Book review: Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal

I don't normally start my reviews with a content warning, but I feel like it would be irresponsible not to with the content of this book. Light Enough to Float is a book about an inpatient treatment for an eating disorder and also touches on themes of clinical depression and suicidal ideation. With that in mind, take care of yourself and if it's not your time to read it - do not beat yourself up over it. The book will be there if and when you are ready.

This is the very first novel-in-verse I have ever read, and I will be honest, I was slightly apprehensive when I first picked it up. Poetry has never been my go-to, but I was intrigued by the concept and decided to try something new. And I am so glad I did! The storytelling within the poems provided me with a new insight into how transformative poetry can be, and how beautiful it is as a medium to tell a story. It convinced me to give it another chance because I appreciated the power of the author's words.

Whenever stories about eating disorders come out, there's always a lot of fear about romanticizing and glamorizing the topic. This book, instead, looks at the harsh realities of what life with an eating disorder is like. Lauren Seal says in the opening author's note, that this story is based on her teenage experience with anorexia. This personal experience with the topic added to the novel's realism, as the story's emotional impact shows the harsh reality and mental state of the main character Evie.

I feel like this book is incredibly important because this side of life with an eating disorder is not typically seen in the media. While Lauren Seal has said she wanted this book to be for teenagers in her position, wishing it was the book she had when she was their age, I feel like this is an important read for everyone. it's a way to build empathy for people who are struggling with this disease, and I think a way to actually see what it's like in someone's mind. Because it's a novel-in-verse, it's a very short read, however, I feel like its teaching moments make it one of the most important reads I have had this year.

Light Enough to Float is available for preorder by Penguin Random House and will be released on October 8th