Thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for providing me an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.

Marian Keyes is a very well-known and popular Irish author, but this is the first novel of hers I read and therefore I can’t compare it to her previous novels. Based on reviews, some readers feel that it is less tight and less funny than some of her other books, but not everybody agrees. I’ll leave it to her fans to make their own minds up.

This novel is the story of a family, well, or of the families of three Irish brothers, John, Ed and Liam Casey, their wives and children. It is a family saga of sorts, although it does not cover several generations of the same family. I must confess that when I read the description I thought this would be the story of what happened when Cara, due to her concussion, started spilling the beans about everything and everybody, and how that would evolve. But Keyes uses that point in the story as the introduction to the characters, and then goes back in time, to a few months earlier, so we learn the reasons behind some of the secrets she reveals, and we also learn a lot about the characters. A lot. This is a very long book, and at first the timeline can seem confusing because of the initial scene, but once we go back in time, the novel progresses in a chronological order (not perfect, because often the characters will remember their past, how the couples met, or details of their previous lives, and those will be interspersed with the actual events), up to the point where it catches up with the birthday celebration dinner for Johnny (quite late in the book), and then moves forward until the end of the novel. We learn about each couple and each individual (at least the adults, not so much the children), although we learn more about the women than about the men: we learn about Jessie’s role in organising family events, inviting everybody and keeping the family together; we read about Cara, who is eminently practical and loves hotels but lacks in confidence in other areas and suffers from a very unhealthy relationship with food (that develops into a full blown bulimia); we read about Nell, the newcomer to the family, an unconventional theatre designer whom everybody loves despite (or perhaps because) of her unique style; and about the brothers:  Johnny, who married the widow of his best friend and is at times overwhelmed by his wife’s need to control and organise and by the legacy of her previous marriage; Ed, who is the kindest and more supportive of the three; and Liam, who seems attractive, light and fun to begin with but  things aren’t always as they seem. Ferdia, Jessie’s son from her first marriage, is a young man who changes enormously through the novel. Oh, and he is a hunk, as we are reminded quite often.

As you can imagine from the description, the book delves into secrets, family relationships (these three families are very enmeshed and that explains some of the bizarre happenings), the nature of love, trust, confidence, self-worth, how relationships change over the years, there is an important subplot about body image and bulimia (very well done, in my opinion), parenting…  There are also funny/dreadful murder-mystery parties, luxury hotels, alternative festivals, romance (with some age difference)… This is not a page turner in the sense of a plot moved by action and suspense. It is more like a soap opera where the lives of the characters ebb and flow, with some peaks of excitement, triumphs and disappointments.

I have mentioned the main characters, although there are many others, including the younger children, friends, work colleagues, staff at the different places where they spend time, collaborators, and although some of the secondary characters are quite memorable, and I didn’t dislike the main characters either (apart from one, but no spoilers), I can’t say I connected with any of them in particular. I liked Nell, Cara (her struggle with bulimia is one of the most realistic and best written parts of the book for me), and Ed, but I didn’t feel personally invested in their stories, although I kept reading, and it’s a long book, so that is saying something.

The story is narrated in the third person from the alternating point of view of the main characters, especially the females, but we also get snippets of what the men think at times. The change in point of view can take place sometimes within the same chapter (several of the characters can meet at an event, for example, and the point of view will then follow someone else), but I didn’t find it confusing, as they are all very different, and we quickly learn to tell them apart.

Keyes writing flows well, and she can easily pass from describing an interior, to making readers share in the state of mind and distress of one of her characters, and although she touches on serious subjects, her writing is not over dramatic or heavy. There are some light scenes, but the book is far from funny overall, although there are moments where the wit of the writer shines through (as I said, some of her habitual readers complained about the novel not being as funny as some of her previous ones, and I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud read). I very much enjoyed the Irish expressions and some of the dialogue sparkled, showing the talent and range of the author. As a little taster, here I leave you with a snippet of a conversation between Jessie and an analyst who is helping her decide how to move her business forward. He is “slightly” creepy.

‘…And the thing is, the thing, Karl that I have just remembered—‘

‘Yeah?’

‘Is that I have a very sexy, non-repulsive husband.’

‘Forty minutes ago you could “never forgive him”.’

‘Time is a great healer.’

The passage is witty but it also illustrates how contradictory we can all be, and there is plenty of that in the novel.

Everything is resolved in the end, and although I think some situations dragged a bit, overall I enjoyed the ending and it fulfilled my expectations.

In sum, this is a book I’d recommend to readers who love stories about big families, especially set in Ireland, who aren’t looking for a lot of laughs, or for diverse characters, and who don’t mind spending a long time with a book. I did wonder if this book wouldn’t have worked better as a collection, with individual volumes being dedicated to each one of the families (I think that at least some of the books, for example the one dedicated to Cara and Ed, would have been stronger), and a tighter edit might also have turned it into a more manageable book for the general public, but I have no doubt that Marian Keyes can write compelling characters, and I’ll check some more of her work in the future. Ah, there are some very mild sex scenes (at least very mild for me, and I don’t like erotica), in case somebody is looking for a totally clean book.

By:  Judy Collins

ISBN:  9780385541312

Publisher: Doubleday Books

Publication Date:  2/28/207 

Format:  Other

My Rating: 5 Stars +

Biographies & Memoirs

Iconic singer, (folk legend) songwriter, and author, Judy Collins delivers her most timely and critical memoir yet CRAVINGS: How I Conquered Food — courageously told, a personal harrowing struggle with painful addictions and her battle food: bingeing, bulimia, weight loss, and gain.

One of hope, recovery, renewal, and inspiration.

CRAVINGS is the author's heartfelt honest story of finally "filling the black hole" in her soul that comes from untreated food addiction. Sixty years of experience, struggling to find a solution. Compulsive eating. How she "slayed her demons" and conquered food addiction.

Insightful and informative, the musical star shares her personal story with others, to help them find a way to break free. Folk singer Judy Collins' tumultuous relationship with food began when she was a child, and led her into a downward spiral of bingeing, purging, and alcoholism that followed her for much of her life.

"In music, Judy found spiritual solace. In her addictions, she lived in a spiritual desert and had to find water and sustenance, the spark of inspiration and some solution that would end the drama of diets, pills, plans, doctors, extreme answers and mutilating consequences. . . "

Her proven plan has been a success offering joy and continued health. She is sharing her discovery with others. To help others out there seeking answers to their own food disorders. A new life, "free" of cravings.

It wasn't until she met her now-husband, Louis Nelson, in the 1970s that she decided to get sober and recover from bulimia. Collins, now 77, hopes her upcoming book, will help others resolve their own addictions

Her solution is a balanced food plan "free of the foods" that cause the addictions: Sugar, grains, flour, wheat, corn, and many foods which she is allergic to (containing alcohol). The foods which cause bulimic, anorexic, or overweight disorders; causing feelings of fear and self-loathing; diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, among many others. (It works. Trying removing all these items for your diet, and you will remove the cravings.)

Collins highlights her life from childhood through her music career and her battle with alcoholism. Her personal and business relationships. Her family and the many people she has met along the way and influences in her life. Diet Gurus and others in her fight. Her ups and downs. She has spoken out previously and references here, regarding her alcoholism and the suicide of her only child, and the survivor of her own attempt to end her life at age fourteen.

With CRAVINGS the author wants to encourage others who suffer from the same problems—there is a way "through the dark" night of the soul of compulsive overeating.

The folk star has been sober for thirty-eight years from alcohol; however, has had to learn to eat in a different but healthy way. Someone who was controlled and obsessed by food. From fasting, compulsive exercise, restricting food, bone loss, purging, bulimia and an array of dieting.

As we learn from Judy’s personal story and account, this horrible addiction begins at childhood. With our children and grandchildren today — being subjected to large amounts of sugar, processed foods, chemical, additives, and preservatives— (as well as adults) trouble lies ahead which will carry into teens and adulthood in many ways, if not identified and corrected. We all have to take control. She like many of us, have become an advocate for healthy foods, speaking out against the big food companies which make money with added corn, fat, sugar, salt, and additives.

Judy steps out to share her tragedies, even from an early age of three, nothing made her happier than to devour sugar in any form. Sugar fueled her race through life, as does many others today. It was the beginning of her dance with the devil.

From depression, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, sadness, nightmares, anxiety attacks, and blackouts. She spent most of her life deep into her addictions, trickling over into other areas of her life. She explains how alcohol addiction is sometimes twinned with sugar addiction.

“My mind is clear, my heart is light, my health is perfect, she writes. . . I surrendered to it and never looked back." Collins has been sober now for 39 years and recovered from bulimia for more than 33 years.

"We are all in the same lifeboat, but the rescue ship is in the harbor, and we can all come aboard," she writes, hoping that readers will be inspired by her story to resolve their own addictions.

In summary: Teaching people about addiction and opening up a forum is part of Collins’ goal with Cravings.

After reading her latest book, have even more respect for her incredible journey. She is a timeless legend. Compelling and absorbing, readers will be moved by her inspiring journey and hopefully educated about food addictions— and make the necessary changes needed. Highly recommend!

A special thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for an early reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

JDCMustReadBooks

Photo Credit @ Brad Trent



On a side "food/health" note:
As many of you know, I am a food advocate. Having severe food allergies, and after keeping years of food journals, about ten years ago, went to a totally vegan diet. I found additives, preservatives, and chemicals to be causing my health problems, plus all the items Judy has listed in the book. I do not drink alcohol or eat sugar, or processed foods. I do not take any medications, nor do I eat grains, sugar, flour, corn, etc. The slightest addictive or chemical, I can experience Anaphylaxis or heart issues. Plus without the junk, you maintain your health, weight, and your size 4.

The exact foods Judy outlines are some of the main factors which cause these problems. When you eliminate these things from your diet, these health problems go away. Yes, it takes planning, no you cannot dine out and a little more difficult when traveling; however, it is worth it in the end. Our society today is lazy and will not take the time and effort to stay away from these foods and take a bolder stand. If they did, our food industry may be different, today.

I totally agree with the addiction. I see my son and his family. Always dieting, exercising, and health issues at a young age and grandchildren. They crave the sugar. One thing leads to another. When I visit, I tell them they must throw out everything in their pantry and refrigerator. I cringe. I refuse to eat any of these items and until they take their health seriously, they keep doing the same things and expecting different results, as many others.

On a side note "about the name": Fun to see my name on a book cover.

We all love "The Judy Collins!" (After all, I have her name). I was born Judy Dianne Collins (my parents love her, as well). The name Judy was very popular in the 50s. If you grew up in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, you have to be a fan of Grammy-winning folk-music legend Judy Collins, known for her iconic renditions of "Amazing Grace", "Send in the Clowns" and “From "Both Sides, Now."

After my divorce, I legally took back my maiden name, Judy Collins in the early 80s, and have been referenced to the “Queen of Folk” throughout my career with the same name. Especially when in the media, advertising, and publishing business in Atlanta— always a reference to “The Judy Collins,” and her songs.

Proud to bear her name! However, when it was time to find a domain for my website and blog, and social media, of course, that spot was taken by the "queen" herself, so I had to avert to Judith D Collins.

Have listened to her music for years, enjoyed her concerts, her record albums, and her books — still a huge fan of her music. An inspiration to many. Exciting, to see she still is "full throttle" ahead at age 77 with Judy Collins and Ari Hest: Silver Skies Blue Album. Nice! Do not see retirement in her future.

“Do I want to die from the inside out or the outside in?” - Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

fifteen-year old Jennifer Johnson reaches out to her family for help. she knows she has an eating disorder but her parents refuse to believe her until a pre-admission screening interview with the Director of the Eating Disorders Unit at Samuel Tuke Center, Syracuse, New York confirms her condition. Jennifer has bulimarexia, a combination of bulimia and anorexia. from November 21, 1988 to January 27, 1989, Jennifer goes through an intensive and oftentimes embarrassing process of individual, family and group therapies, supervised weigh-ins and medication, proscribed classes for wellness, nutrition, body image and to top it all - eating and drinking everything served to her.

forget that it is cliche but the truth is always strangest than the best fiction a creative mind could conjure. Believarexic is a testament to that. it was written as a response to a promise made by the author when she was undergoing treatment - a promise she vowed to fulfill to her teenage self and which she did years later.

Jennifer's story may be shocking, informative, an eye-opener, heart-breaking, etc. to most of us but it is also a manifesto of personal victory. without her conscious decision to seek help and stick to the treatment, Jennifer would have ended up a statistic like so many others we read or hear about.

after reading this autobiographical novel, i  agree with  author J.J. Johnson that there is more to living other than obsessing over food, one's image and weight. it is my hope that Believarexic reaches a lot of people - young and old. i pray that it inspires as well not only those with eating disorders to take that crucial first step to recovery but also any individual who needs help (or who knows someone who does) and who wants to live a better, healthier and more fulfilling existence.

*Believarexic ships on October 1, 2015 at Amazon. those interested can read J.J. Johnson's actual journal from her hospitalization on her website www.believarexic.com

**received a copy for review via Edelweiss

*book ships on October 1, 2015. galley is available for review at Edelweiss

summary:

Jennifer has to force her family to realize that she needs treatment for her eating disorder. But her experience in an eating disorder treatment unit isn't quite what she expected.

In 1988, when she was fifteen, JJ Johnson was hospitalized for treatment of bulimarexia, a combination of bulimia and anorexia. During her ten-week stay, JJ had to eat everything on her tray, and took classes like “Assertiveness Training,” “Depression Management,” and “Body Image Workshop.” She gained weight, but her path toward health was a constant struggle. In her heart, JJ knew—she knew—that she would be a happy, healthy adult one day. But how? Instead of a clear path, there was a black abyss. She needed a guide, a mentor, someone who knew her inside and out. So, one morning, just before weigh-in, JJ closed her eyes and made a deal with herself: I promise myself that when I’m grown up, and happy, I will come back here, to these months. Healthy me will guide bulimarexic me through this. This book is that promise, kept.

about the author:

J.J. Johnson graduated from Binghamton University and worked as an internship coordinator for programs such as The Learning Web and Youth Advocacy. She earned a Master of Education from Harvard University, with a concentration in Adolescent Risk and Prevention.

In 1989 nineteen-year-old Natasha is obsessively in love with her former teacher, Miss Williams. The tattoo she flashes around says so. Natasha meets Alex, a girl her own age, who questions her about the tattoo. An awkward romance is born.

In this real-life teenage diary Natasha records her panic at a looming LESBIAN relationship. To lose some excess fat, she starves herself of food ... whilst working in a chip shop. And just to make sure she's gay, Natasha drags five boys into bed in the space of a week, a sin for which the sexuality police threaten to kick her out of the university Lesbian and Gay Society.

In this coming out story and love story, Natasha struggles with clumsy attempts at heterosexuality, the sickening effects of weight loss techniques, disapproving shaven-headed lesbians, and sexual harassment in the chip shop.