~*The Girls At 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib
First of all I would like to thank Netgalley as well as the publisher St. Martin's Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anna Roux a 26 year old dancer has been dealing with the eating disorder anorexia for years but after years of struggling things have finally come to a head.. Her husband Mathias convinces her to go to treatment facility at 17 Swann Street. There she meets a group of girls suffering from anorexia or bulimia. Ash she becomes friends with the girls there she also begins to discover herself.
When she first arrives and through much of the book Anna is at a loss as to why she is even at Swann Street. Sure, she watches her diet but she is a dancer and dancers need to diet to stay in shape don't they? Yes, she restricts most foods but as a vegan once again that is something that vegans do.....right? The answer is no, to both things. When she first arrives Anna is in complete denial. She remember things differently than her family does. A trip with her husband is remembered fondly as a trip with lovely hikes and boat loads of fresh strawberries but Mathias remembers it as desperately trying to find food, any food that Anna would et and that she could barely make it a half a mile before she was exhausted.
Yara Zgheib does a wonderful job of letting us hear Anna' voice while sharing Anna's medical reports throughout her stay where we have a better idea of what is really happening with her. Anna is a kind, sweet voice and you care deeply about her as you root for her to beat her eating disorder. You long for her to heal and you also find yourself rooting for the other girls at Swann Street, the Emms, Valeries and Julias. The girl lost on the grips of this disease that has a tight rein on them. The care and understanding they give one another is heartwarming and you want them all to heal.
This is a beautifully written, haunting novel full of wonderful characters and a gripping,inspiring story.
As someone with food issues I do get triggered when people discuss weight and dieting and yet I am able to read these kinds of books without being triggered. Maybe because often books like these are written by or about survivors. I do want to give trigger warning at the start if you are in recovery for an eating disorder and are sensitive to these kinds of stories. I myself did not find this triggering at all though.
Anna Roux a 26 year old dancer has been dealing with the eating disorder anorexia for years but after years of struggling things have finally come to a head.. Her husband Mathias convinces her to go to treatment facility at 17 Swann Street. There she meets a group of girls suffering from anorexia or bulimia. Ash she becomes friends with the girls there she also begins to discover herself.
When she first arrives and through much of the book Anna is at a loss as to why she is even at Swann Street. Sure, she watches her diet but she is a dancer and dancers need to diet to stay in shape don't they? Yes, she restricts most foods but as a vegan once again that is something that vegans do.....right? The answer is no, to both things. When she first arrives Anna is in complete denial. She remember things differently than her family does. A trip with her husband is remembered fondly as a trip with lovely hikes and boat loads of fresh strawberries but Mathias remembers it as desperately trying to find food, any food that Anna would et and that she could barely make it a half a mile before she was exhausted.
Yara Zgheib does a wonderful job of letting us hear Anna' voice while sharing Anna's medical reports throughout her stay where we have a better idea of what is really happening with her. Anna is a kind, sweet voice and you care deeply about her as you root for her to beat her eating disorder. You long for her to heal and you also find yourself rooting for the other girls at Swann Street, the Emms, Valeries and Julias. The girl lost on the grips of this disease that has a tight rein on them. The care and understanding they give one another is heartwarming and you want them all to heal.
This is a beautifully written, haunting novel full of wonderful characters and a gripping,inspiring story.
As someone with food issues I do get triggered when people discuss weight and dieting and yet I am able to read these kinds of books without being triggered. Maybe because often books like these are written by or about survivors. I do want to give trigger warning at the start if you are in recovery for an eating disorder and are sensitive to these kinds of stories. I myself did not find this triggering at all though.
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