Ink in Water: An Illustrated Memoir (Or, How I Kicked Anorexia's Ass and Embraced Body Positivity)

by Lacy J. Davis and Jim Kettner

At once punk rock and poignant, Ink in Water is the visceral and groundbreaking graphic memoir of a young woman's devastating struggle with negative body image and eating disorders, and how she rose above her own destructive behaviors and feelings of inadequacy to live a life of strength and empowerment.

As a young artist living in Portland, Lacy Davis' eating disorder began with the germ of an idea: a seed of a thought that told her she just wasn't good enough. And like ink in water, that idea spread until it reached every corner of her being. This is the true story of Lacy's journey into the self-destructive world of multiple eating disorders. It starts with a young and positive Lacy, trying to grapple with our culture's body-image obsession and stay true to her riot grrrl roots. And while she initially succeeds in overcoming a nagging rumination about her body, a break up with a recovering addict starts her on a collision course with anorexia, health food obsession, and compulsive exercise addiction.

At the request of her last real friend, she starts going to a twelve-step Overeaters Anonymous course, only to find that it conflicts with her punk feminist ideology. Blending bold humor, a healthy dose of self-deprecation, vulnerability, literary storytelling, and dynamic and provocative artwork by illustrator Jim Kettner, Ink in Water is an unflinching, brutally honest look into the author's mind: how she learned to take control of her damaging thoughts, redirect her perfectionism from self-destructive behaviors into writing and art, and how she committed herself to a life of health, strength, and nourishment.

• ISBN10: 1626258317
• ISBN13: 9781626258310
• Publish Date: 30 November 2017
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 7 October 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: New Harbinger Publications
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Ink in Water from Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ink in Water is an enormously stunning graphic novel full of pain, love, and recovery. Lacy J. Davis’ story comes to life with the help of illustrator Jim Kettner (and can I just say that I love his work?). Ink in Water is a truly unique and worthwhile read, even for those that have not suffered from an eating disorder (or any other form of addiction, for that matter).



Warnings first: This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Ink in Water contains a lot of information, talking, and images of people struggling with eating disorders and drug addiction. Some people may be triggered by this, so I felt it was important to point out. The message is well intended, with the focus on recovery and healing.
I was truly touched by the openness and honesty presented in Ink in Water. I appreciate that Davis was willing to talk about her story in such a way; though I’ll admit that knowing this was a true story did make it a bit tougher to read (understandably so, since nobody should have to go through that). If you’ve ever wanted to try and get a better understanding of what a person can go through during addiction and recovery, this may be a good place to start (though keep in mind that not everybody has the same experience, and thus remember to listen to other stories when presented to you).
I think it’s really important for representations like Ink in Water to be read (or seen, depending on the media), as it helps generate a better understanding and empathy. I will always respect any artist or author that puts themselves on the line to reveal something as deeply personal as this. In Davis’ case, not only does she not shy from the blunt truths of her past, but she tells her tale in such a heartbreakingly beautiful manner. It’s impossible not to empathize with her.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks