Good Enough

by Jen Petro-Roy

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Good Enough was a first hand account of Riley's inpatient treatment as she began her recovery from anorexia. It's been over 25 years since my inpatient treatment for disordered eating, but Petro-Roy's depiction of Riley's battle with ED (eating disorder) immediately brought me back to my own struggle.

I applaud the author's decision to write this story in journal format, because it was the perfect way to clearly capture and communicate Riley's emotions. She skillfully depicted the sadness, loneliness, anxiety, desperation, and shame that results from this disease. She explored the secretive nature of it, and how it forces the one suffering from the disorder to withdraw from their life. Riley often lamented giving up things, activities, and people who made her happy in order to protect her secret. This part was so honest and really hit home with me.

I loved the way Petro-Roy laid out Riley's recovery as well. I don't think people realize how difficult it is to wage a war with an eating disorder. Someone suffering from anorexia or bulimia NEEDS food to survive. They need to make peace with this enemy, and it's a very, very difficult thing to do. Riley's struggle was authentic, and because of that, her recovery was not all rainbows and unicorns. It was difficult, and it was hard work, and this was addressed very well in the book.

Another thing I personally connected with and, thought was done really well, was the way Riley's family and friends reacted to her illness. I remember my own sister coming to visit me in the hospital, and asking me, "Why can't you just eat and be happy?" This must be a common response, because Riley met with the same line of questioning. There were a lot of other reactions from her friends and family, which aligned with my own experiences, and I really appreciated that some time was dedicated to this in the story.

Finally, it was extremely rewarding to watch Riley progress. The war against ED is fought on the battlefield of the mind, and this can be a very difficult place to win any skirmishes. That push and pull of conflicting emotions and clashing wants and needs were omnipresent in Riley's story. I was so proud of Riley as she fought back against the negative and tried to embrace the positive. I was also proud of the way she opened up and began to assert her wants and needs to her family and friends. All were such important parts of her recovery.

When I started this book, I immediately thought it brilliantly captured the emotions and experiences of someone suffering from an eating disorder. When I finished the book, I thought it would be a fantastic book for the friends and family of someone with this illness, because it would give them great insight and maybe help them understand what it's like to have an eating disorder.

Overall: A wonderfully written and emotional look into the mind of a young anoretic as she works towards recovery.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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