Name: Jen Estrella's review of Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo
Item: Eat, and Love Yourself
Rating: 3
Author: Jen Estrella

Sweeney Boo

A story about Mindy, a woman living with an eating disorder who has to learn how to love herself again. In pursuit of the perfect body, Mindy buys the low-fat diet products and the glossy magazines which promise the secret to losing weight. One night, while perusing the aisles of the neighborhood convenience store for a midnight snack, she finds a new product. A chocolate bar called “Eat and Love Yourself”. On a whim, Mindy buys the curious candy, not knowing that with every piece of chocolate she eats, she will be brought back to a specific moment of her past -- helping her to look at herself honestly, learn to love her body the way it is, and accepting love. Perhaps, she will even realize that her long lost high school best friend, Elliot, was more than just a friend… Sweeney Boo (Love Is Love) presents an honest and uncompromising look at how we form our self-image, the eating disorders that haunt our most private moments and what it takes to learn to love ourselves again.

Eat, and Love Yourself

Jen Estrella

For fans of Seconds and Wet Moon. Mindy is a young woman living with an eating disorder and trapped in a battle for her own self-worth. When she accidentally discovers a magic chocolate bar that will give her a chance to revisit her past, she thinks she has a chance to put her life back on track. But will she be able to find a way back to her present, and just as important, a way to treat herself with love and kindness, at any size? Join writer/artist Sweeney Boo (Marvel Action: Captain Marvel) on a journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and just a bit of magic.

Liyah 🤎

First I loved the animation style and mindy is so freaking cute!! It’s a cute fluff story but the main character def has a serious ED and it’s not really addressed super head on to me. Maybe it’s not supposed to be but I feel like there should’ve been a little more. Her friends and family are kinda dicks and I wish they’d been torn into a little more for how they’ve contributed it again it’s sortve brushed over. Still a cute story that addresses a hard reality without romanticizing it. Would recommend to someone else struggling with body image issues but maybe not someone with a full blown ED or whose early in their recovery. Could be emotionally triggering.

Briar's Reviews

Eat, and Love Yourself is a lovely body positivity graphic novel.

Mindy doesn't see herself in a positive light. She sees herself as her weight, and takes offense when other people point out it. She tracks it constantly yet over eats a lot of chocolate bars. A lot of her food issues seem to stem from her childhood and various issues she's had over the years. Chocolate bars have become her fix to help reduce her anxiety.

This story shows how Mindy developed over the years and how she learned to cope and and break the cycle. Body dysphoria can be really debilitating for people, and Mindy is learning all about it.

I found that this book hits home from the get go and talks some real truths. Mindy is super relatable and cool to boot.

Other Notes:
1. The cat's name is Jabba. I truly hope it's after Jabba the Hut, just saying.
2. TURQUOISE/TEAL HAIR FOR THE WIN!

I think this is the perfect channel for communicating this message. A graphic novel not only shows the story, but it also shows the emotions of the characters when it's painted on their face. 

The colour scheme of purple and yellow is absolutely gorgeous. It stands out and the tones work really well together. Add in the cartoon-y illustrations and you make for one really pretty and well illustrated story. Honestly, the style really vibes with me. I'm impressed!

Overall, this book was a great resource to show the that body dysphoria is is common. I wish it would have dove into how Mindy learned to break the cycle to really hit the message home. I think that would have been a great way to show that there is positivity on the other side, because the story mostly showed her constantly eating the chocolate and only deciding that she would change. There wasn't much action.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for supplying me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Izza

4.5 stars | I freaking loved this. I'm so glad I took a chance and pre-ordered it. The art style and colour palette were right up my alley and the story-line was excellent. Very emotional and relatable. I'm looking forward to whatever Sweeney Boo comes up with next!

Lauren Tabor

I think the art style of this was really cute. I think this was intended to have a strong message though and really make you feel but I didn't really get it. I mean I related to some of the things she felt, so I understand the intention. But I think it was too short and not fleshed out enough to really get me to feel anything for any character. There wasn't enough time to deal with all the really hard things she was feeling so it felt really abrupt when it ended. It was such a quick read so I don't feel like it was a waste of time but it was nothing monumental for me.

Jasmin 

(a free review copy was provided to me by Netgalley) 

This graphic novel is emotional andgets right at you - it is written beautifully with a unique storyline and great lead character.
Both the writing and art make the comic a joy to read. However be cautious if you struggle with an eating disorder as this is pictured within Eat, and Love Yourself. The protagonist is shown to restrict and have bulemia. Thisbis handledbin a careful matter but still can be triggering - take care <3

Jelke Lenaerts

I received a galley of this book through Netgalley.  
This book has content warnings for body dismorphia, eating disorders and depression.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, especially the art style. The story was also captivating and I would highly recommend this but I just have the feeling like not a whole lot happened. I kind of wish there was a little bit more to this graphic novel. I can't really say what I'm missing though but there's something. But yeah, for the rest I still highly recommend this book.

Lena

Thank you to BOOM! Studios for providing me with this ARC for review!

I love love loVE the art in this. Has a good message too. I think it could have done with being a tad longer or explored in a slightly different way to fit more in. 

Highlights how little things add up, what you think is help may be the opposite. 

Overall a good read. Be kind, be mindful. To yourself and to others.

Jurassic Jones

A REAL BEAUTIFUL STORY AND REALLY TRUE !! It's really a very important reading on eating desorder. Really hurt but important !

Karolina

Eat, and Love Yourself is a short graphic novel telling a story of 27 years old Mindy who feels that her life is full of disappointment. She always had a problem with her weight and self-acceptance, and it controls her life through the years. She has dropped her studies and is working at the café. Her social life isn’t interesting because she can’t find herself comfortable around people. She feels that everyone is judging her. 

One they when she’s going to the supermarket where she finds new chocolate called “Eat, and Love Yourself”, the chocolate that will change your life. She bought one and discovered that one piece takes her to the hard times of her childhood to change her view on her life. 

My thoughts: 

I think this book is a perfect book for young readers. It takes us through the whole journey of a girl’s way of self-acceptance. Mindy was told her whole life that she is not good enough, that she needs to change to find love and happiness but, in the end, she finds out that it’s not a truth. There is a lot of more important things than that in her life and there are people that love her the way she is. The chocolate is only a small help on her way to stop hating herself and finally start accepting her life how it is and motivate her to change it however she wants. 

I would recommend it to all young readers who also can’t accept their bodies and are anxious about their lives and future. I would like to thank Sweeney Boo and BOOM! Box for providing me this ARC copy. I was happy to read and honestly review it.

Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[eating disorder (specifically bulimia), disordered eating (including bingeing and purging), body dysmorphia, fat shaming (internalized & externalized)  (hide spoiler)]

So, there is absolutely no surprise that I am going to RAVE about the artwork in Eat and Love Yourself. If I was a person to have an aesthetic, this graphic novel is it in a nutshell. The entire style was calming and cool and emotional. It fit everything that the story was.

This story follows Mindy, a young woman kinda lost in life and struggling with body dysmorphia and bulimia. While the book deals with these tough topics the entire story is woven into something soft and dream-like.

This is something that could easily have felt glorifying or underplaying the severity of the topics. But instead, it felt respectful and gentle. This was played out from some mildly fantastical elements which help our MC discover and reflect on herself and the impact of her past.

My one issue with this story was the lack of a solid storyline. It is clear that this is a book that takes us through an internal journey – something of self-discovery and insight. But it felt a little airy-fairy. There was something foundational missing in the storyline for me which took away from this being a fantastic and important read.

This is my first time with these authors/artists and I’m really happy I have uncovered them (NOTE: I discovered Sweeney Boo also collabs on Rat Queens which is a long-time TBR for me). I enjoyed the book while I was in it and it will definitely be a recommendation on hand for mental health graphic novels.

But overall, I would have liked something more with this one.


TL;DR: WONDERFUL ART, TOUCHING TOPICS, MISSING PLOTLINE


  Note: Review copy received via NetGalley. This does not impact opinions within this review.


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Happy reading! ❤

Epsita

I loved reading this. The illustrations were great and the story was thoughtful and engrossing.

Jen Estrella &
Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

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