The most intuitive and beautiful graphic novel ever written !! My supervisor recommended it to me and said it reminds him of me (huh? I think he also refers to the drawing style hehe) On the surface it's about anxiety OCD and eating disorders. But to me it's about the struggle of childhood, existential loneliness, and our desperate attempt to assert control in this big wild world. I would send all my friends from school a copy if it weren't so dense. It touches very most tender spot in my hearts. (I am only half way through!!) This long-awaited graphic memoir from illustrator Katie Green was one of the highlights of my reading year. The emotional effort it must have taken to draw her harrowing story must have been enormous. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is glad she did.Lighter Than My Shadow is Katie’s story of her struggle with and recovery from anorexia nervosa, with the added trauma of sexual abuse during her recovery. Both taboo subjects, Katie never shies away from the struggles she endured and the story is told beautifully through her charming illustrations. It’s hard to read though, particularly if you’ve been through something even remotely similar. The early part of the book was particularly resonant for me, transporting me back to my teenage years where I was paranoid about putting on weight, hid food in my room and habitually starved myself as punishment for not “fitting in”. Katie’s journey, however, takes a far more sinister turn than mine did. The illustrations are so evocative, capturing the mind of a young girl who is aware her life is spinning out of control and her desperate attempts to control it, battling the “black cloud” that hangs over her in almost every picture.Not an easy read by any stretch, and you might want some alone time afterwards to digest it. But it is so, so important that stories like this are told not only to expose the dark hearts of these taboo subjects but to give hope of recovery to anyone currently struggling. While there are a lot of shadows in Lighter Than My Shadow, there is light too. It’s such a brave, emotionally honest and beautifully realised book and deserves a very wide audience.
What do You think about Lighter Than My Shadow (2013)?
Vakkert, trist, riktig og ikke minst veldig, veldig viktig om spiseforstyrrelser. Jeg gråt.
—z2841096
AMAZING. One of the best books I've read in a long time!
—mrose97
Brilliantly visualised memoir. Very moving too.
—robynowitz
