Sad Perfect: A Novel

by Stephanie Elliot

Overview

Perfect is only on the surface in this gripping novel about a teen girl who looks normal but struggles with a little known eating disorder.

Sixteen-year-old Pea has a secret: she has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, which means she can’t eat very much because nutritious foods frighten her. Having ARFID is like having a monster inside of her, one that dictates what she can eat, what she does and who she socializes with. This monster is growing and controlling more than just her food issues—it’s causing anxiety, depression, and giving her thoughts that she doesn’t want to have.

When she falls crazy-mad in love with Ben, she hides her disorder from him, pretending that she’s fine. At first, everything really does feel like it’s getting better with him around, so she stops taking her anxiety and depression medication. And that's when the monster really takes over her life. Just as everything seems lost and hopeless, Pea finds in her family, best friend, and Ben the support and strength that she needs to learn that her eating disorder doesn’t have to control her.

Sad Perfect is the haunting debut novel from Stephanie Elliot.

A Margaret Ferguson

Book Praise for Sad Perfect:

"Elliot's novel helps to fill a gap within teen narratives about disordered eating." —Kirkus Review

"A well-written page-turner whose sensitive topic is covered with finesse and grace. This novel would be a worthy addition to a high school library collection." —School Library Journal

"Diversity in young adult books is finally on the rise, and Sad Perfect fits the bill. It takes an honest look at an eating disorder and mental health issues faced by some teens. Sad Perfect is recommended for libraries serving middle school age and up, where it will appeal to fans of realistic fiction about difficult topics." —VOYA

"Written in the second-person, Sad Perfect is the spare, hauntingly told story of a teenage girl and the eating disorder that threatens to consume her. You'll be riveted by her story, and by Elliot's careful observations of social media, the healthcare system, and parental neglect. Girls, and boys, will be reading this elegant and sad book for years to come." —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times-bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

"A raw and visceral exploration of a unique eating disorder. Told in the second person, Sad Perfect is a masterfully crafted novel about the struggle for self-love and the healing power of self-acceptance." —Shannon M. Parker, author of The Girl Who Fell

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250144171
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	02/27/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Elliot is the author of Sad Perfect. She has written for a variety of websites and magazines and is a book reviewer, a parenting columnist, a mommy blogger, and an editor. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Editorial Reviews

Sad Perfect:

“In this heartbreaking and deeply personal novel, Stephanie Elliot elevates the specific to the universal, and chronicles all of our struggles with the demons within.” —Julie Buxbaum, New York Times-bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things

“Sad Perfect is the spare, hauntingly told story of a teenage girl and the eating disorder that threatens to consume her. . . . Girls, and boys, will be reading this elegant and sad book for years to come.” —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times-bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

“Sad Perfect is a brilliant and beautiful debut. Pea's story of her struggles with the eating disorder ARFID demands to be heard and understood through the powerful second-person narrative. This book is raw and visceral, yet ringed with the sweet hope of first love and the support of family. I could not put it down." —Marisa Reichardt, author of Underwater

“A raw and visceral exploration of a unique eating disorder. Told in the second person, Sad Perfect is a masterfully crafted novel about the struggle for self-love and the healing power of self-acceptance." —Shannon M. Parker, author of The Girl Who Fell

From the Publisher

01/01/2017
Gr 10 Up—When food is your enemy, life can be complicated. Sixteen-year-old Pea desperately wants to be an average teenager. Her aversion to food, however, makes that impossible. Diagnosed with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), Pea copes with an invisible monster within her, who she imagines rules every decision she makes. After she meets Ben—attractive, kind, and interested in her—she begins to experience more moments of happiness. As their relationship evolves, Pea's efforts to restrain her threatening internal force are hampered by the conflicting emotions that overwhelm her. Alienated from her parents and brother, she confides in her best friend, Jae, whose loyalty boosts her confidence and helps her navigate her daily struggles. Finally feeling like things are improving, Pea suffers an unexpected setback that drags her away from those close to her. Drawing readers in with a second-person perspective, Elliot delivers prose that is both engaging and appropriately unnerving. Delving into the minute details of Pea's eating disorder, the author does not sugarcoat the world of ARFID, highlighting its unique characteristics and giving teens a thorough look into Pea's challenges. VERDICT A well-written page-turner whose sensitive topic is covered with finesse and grace. This novel would be a worthy addition to a high school library collection.—Karin Greenberg, Queens College, NY

School Library Journal

2016-10-19
Elliot's novel helps to fill a gap within teen narratives about disordered eating.Sixteen-year-old Pea (so nicknamed by her father) has good days and bad days. She has avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, which makes consuming foods difficult and horrifyingly unpleasant. She feels as if she has a monster inside her, one that makes it difficult to be "normal": it gives her social anxiety, causes depression, and makes eating in social situations a nightmare. But when she falls fast and hard for high school junior Ben, she feels different—happy—for the first time in forever. Although she starts therapy for her ARFID, she secretly stops taking her antidepressants, trying to privately keep the monster at bay. But soon the unmedicated Pea spirals with uncontrollable mood swings, disordered eating, and urges to self-harm. Despite endless support from Ben and others, it's up to Pea to realize that true change can only start from within. The entirely second-person narration works, for the most part, to create a personal stake for readers in Pea's journey as well as real empathy for Pea: "You want to appreciate food. You do. You just don't know how. And you so badly want to learn." With no specific cultural markers, both Pea and Ben read as white. A pat and somewhat clichéd conclusion luckily does not tarnish the rest of the narrative, which treats Pea's mental health struggles with care, nuance, and respect. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews