Review of Binge

[revathy sw]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Binge" by Anne Pfeffer.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Humorous, heartwarming, engaging, entertaining, and emotional, Anne Pfeffer’s Binge was a blast to read from beginning to end. We follow the journey of Sabrina “Bree” Hunter as she struggles to come to terms with her weight and self-esteem. A young woman employed by a talent agency, she is blindsided when the opportunity she has most dreamed about — becoming a successful author — is suddenly offered to her. As she vacillates between dread and excitement at the prospect, she also grapples with her family and budding romance. Along the way, we get to see her interacting with other wonderful, flawed characters, each fighting their own demons and reminding us that nobody’s life is perfect, even if that seems to be the case from the outside. The book deals with various issues such as body dysmorphia, drug addiction, emotional eating, and the permanent scars left by emotionally- abusive and neglectful parents.

Bree is, in one word, adorable. Sure, she has her moments; there are many points where she is frustratingly indecisive and seems keen to commit self-sabotage. However, this only made me like her even more. Her flaws, so empathetically-portrayed by Pfeffer, make her one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever encountered in fiction. We see a young, confused woman who struggles to ensure that her insecurities and flaws do not thwart her dreams and professional goals. She is a self-aware heroine who is willing to accept and remedy her flaws and mistakes. The fact that she is a writer is just icing on the cake. From Bree’s inner monologues and conversations — how they reveal her sharp wit and humor — it is clear that she is an amazing author. I celebrated Bree’s small victories. I sympathized with her during her moments of self-loathing and cheered during her moments of self-affirmation. The portrayal of emotional eating was eye-opening and made me think about how much our mind and body are connected. The romance in the book was exceptionally sweet. I also loved the relationship between Lena, Stuart, and Bree. It showed me the importance of making amends and mending bridges. The scenes of surfing were especially delightful to read. Despite never having seen a surfboard in real life, I was, nonetheless, able to vividly imagine everything that Bree felt while out on the ocean, fighting against the waves. This is a testament to Pfeffer’s exceptional authorship. I also loved how the women in the novel supported each other. Above all, while reading Binge, I felt an overwhelming sense of acceptance and understanding. It is a book about fitting comfortably in your clothes and your life.

There isn’t anything that I disliked about this book. I would have liked to see Bree have the backbone to confront Josh more directly about his behavior. I think she let him off too easy. But this was just a minor dissatisfaction that did nothing to rob the book of a very satisfying end.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I give this rating for its excellent heroine, wonderful conversations, great narrative pacing, and skillful handling of potentially painful subjects. There were several editing errors. For this reason, it is tempting to take away half a star. However, on the whole, these editing mistakes were insignificant.

There are a few sexual conversations, instances of swearing, and sensitive issues like emotional eating, drug usage, and body dysmorphia. I advise readers to be careful of these possible triggers before picking up the book. Keeping this in mind, I heartily recommend Binge to readers above sixteen.

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Binge
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