What I Lost Hardcover – June 6, 2017

Amazing book

I've read a lot of books on this subject, and this one was pretty entertaining. It's not my all-time favorite, but it was very good. It was interesting to see the dynamic of a messed up mother-daughter relationship, where she wanted to be supportive, but instead became an enabler.

I have been meaning to review this book for sometime, but somehow, struggled to find the words. Elizabeth's journey is one that I have heard all too often and battled with, though not nearly as severe. So many similar stories abound. Ballard draws us in quickly. We are already in recovery and wondering how on Earth Elizabeth got there. We begin wanting to understand and to uncover. The cast of characters, no matter how small, are delicately and vividly drawn. You feel for each and every human in this story, no matter how frustrated you get or no matter who lashes out, the core is compassion. This book is a must. To shed light on this insidious disease, that comes in many forms and stems from many places. Beautiful book. Nothing is tied up in a bow...it's all in the journey. Truly wonderful.

Aside from the powerful message this story tells about eating disorders, it was a well written, entertaining story with a very satisfying conclusion. I would recommend it whether you a looking for a powerful tale about anorexia or just looking to be entertained for a day or two.

I absolutely love this book. I’ve been reading it for almost a week now and I’m halfway done. This book covers going through an eating disorder incredibly. I’m so happy I got this book and definitely recommend it.

Love, love this. Any woman who has struggled with weight and food will relate.

Very good book. Read the first 20 chapters the first day. Brought memories of my own experiences.

I found myself spending the better part of a weekend reading this book because it was so engaging. Whereas some YA literature focuses on plot at the expense of good writing, I found that What I Lost gave attention to both. As a therapist who has worked in a residential facility, I felt like this book did justice to the experience. It might sound a bit funny to say that a book about eating disorders was entertaining, but it was a good read and one that I'd recommend both to friends and to patients.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it’s an important read—it deals with eating disorders in a very respectful way, and tackling issues like this is always tough. The author does a good job of bringing such a sensitive topic to the forefront. Yet it seemed a bit flat in its execution.The representation of anorexia is also especially well done, and from what I know, it was pretty realistic as well as it showed Elizabeth’s journey to recovery.But for me, the writing felt flat. The tone pretty much stayed the same throughout and I struggled a little with reading it at times as I kept getting distracted and couldn’t always remember which character was which. But the story itself was powerful enough for me to pull through and finish it.There also were a couple of things I did feel that read a bit like a how-to manual for deceiving people about how much you’re eating, so these “tips” at hiding food could prove a little triggering for some readers. Just something to be aware of.I’ve been reading a lot of novels looking at characters with eating disorders recently, and this is the first one I’ve come across where the mother of the protagonist also has an eating disorder which she is made to realise and come to terms with too. That gives this book a slight edge in that respect.Overall this is a good read, it just lacked the emotional impact I was hoping for.

This book is incredible! If you're looking for a book to teach you about anorexia, this is the book! Ballard accurately portrays all of the lows and struggles that come with dealing with an eating disorder.

Amazing book

There is a lot to like in this story. The difficult subject of eating disorders is explored with Elizabeth entering an eating disorder clinic. I like that the main character is not a horrible little brat nor someone who feels sorry for herself. The family aspect, which is intertwined in this story is interesting and the friendships at the clinic are well done.The writing style is down to earth and I really liked it - no unnecessary details and no high prose to remove from the depth of the story.However, the depth of the story is my problem here. The author missed several opportunities to really create a touching and honest book on eating disorders. Everything is just a little too "pat" even the negatives are glossed over - for example Elizabeth's relationship with Charlie. It comes up often but never seems to really be discussed or addressed. The family aspect is another area that is weak. Yes, we do get to see some exchanges between mother and daughter, but they never seem to be from the earth and there does not seem to be any true resolution. In fact, I have no idea how Elizabeth will be able to handle her eating disorder with her trigger (her mom) not changing her own habits. The father, who is an enabler, is also not really addressed.But the biggest issue for me is the fact that there is no depth to Elizabeth's stay at the clinic. Everything is just too smooth, with nothing to show that these are people who have life and death issues.I decided on three stars after writing this review because I realize just how incomplete this book felt for me.

I think this is the very important book about a very important topic but sadly, it did not impact the emotional punch for me.You can tell that Ballard has done her research. The knowledge and depth this book goes when it comes to eating disorders is astonishable. You truly feel for Elizabeth and her emotional journey and I immediately felt connected to her.But on the other hand, I feel the story felt rushed and stopped at a weird time. Many aspects, especially in her family life, were left unresolved and I would have liked more development in those areas.