Rachel is a twenty-four-year-old assistant in Los Angeles who manages a strict cycle of calorie counting and punishing exercise to suppress her physical and emotional desires. Her life revolves around the rigid rituals of her eating disorder until her therapist suggests a ninety-day detox from her controlling mother. During this hiatus, Rachel meets Miriam, an Orthodox Jewish woman working at a frozen yogurt shop who begins feeding her calorie-dense sundaes. This encounter sparks a physical and spiritual obsession, intertwining religious mysticism with carnal hunger as Rachel replaces starvation with calorie-laden intimacy.
Readers interested in the intersection of body image, faith, and maternal trauma will find a visceral depiction of how disordered eating functions as a coping mechanism. The book appeals to those who want a blunt look at the psychological connection between the physical appetite and the search for a higher power. You walk away with a stark understanding of how sexual awakening and cultural heritage can dismantle self-imposed restrictions, shifting the focus from caloric control to the messy reality of biological and emotional satisfaction.
Inward-looking, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
