The Art of Starving chronicles the visceral story of Matt, who is convinced that his eating disorder is giving him superpowers. As his hunger increases, his mind clears – or so he believes – and he needs all the brainpower he can manage in order to find his sister Maya, who headed out of the house one day and hasn’t returned since. The Art of Starving is a story of bullying, addiction, friendship, and love too, and the combination of these is a darkly funny and painfully cathartic novel.
Opening lines: Congratulations! You have acquired one human body. This was a poor decision, but it is probably too late for you to do anything about it. Life, alas, has an extremely strict return policy.
Favorite lines: “I used to imagine Better was a place you could get to. A moment when I would look around and see that Everything Was Fine. But that’s not how this works. Being better isn’t a battle you fight and win. Feeling okay is a war, one that lasts your whole life, and the only way to win is to keep on fighting.”
Why I like it: It’s a deeply honest and cathartic read
Read if you like: queer fiction, unconventional love stories, and genuine main characters