Review of The Dark Side of Food

[Sushan Ekanayake]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Dark Side of Food" by Harleen.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Ships don't sink because of the water around them; it's the water that gets inside that makes them sink...

We are repeatedly flooded with a plethora of viral trends in today's technologically complicated and challenging environment. It is getting harder and harder to navigate our ships without allowing this sea of largely undesired viral load to interfere and burden us. Harleen and Andrew have taken the courageous step of throwing us a beacon to guide us through these turbulent waters, and this beacon is nothing else but their captivating graphic novel, The Dark Side of Food: Unfollow. Rise Above.

Dr. Baldr Johannsen, a billionaire as well as a genius, created an AI program with the mission of spreading truth in this world driven by deception. Instead, the program learnt the insecurities and vulnerabilities of humans and became the most prolific conspiracy theory generator. Even if his initial objective may not have been successful, this AI program caught the attention of powerful organisations looking to use its powers for their own dark purposes. With the aim of protecting his AI as well as shielding the public from viral, misleading trends that drag society towards self-destruction, Dr. Baldr created a team of motivated young adults, the Buddyhood, and assigned them the mission to investigate harmful food habits promoted by social media influencers leading to rising mortality and to stop them. But they were unaware of the scale of danger awaiting them when they joined this noble cause. Can the Buddyhood turn the tides before their opponent becomes too powerful?

I must say that this novel was released at a critical time when society needs a work like this the most. Today, everything and everyone takes their standards from viral social media trends, with little regard to accuracy or credibility. As highlighted in this book, this is especially prevalent in habits surrounding food, as they are intimately connected to the social media-driven standards for body image and fitness. Harleen and Andrew have done a marvellous job explaining how these trends deceive vulnerable minds, how large companies exploit this to promote and grow their businesses—often more dubious ones—and how con artists use insecurities and vulnerabilities (as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic) to spread conspiracy theories and misinformation for personal gain.

They have not stopped there but have gone further, explaining how to fight these false viral trends by 'Unfollow' and 'Rise Above', along with the potential hardships that one may face and must be cautious of while doing so. The most significant achievement is delivering all this educational material through a graphic novel format, as young teenagers, who most need this information, would definitely not read if it were in a non-fiction book.

Although the focus is on the darker aspects of food and food-related habits, the authors have not neglected the positive side of food, discussing topics such as balanced diets, the value of choosing unprocessed food, nutritional requirements of the body and how to fulfil them, the benefits of physical exercise, and how to give some exercise to your brain. Although the writers make it clear that they are not medical experts, the information they have included in this book is reliable and well-researched, both in the narrative and the educational sections. As a healthcare professional myself, I found their information valid and beneficial.

In addition to all these positives, I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations, the fast-paced storytelling, and the dynamic, complex characters developed throughout the story without much distraction from the main plotline. Additionally, the authors incorporate contemporary and distinctive science fiction elements, like the dual nature of artificial intelligence, social media manipulation, and unethical surveillance practices. They have even touched upon the LGBTQ theme, which I think is important, given its relevance and the discrimination that still surrounds it. The editing of the book was exceptional, and I found no errors.

However, a minor drawback is that the characters' moods are occasionally incongruent. In a scene where the dialogue implies that Bisqui's wife should be sad or perplexed, for instance, she displays a somewhat joyful look. Nevertheless, it might be subjective; this did not sufficiently diminish the overall reading experience to warrant a low rating. Additionally, the educational segments, though brief, might not appeal to all readers.

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. The book's editing was superb, and I did not find any errors. The ending provides an exhilarating cliffhanger, leaving readers excited for the next book in the series. I recommend this book to teens who spend a lot of time on social media—the very group this book aims to educate—and parents of teens, who ought to be aware of what their kids might be going through but are not disclosing. Science fiction fans will also enjoy this book. However, if you are a science fiction lover who prefers stories featuring alien battles, dystopian worlds, or mind-bending experiments, then this book’s focus on AI, social media engineering, and food science may not be the perfect fit for you.

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The Dark Side of Food
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[Shady Omran]

This book offers a profound exploration of the hidden aspects of the food industry. It sheds light on the ethical dilemmas, environmental impacts, and health concerns associated with our food choices. The author's in-depth research and compelling narratives make it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of what we eat. It challenges us to rethink our consumption habits and consider the broader implications of our food system. Highly recommended for those who want to engage with the topic critically

[Sushan Ekanayake]

This book offers a profound exploration of the hidden aspects of the food industry. It sheds light on the ethical dilemmas, environmental impacts, and health concerns associated with our food choices. The author's in-depth research and compelling narratives make it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of what we eat. It challenges us to rethink our consumption habits and consider the broader implications of our food system. Highly recommended for those who want to engage with the topic critically

I agree. It is a profound reminder about what we are eating and what should we be eating instead. Thank you for the comment.

[Wamboi Susan]

This is unearthing review on the Dark side of the food by Harleen and Andrew. The review has laid down concisely how the author has vouchsafed the reader with practical knowledge of how consumption on all our aspects of life especially food is full of deception because of misinformation on social media. Taking this to account, i would be reading the book for my betterment and those around me. Thank you for the review!

[Sushan Ekanayake]

This is unearthing review on the Dark side of the food by Harleen and Andrew. The review has laid down concisely how the author has vouchsafed the reader with practical knowledge of how consumption on all our aspects of life especially food is full of deception because of misinformation on social media. Taking this to account, i would be reading the book for my betterment and those around me. Thank you for the review!

Thank you for the kind appreciation. Yes, the book is practical as well as timely.

[Leslie coccia]

This book is definitely timely; It’s a surprise to see the authors of this book, as they also wrote The Christmas Quest, which is completely different as far as subject matter. Would like to give it a read!

[Sushan Ekanayake]

This book is definitely timely; It’s a surprise to see the authors of this book, as they also wrote The Christmas Quest, which is completely different as far as subject matter. Would like to give it a read!

Thank you for mentioning another book of the same authors. I will give it a try while you give a try to this book.