mother's comments 24/7, 365, and I feel like this was an accurate representation of what dealing with an ED is like for those who may or may not have experienced one before. Val's constant thoughts during times where she should be experimenting and enjoying herself really show how important it is for parents to have a healthy relationship with discipline. Her mother encroached on her eating to such an extent that Val, who should be enjoying her daily life, was restricting herself to the point of bodily harm. If it isn't already apparent, Val's mother displayed a terrible relationship with discipline that negatively impacted Val. It's also worth mentioning here that Val's mother is also a victim of the same shame system Val endures, undoubtedly because of generational trauma (even if she didn't view it as such).

Val's thoughts on both her body and weight, alongside those about her friend Jordan's, made me think about why we as a society worry incessantly about how we are perceived. Val wondered why and how Jordan was so happy, seeing as she was fat. All of what Val was told pushed her to believe that Jordan couldn't possibly find love or happiness because of her weight. Society, especially American society, seems to perpetuate this unhealthy relationship with being perceived. Teenagers, who are immensely susceptible to this kind of influence, are the victims in this perception based society. Society's of this kind unfortunately utilize shame to motivate, in just the same way that Val's mother did. Teenagers, especially girls, shouldn't be the primary target for shame nor should they have to deal with it. They should live life however they see fit, all while viewing their bodies as both their own and beautiful. Sadly, this is not a reality for Val nor us.

Though a very small section of the graphic novel entirely, I think it's crucial to cover the illustration panel dedicated to Val's stomach. This was particularly striking for me as it illustrated what dealing with an ED is like, especially for me. Having struggled with bulimia and anorexia nervosa as a teenager, I viewed the art with a relatable lens. The fact that the thoughts surrounding Val's stomach were written in cursive somehow display a sense of superiority. Val believed that the demeaning comments her brain developed were the highest form of truth, so using cursive as a way to illustrate this was excellent. I also firmly believe that the fact that her stomach was colored grey, and outlined by a larger looking stomach, was a symbolic choice that demonstrates how wilted and morbid Val's relationship is with her body. Overall, the panel itself showed how distracted Val was by her underlying thoughts of her weight gain from eating, which I think was an excellent use of style. 

As the story's conflict reared its ugly head once again (the passing of her father), Val was pushed further and further away from a psychological breakthrough regarding her weight, body, and eating. This push was so rough that Val lashed out against her friend, Jordan, over a relationship that was out of Val's control. As a result of this, I felt extremely bad for Jordan, who returned from Paris to support her friend. Jordan was trying to be the best friend she could be, and Val's rage and insecurity finally boiled over and burned her relationship (though not irreparably). This goes to show how detrimental and easily repeatable body-related trauma can be. So, I can thankfully say now that I genuinely appreciated the later words of wisdom by Val's Aunt Nikki. Her lessons about body positivity, the source of happiness, and reconciling differences were all valuable, for both Val and the audience. And, as a final comment, I think that because the story highlighted the importance of reconciliation through therapeutic assistance, it is a fantastic bird's eye view of young adult tribulations and how life can improve with time, experience, and patience. 

Awards Won: 2023 Harvey Award for Best Children's or Young Adult Book, Kirkus' Best Books of 2023, 2024-2025 Denny O'Neil Official Final Reading List, Denny O’Neil Graphic Novel List (Grades PreK-12), Bank Street Best Books of the Year, YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 

Award Worthiness: 

Due to the artful representation of emotionally disturbing topics like generational trauma, eating disorders, and body dysphoria, I firmly believe that Ying's graphic novel deserves the awards that it received, and more. Though I feel like the novel under-stayed its welcome, I still believe that the graphic novel achieved the body positivity allegory it aimed to illustrate. 

Recommendation:

I recommend this book to those who are concerned about/interested in the struggles of eating disorders, generational trauma, and societal pressures for teenagers, though this recommendation comes with caveats. Due to the non-obvious subject matter, i.e. non-visible purging, it is my belief that the severity of this graphic novel can only be understood by children 13 and up. Children younger than 13 may have interest in this novel, but I highly advise parental/guardian guidance due to the depth associated with Val's body image and bulimia issues. There is also extremely mild nudity at one point (Val getting dressed for an outing on page 27), that may be concerning to some. In regards to the older audience, I highly suggest that adults read through this piece to improve their understanding of the trials and tribulations that teenage girls undergo at the hands of society, and their parents.

My recommendation is based on the overtly beautiful quality of the graphic novel, both linguistically as well as artistically. Victoria Ying masterfully utilized illustration and language to accurately portray Val's struggle with her eating disorder, as well as her redemption and recovery. While the art style was grounded and deserves mentioning, the plot is equally as important to the novel's quality. The pacing of the plot, alongside the events that took place within it, were both well orchestrated. While the plot seemed a little fantastical with the privilege that was displayed, I believe that the overall believability remained in tact due to the grounded nature of the issues that were displayed. The setting that Ying chose is also worth mentioning, as the cyclical shift from high-school to home to Paris and then vice versa was, intentionally or unintentionally, an allegory for the cyclical struggle with eating disorders. Working within this setting are Ying's excellently coded characters! Val, Jordan, Val's mother, and still others, all demonstrated diversity and overcame great psychological conflict. Val, in particular, had an interesting development that highlighted the teenage struggle to fit in from multiple angles. 

Another literary element I want to highlight here is Ying's usage of the first person perspective. Ying guides the audience through Val's disturbing experiences and thoughts by using first person, and ultimately infuses the audience with a newfound sense of ED understanding. Val was a good person, who made some heavy mistakes; despite her mistakes, the audience can't help but empathize with her struggle, and bask in her success when she recognizes that she may never be better, but she will try. I think that Val's resolution at the end is definitely this novel's ultimate theme: You can't ever be perfect, but you can be yourself. This theme surrounding self acceptance and personal growth is certainly the value offered to society by Ying's graphic novel. So, I implore that those interested read through this piece to learn a bit more about themselves, and those around them. After all, you never know what is eating at someone without first taking the step to understand (pun intended here). 

Possible Discussion Topics:

1) Before you read this graphic novel, did you have any inherent biases against those struggling with eating disorders? If so, why? 

2) Do you agree that teenagers should be taught about mental health  disorders and strategies? If so, what resources should public schools provide to better accommodate teenagers' mental health struggles?

3) Has your perspective on eating changed having read this novel? Why or why not?