Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo (Review)

Title: Eat, and Love Yourself
Creator: Sweeney Boo
Type: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Genre: Contemporary, Mental Health
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Date published: April 21, 2020

A digital copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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…

⤖ My Review ⬻

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up the graphic novel Eat, And Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo. But as I flipped from page to page, I found that the story resonated with me quite a bit. (It actually resonated with me too much at times.) Since I’m a young woman who has always struggled with confidence and body issues because of society’s expectations, Sweeney Boo’s graphic novel was a bit difficult to read at times. Despite this, though, I read it all in one sitting.

The story in this graphic novel has a lot to do with introspection. There’s definitely an overarching plot, it just didn’t really take centre stage for me. Unless you consider Mindy analyzing and overcoming things that have happened to her in the past to be the plot. That works too! I really enjoyed Sweeney Boo’s drawing style as well as the colour palette she selected for this graphic novel (the interior definitely matches the cover, which is always something I appreciate). Overall, I did enjoy this comic even though it made me cry!

⤖ About the Creator ⬻

Sweeney Boo is a comic artist and illustrator living in Montreal, Canada. She grew up in the southwest of France, where she studied graphic design and listened to really loud rock music. She started working as a comic letterer and colorist for french publishers right after graduation, while pursuing her dream of being a comic artist. In 2015 she made the decision to move to Canada. One short year after the big jump across the ocean she started working at a mobile game company as a 2D Artist. She never lost sight of her true dream though, so she continued to draw comics during the nights and weekends… (Read More)