The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller

Title: The Art of Starving
By: Sam J. Miller
Published: 2017
Call #: YA Fiction Mille.S

“Matt hasn’t eaten in days . . . he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have powers.”

Miller’s debut novel is at once stark and funny, a story about body image, addiction, and love. Miller’s story rides the line between fantasy and reality; does Matt really develop superpowers or is it the deluded fantasies of a starving mind?

I love this book. Miller’s treatment of eating disorders is authentic, heartfelt, and full of the realism that comes from first hand experience. I also loved the complex and often frustrating familial relationships explored in this novel. Each of them is complex, personal, and individual.

I know some people have issues with the inclusion of the supernatural but I found them to be well done and cohesive. If you do find that you are confused, feel free to start the chapter (they are typically short) over and really immerse yourself in Miller’s masterful prose.

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