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Letting Ana Go
In the tradition of Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky, a harrowing account of anorexia and addiction.
She was a good girl from a good family, with everything she could want or need. But below the surface, she felt like she could never be good enough. Like she could never live up to the expectations that surrounded her. Like she couldn’t do anything to make a change.
But there was one thing she could control completely: how much she ate. The less she ate, the better—stronger—she felt.
But it’s a dangerous game, and there is such a thing as going too far…
Her innermost thoughts and feelings are chronicled in the diary she left behind.
She was a good girl from a good family, with everything she could want or need. But below the surface, she felt like she could never be good enough. Like she could never live up to the expectations that surrounded her. Like she couldn’t do anything to make a change.
But there was one thing she could control completely: how much she ate. The less she ate, the better—stronger—she felt.
But it’s a dangerous game, and there is such a thing as going too far…
Her innermost thoughts and feelings are chronicled in the diary she left behind.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2013
425 people are currently reading
10569 people want to read
About the author
Anonymous
791k books3,332 followersBooks can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author
Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.
See also: Anonymous
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 997 reviews
May 17, 2023
Anorexia is the medium that carries the message in this book. It's not what kills the teenage diary writer, although she does die from it.
This book is built from cliches. One builds on another. Perhaps cliches are new and fresh to teenagers but those with years of reading behind them can see the next one coming.
The teenage diary writer, 'Ana' is from a newly-broken home. Her mother is fat, her father's new girlfriend is thin with big boobs He gives her a car instead of love. Her best friend is, at her mother's encouragement, losing weight to get the lead part in a ballet. So they diet together. Best friend's brother whom she's known forever becomes a boyfriend, must be because of the way she looks, right? And if she is thinner she will look better and he will stay. Then there is the sports coach who pays lip service to protecting the girls from anorexia, but thinner is more athletic. An only-second-best friend who is of course jealous, a size 2 prom dress that has to be got into, ana-mia sites online with seductive girls showing their ribs and boy-hips etc. It's a life where the only control Ana feels she has is over her own body and the better it looks (to her) the more the world will love her. And better is thinner. The closer to an adolescent boy's body, thin thin thin, no breasts, no hips, the better.
The author is such a fake. She pretends that she is protecting her more vulnerable readers by never setting less than healthy limits. She starts 'Ana' and Jill off on 1,750 calories a day and has them reduce it to 1,250, it never goes beneath 1,000. The anorexics I knew were restricting themselves to 400 and 600 calories. The amount of food described in the diary does not add up to anything like 1,000 calories a day. Then there is the obsessive exercise and laxatives. The name of the tea in the book, Ballerina, is also a genuine slimmer's tea that is based on senna pods, a laxative. My grandma had two glasses by her bed at night, one for her teeth and one full of senna pods and water to keep her regular!
Eventually 'Ana' overdoes it and collapses. Hospital etc follows but she cannot be kept in for long because the insurance won't cover it. She comes out and is determined to be healthy, but soon the lure of anorexia, of control, gets her again. More doctors. But they cannot help, nor can she be an inpatient because she doesn't have the insurance cover, even though her mother is a nurse in the same hospital. It's the same with therapists, there is no money to pay them, no insurance that will cover them, just group therapy which isn't intensive enough.
Meanwhile her wealthy ballerina friend Jill has also collapsed from her extreme dieting. She is whisked off to an expensive clinic that specialises in teenage anorexics.
I could go on, but you get the picture. At the end 'Ana' dies and Jill lives. They both suffered from anorexia but 'Ana' couldn't afford or get insurance to cover the treatment. Jill's wealthy family had the means to get the care that would heal their daughter.
What killed 'Ana' was that medicine in the US is primarily a high-profit business, care and healing have to be purchased. If you can't pay, only the minimum is provided. Insurance companies are like a legalised mafia. Pay them 'protection' money and they will help you out when you need it. To a point. Further than that point they'll cut you off or... kill you. 'Ana' was too needy she had to die.
__________
I've seen this book ascribed to the infamous Beatrice Sparks of Go Ask Alice fame. She didn't write it. Sparks would have been in her 90s when it was written - how much youth culture would she have been familiar with then - and dead a few years before it was published. She was also an ultra-conservative who saw everything in black and white. One step on the wrong path and it doesn't matter what you do, you are doomed. This book wasn't like that. Also although it wasn't well written it wasn't hilariously bad as Beatrice Sparks' books are.
3.5 stars rounded down because the efforts at including steamy romance were puerile.
This book is built from cliches. One builds on another. Perhaps cliches are new and fresh to teenagers but those with years of reading behind them can see the next one coming.
The teenage diary writer, 'Ana' is from a newly-broken home. Her mother is fat, her father's new girlfriend is thin with big boobs He gives her a car instead of love. Her best friend is, at her mother's encouragement, losing weight to get the lead part in a ballet. So they diet together. Best friend's brother whom she's known forever becomes a boyfriend, must be because of the way she looks, right? And if she is thinner she will look better and he will stay. Then there is the sports coach who pays lip service to protecting the girls from anorexia, but thinner is more athletic. An only-second-best friend who is of course jealous, a size 2 prom dress that has to be got into, ana-mia sites online with seductive girls showing their ribs and boy-hips etc. It's a life where the only control Ana feels she has is over her own body and the better it looks (to her) the more the world will love her. And better is thinner. The closer to an adolescent boy's body, thin thin thin, no breasts, no hips, the better.
The author is such a fake. She pretends that she is protecting her more vulnerable readers by never setting less than healthy limits. She starts 'Ana' and Jill off on 1,750 calories a day and has them reduce it to 1,250, it never goes beneath 1,000. The anorexics I knew were restricting themselves to 400 and 600 calories. The amount of food described in the diary does not add up to anything like 1,000 calories a day. Then there is the obsessive exercise and laxatives. The name of the tea in the book, Ballerina, is also a genuine slimmer's tea that is based on senna pods, a laxative. My grandma had two glasses by her bed at night, one for her teeth and one full of senna pods and water to keep her regular!
Eventually 'Ana' overdoes it and collapses. Hospital etc follows but she cannot be kept in for long because the insurance won't cover it. She comes out and is determined to be healthy, but soon the lure of anorexia, of control, gets her again. More doctors. But they cannot help, nor can she be an inpatient because she doesn't have the insurance cover, even though her mother is a nurse in the same hospital. It's the same with therapists, there is no money to pay them, no insurance that will cover them, just group therapy which isn't intensive enough.
Meanwhile her wealthy ballerina friend Jill has also collapsed from her extreme dieting. She is whisked off to an expensive clinic that specialises in teenage anorexics.
I could go on, but you get the picture. At the end 'Ana' dies and Jill lives. They both suffered from anorexia but 'Ana' couldn't afford or get insurance to cover the treatment. Jill's wealthy family had the means to get the care that would heal their daughter.
What killed 'Ana' was that medicine in the US is primarily a high-profit business, care and healing have to be purchased. If you can't pay, only the minimum is provided. Insurance companies are like a legalised mafia. Pay them 'protection' money and they will help you out when you need it. To a point. Further than that point they'll cut you off or... kill you. 'Ana' was too needy she had to die.
__________
I've seen this book ascribed to the infamous Beatrice Sparks of Go Ask Alice fame. She didn't write it. Sparks would have been in her 90s when it was written - how much youth culture would she have been familiar with then - and dead a few years before it was published. She was also an ultra-conservative who saw everything in black and white. One step on the wrong path and it doesn't matter what you do, you are doomed. This book wasn't like that. Also although it wasn't well written it wasn't hilariously bad as Beatrice Sparks' books are.
3.5 stars rounded down because the efforts at including steamy romance were puerile.
March 24, 2017
As a 16 year old girl recovering from anorexia, I must say that 'Letting Ana Go' is absolute garbage. I read this book before I was clinically diagnosed with an eating disorder, and it is nothing more than targeting teenager's biggest insecurities. The plot was kind of trashy, and on top of that a potential trigger to develop a very real, life-threatening disorder! Whenever I felt like eating a cookie or bingeing on some chips, I would think about the main character in the book and do a quick ab workout. 'Letting Ana Go' had good intentions, of course I see that, but the author did not spend enough time going into depth about the truly negative side effects of this disease. This book is absolutely toxic, and I find it horrifying that it's being advertised to adolescent girls. Even when you think that nothing can affect you or your self image, trust me when I say it can. I thought the same thing, and that's what landed me in a variety of hospitals for over a month. Sorry for rambling, everyone!!
December 16, 2013
To be honest with you id be careful allowing teen girls to read this one. Reading through this book about how she cut to 1000 calories a day and loosing weight in astounding progress is intriguing. Being a teen girl my self, like everyone else i have insecurities of my own body so reading this book made me think i could do that then stop before it goes to far (even though like in the book it could never go to far). This book could be an influence on other girls to try it. Even knowing the outcome we still think that it wont happen to us and we have more self control. I think this book can bring good and bad things out of it. But please be careful around this. Everyone will have their insecurities. Reading a book and knowing the end still wont stop it until its too late. Just like for ana.
July 7, 2013
I have a love-hate relationship with this book.
The book is very well written and obviously composed by someone with first hand views of an eating disorder's effect. Though at times, the symptoms of the main character are like many other novels surrounding anorexia - textbook examples. This is where the book is slightly unrealistic. Not every patient displays every symptom known to EDs.
However, it remains that this book, especially when focusing on the family's reaction, is disturbingly accurate.
It's not a happy read, as I'm sure many who read the back will realize. It is also not a book that should be read by any recovering or recently recovered ED patients, as it is extremely triggering. My treatment group read this together, encouraging more than one relapse within the group of seven girls. I'm not sure how much I support teenage girls reading a book that encourages eating disorders to the unhealthy extent that "Letting Ana Go" does. It presents the false realities of anorexia as if they are rational (which is exactly how they appear in the patient's mind.)
I know this review is kind of all over the place, because as I mentioned in the beginning, I have such a love/hate relationship with the book. It is horrifyingly accurate and well-composed, which perhaps is what leads me to hate the content as I do.
The book is very well written and obviously composed by someone with first hand views of an eating disorder's effect. Though at times, the symptoms of the main character are like many other novels surrounding anorexia - textbook examples. This is where the book is slightly unrealistic. Not every patient displays every symptom known to EDs.
However, it remains that this book, especially when focusing on the family's reaction, is disturbingly accurate.
It's not a happy read, as I'm sure many who read the back will realize. It is also not a book that should be read by any recovering or recently recovered ED patients, as it is extremely triggering. My treatment group read this together, encouraging more than one relapse within the group of seven girls. I'm not sure how much I support teenage girls reading a book that encourages eating disorders to the unhealthy extent that "Letting Ana Go" does. It presents the false realities of anorexia as if they are rational (which is exactly how they appear in the patient's mind.)
I know this review is kind of all over the place, because as I mentioned in the beginning, I have such a love/hate relationship with the book. It is horrifyingly accurate and well-composed, which perhaps is what leads me to hate the content as I do.
June 9, 2013
Letting Ana Go is a book in the form of a diary that follows an unnamed teenage girl as she goes from a healthy athlete to someone in a desperate battle with anorexia. It is almost entirely in first-person, written as entries of the protagonist's diary that she received at the beginning of the book.
This was a refreshing format as most books I read and write follow the same formatting, and I was surprised at how well it worked. Letting Ana Go is brutally honest, allowing the reader an inside look at what goes on inside the minds of these young women with the disease. It was scary how much I could actually empathize with this character and how easily it became for her to get swept into the world of anorexia. I went through devastating times similar to what this girl went through, and it made me wonder. Could this have been me? Could I, at some point in my life, actually get swept up in this disease too? She didn't even realize it, similar to the way actual girls with this disease don't realize it. I think the scariest, and saddest, part about this book is how real it is. Every single day, thousands of girls wake up with the same thoughts the protagonist of this book did. And every single day, many of them meet the same fate as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they, or a loved one of theirs, maybe dealing with anorexia. Or even to someone who wants to learn more about how it affects someone. This book can truly open your eyes.
This was a refreshing format as most books I read and write follow the same formatting, and I was surprised at how well it worked. Letting Ana Go is brutally honest, allowing the reader an inside look at what goes on inside the minds of these young women with the disease. It was scary how much I could actually empathize with this character and how easily it became for her to get swept into the world of anorexia. I went through devastating times similar to what this girl went through, and it made me wonder. Could this have been me? Could I, at some point in my life, actually get swept up in this disease too? She didn't even realize it, similar to the way actual girls with this disease don't realize it. I think the scariest, and saddest, part about this book is how real it is. Every single day, thousands of girls wake up with the same thoughts the protagonist of this book did. And every single day, many of them meet the same fate as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they, or a loved one of theirs, maybe dealing with anorexia. Or even to someone who wants to learn more about how it affects someone. This book can truly open your eyes.
July 15, 2014
Full disclosure: I only read this because I recently re-read Go Ask Alice and wanted to see if this could be as bad. Spoiler: Close, but not quite.
Aside from the middle-aged-woman-trying-to-sound-like-a-teen problem, there was the hey-I-read-a-magazine-article-on-anorexia-so-I'm-qualified-to-write-a-book-about-it issue. Bad. Just bad.
Also, it included enough detail to be triggering without having enough depth to be helpful.
Other minor notes: this is a lot more modern of a story than Go Ask Alice, but it's hilarious how the author tries to shoehorn in references to current/recent teen culture. "Hey, look, this book isn't from the 60s! I just talked about a TV show where the host makes fun of clips from the Internet! I am hip!"
Also, for the amount of detail included in the book about what the main character ate and how how much she weighed and how many calories she allowed herself, parts just didn't make sense. Like, she would say that she was eating 1000-1200 calories per day and then how she threw away half of her salad that was just lettuce and tomatoes and that was all she was eating for lunch. I've lived on 1200 calories per day. It's not a lot but you still get to eat real food. The character talked more like she was eating 300 calories per day.
Finally, the author seemed like she really, really hated My Fitness Pal, or some other similar calorie counting app.
Aside from the middle-aged-woman-trying-to-sound-like-a-teen problem, there was the hey-I-read-a-magazine-article-on-anorexia-so-I'm-qualified-to-write-a-book-about-it issue. Bad. Just bad.
Also, it included enough detail to be triggering without having enough depth to be helpful.
Other minor notes: this is a lot more modern of a story than Go Ask Alice, but it's hilarious how the author tries to shoehorn in references to current/recent teen culture. "Hey, look, this book isn't from the 60s! I just talked about a TV show where the host makes fun of clips from the Internet! I am hip!"
Also, for the amount of detail included in the book about what the main character ate and how how much she weighed and how many calories she allowed herself, parts just didn't make sense. Like, she would say that she was eating 1000-1200 calories per day and then how she threw away half of her salad that was just lettuce and tomatoes and that was all she was eating for lunch. I've lived on 1200 calories per day. It's not a lot but you still get to eat real food. The character talked more like she was eating 300 calories per day.
Finally, the author seemed like she really, really hated My Fitness Pal, or some other similar calorie counting app.
December 19, 2013
She loved to run and was on her school's track team. She had a family and plenty of friends, and an eye on a nice boy. Everything was going well for her, until the day she had to start counting calories. Her coach wanted everyone to make sure they were getting the proper amount of calories, so she and her best friend, Jill, started watching together. Only problem was that Jill was a ballerina and wanted to slim down to get the part of Clara in The Nutcracker. Jill asked for support at the same time as the main character's father left her overweight mother. Soon both girls were cutting back on calories and exercising like crazy. Nothing happened at first. They got compliments, she got a boyfriend, and she loved the way she looked, perhaps a bit too much. Soon things stated to spiral out of control, and as things worsened, the questions arises: what would you be willing to sacrifice in order to be beautiful?
This was the first fictional book I've ever read about anorexia. I was able to access it through PulseIt's 31 Days of Reading, and I am so glad I did. It was an extremely compelling book, and I finished it probably within 24 hours. It was written in the style of a diary, and the thoughts and stories recorded were very accurate with what an anorectic would put down. This story very clearly underlined the seriousness of this disease. It irritates me to no end when I hear people say that anorexia is a choice; anorexia is never a choice. Healthy people don't choose to starve themselves to look 'beautiful'. Anorexia is a lifelong struggle, and many people never get through it. I'm so happy this book was able to depict that fact.
This book was written in the format of a journal, so it was in first person. That could be part of the reason as to why I really enjoyed it: I love first person stories with characters that are easy to relate to. At the beginning of each entry, it gave the date and the main character's weight. Readers then have a visual every few pages (since the entries were usually quite short) to see her weight dropping. This was very helpful, because then it was much easier to keep track of how much weight was being lost. The look of the dialogue was very different than it looks in most other books. Instead of being in quotation marks, the person who was talking had their name written down, then a colon and their lines. It looked much like a script. The originality of the formatting was an interesting and enjoyable touch added to an already great read.
This book doesn't have a happy ending. I won't say exactly what happens, but if you don't like sad endings, don't read this book. Personally, I liked the fact that this book ended in a dramatic way. It drove the point home that anorexia is not a joke. This was the first book I've read in a long time that wasn't fantasy, because usually my favourite books are all fantasy. However, I could read it for free and had the time, so I started it out of sheer boredom. And then I couldn't put it down. I came home and read for several hours until I had finished it. The main character of this book can be compared to a train wreck: at first you don't see it coming; then you do, but there's no way to help. The main character was very personable and happy near the beginning of the book, a strong female lead. This story defined the gradual descent into the mindset of an eating disorder. If you have an eating disorder, read this novel. You will be able to compare your thoughts to this main character's, and see how she ended up. It may help you.
I thought this book was amazing. It's a much-needed dose of reality in a world of super-thin models and actresses, where images of unrealistic body types are splashed all over different types of media. I would rate this book a high four stars. It was a nice change from the rest of the books out there, and will stay in my mind for some time to come. If you enjoy reading about real-life problems, romance, and teenage issues, you should definitely read this story.
This was the first fictional book I've ever read about anorexia. I was able to access it through PulseIt's 31 Days of Reading, and I am so glad I did. It was an extremely compelling book, and I finished it probably within 24 hours. It was written in the style of a diary, and the thoughts and stories recorded were very accurate with what an anorectic would put down. This story very clearly underlined the seriousness of this disease. It irritates me to no end when I hear people say that anorexia is a choice; anorexia is never a choice. Healthy people don't choose to starve themselves to look 'beautiful'. Anorexia is a lifelong struggle, and many people never get through it. I'm so happy this book was able to depict that fact.
This book was written in the format of a journal, so it was in first person. That could be part of the reason as to why I really enjoyed it: I love first person stories with characters that are easy to relate to. At the beginning of each entry, it gave the date and the main character's weight. Readers then have a visual every few pages (since the entries were usually quite short) to see her weight dropping. This was very helpful, because then it was much easier to keep track of how much weight was being lost. The look of the dialogue was very different than it looks in most other books. Instead of being in quotation marks, the person who was talking had their name written down, then a colon and their lines. It looked much like a script. The originality of the formatting was an interesting and enjoyable touch added to an already great read.
This book doesn't have a happy ending. I won't say exactly what happens, but if you don't like sad endings, don't read this book. Personally, I liked the fact that this book ended in a dramatic way. It drove the point home that anorexia is not a joke. This was the first book I've read in a long time that wasn't fantasy, because usually my favourite books are all fantasy. However, I could read it for free and had the time, so I started it out of sheer boredom. And then I couldn't put it down. I came home and read for several hours until I had finished it. The main character of this book can be compared to a train wreck: at first you don't see it coming; then you do, but there's no way to help. The main character was very personable and happy near the beginning of the book, a strong female lead. This story defined the gradual descent into the mindset of an eating disorder. If you have an eating disorder, read this novel. You will be able to compare your thoughts to this main character's, and see how she ended up. It may help you.
I thought this book was amazing. It's a much-needed dose of reality in a world of super-thin models and actresses, where images of unrealistic body types are splashed all over different types of media. I would rate this book a high four stars. It was a nice change from the rest of the books out there, and will stay in my mind for some time to come. If you enjoy reading about real-life problems, romance, and teenage issues, you should definitely read this story.
November 19, 2013
So, I picked up this book without reading the synopsis, or the back cover!
Probably one of the more depressing books I've read this year. It was so sad. I couldn't put it down because I kept anticipating the end, but I DIDN'T KNOW IT ENDED LIKE THAT!
The fact that this book was written by 'Anonymous' and the main character remained anonymous just really hit it home that this is an issue many people go through. This book seemed so realistic, which just made it worse. I've read one other book that deals with anorexia, Unbearable Lightness by the lovely Portia de Rossi. Although that book really hit the heart as well since it was all true, I find myself having more sympathy almost for this character because she seemed to not be able to get the proper help she really needed.
I have no idea why I like to torture myself by reading books like this. Just... If you're like me, make sure you wait to read this until you in a state of mind to handle it. It's awfully sad. Also, I had no idea this book was new until I picked out The Perks of Being a Wallflower reference, and checked the date. Might have to check out more of Anonymous' work!
Probably one of the more depressing books I've read this year. It was so sad. I couldn't put it down because I kept anticipating the end, but I DIDN'T KNOW IT ENDED LIKE THAT!
The fact that this book was written by 'Anonymous' and the main character remained anonymous just really hit it home that this is an issue many people go through. This book seemed so realistic, which just made it worse. I've read one other book that deals with anorexia, Unbearable Lightness by the lovely Portia de Rossi. Although that book really hit the heart as well since it was all true, I find myself having more sympathy almost for this character because she seemed to not be able to get the proper help she really needed.
I have no idea why I like to torture myself by reading books like this. Just... If you're like me, make sure you wait to read this until you in a state of mind to handle it. It's awfully sad. Also, I had no idea this book was new until I picked out The Perks of Being a Wallflower reference, and checked the date. Might have to check out more of Anonymous' work!
April 15, 2023
This book annoyed me to no end. *sighs* It was definitely triggering and the detail that it went into on certain things was ridiculous and could have been cut with no harm to the story.
The MC didn't act like someone who really has anorexia. She was constantly writing about how beautiful and how thin she was. Anorexics don't say or think that. Her reasons for avoiding food were really stupid and weak. The ending was horrible and rushed and completely lacked any spark of hope.
Sorry for the rant, I'm in a mood today. 🙄
The MC didn't act like someone who really has anorexia. She was constantly writing about how beautiful and how thin she was. Anorexics don't say or think that. Her reasons for avoiding food were really stupid and weak. The ending was horrible and rushed and completely lacked any spark of hope.
Sorry for the rant, I'm in a mood today. 🙄
March 7, 2022
Everything in Her (unnamed) life was perfect, until Her dad left home, probably because Her mother was too fat. She begins a diet with Her best friend, Jill, which, due to other unaddressed stressors in Her life, turns into anorexia.
LETTING ANA GO, written in diary format, follows Her slow plunge from first place runner to anorexia. A lot of the diary entries were repetitive and boring, day after day of her weight, calories and dieting just isn't that interesting. LETTING ANA GO does a great job showing the subtle changes in Her thinking and behavior, and is probably how a lot of teens with eating disorders feel. Obsessing about food and weight is tedious and repetitive, because that's a component of the illness. Anonymous could have done a better job with pacing, which finally picked up during the last 30% and ended strong. The ending was the best part of the story.
I'm not sure I'd recommend LETTING ANA GO to girls suffering from eating disorders, reading about food, calories and weight can't be helpful. Once She is diagnosed, there are helpful warnings, but these aren't anything teens don't already know. Parents worried about their children might get some insights into their thinking, but that's about it. The only reason for two stars instead of one is the strong ending.
LETTING ANA GO, written in diary format, follows Her slow plunge from first place runner to anorexia. A lot of the diary entries were repetitive and boring, day after day of her weight, calories and dieting just isn't that interesting. LETTING ANA GO does a great job showing the subtle changes in Her thinking and behavior, and is probably how a lot of teens with eating disorders feel. Obsessing about food and weight is tedious and repetitive, because that's a component of the illness. Anonymous could have done a better job with pacing, which finally picked up during the last 30% and ended strong. The ending was the best part of the story.
I'm not sure I'd recommend LETTING ANA GO to girls suffering from eating disorders, reading about food, calories and weight can't be helpful. Once She is diagnosed, there are helpful warnings, but these aren't anything teens don't already know. Parents worried about their children might get some insights into their thinking, but that's about it. The only reason for two stars instead of one is the strong ending.
July 18, 2015
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*4.5 star rating*
You know, I've always seen these books around at the bookstore. Go Ask Alice has been on my TBR for ages. Ages, literally. Letting Ana Go was actually one that I never even heard about until my local library's catalogue received it. Anorexia is a sensitive subject that not many modern YA novels touch upon on excluding Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, a favourite of mine. This anonymous author has hit it perfectly, in a tiny novel that keeps readers guessing.
I love making predictions when reading. Not every novel can obviously leave you with an endless amount of questions that surround the protagonist or plot, but this sure did. Although it has an unattractive cover, the title and premise sounded so relatable (not to me, but to teenagers everywhere) and I found myself in the mood for a novel that's just surrounded with one thing. After reading, I've come to realize that the author adds more than just an anorexic character; there are many more issues including divorce, keeping fit and drinking at a young age. Go multi subjects!
Now that I even think about it, this title doesn't even seem to make sense, unless the heroine's name is Ana. Through the end of the novel where the protagonist goes through an even tougher situation, her name even gets blacked out and she seems to have no identity. And at the same time, all of the characters are just classified by their first name. When things get hectic by the end, everyone is just by their name. IS THIS NON-FICTION? IS THIS REAL? WHAT? WHOA. If I found it to be actual non-fiction, I'd totally shriek because it's a total crazy story. My life depends on knowing the truth. *stays determined*
You'd think that this has a pretty easy plot, but it doesn't. This book is surely complex. The author makes TWO girls anorexic and it starts off small, just wanting to lose a few pounds and some body fat. But eventually, it becomes like an addiction, probably something even like taking drugs. Your whole mindset is suddenly changed and your life just depends on getting skinnier and skinnier. And then eventually, you have no more goals for yourself and you just collapse. Sure, a diet can be helpful for some, but starving yourself? This is completely ironic because the heroine even told her mother that she had to organize her meals correctly, but then all she's eating is rice cakes. O_O
The writing of this book was utterly fabulous. It was simple, easy-going and easy to follow. A lot of these stories have all of these complications where everyone's trying to help the troubled character out and it just gets chaotic. Because we had an independent young teen as our main character, she kind of blew all of the troubles out and sticked to her own plan. These kinds of books have a broad message that everyone just wants to help out with in reality. I bet that raising awareness for anorexia and eating healthy in a healthy way is the most effective when a person reads a fictional story that deals with the subject. Letting Ana Go left that impact on me and I'm now afraid to eat less than I'm supposed to. *grins*
PLOT TWISTS? SUSPENSE? A MAD ENDING? You've got it. I never saw that coming, I'll tell you that. I totally got freaked out in the end and was completely shocked. Yeah, picture an "O" shaped mouth on my face.
Heck yes, I need all of the books that are written in this tradition. I'll just head to my local bookstore, grab a basket, and slide all of the books off the shelf and head to the cashier, not even caring how much it'll cost me or affect my book buying ban. I can't get enough of this book and the romance and practically EVERYTHING. The perks of being a teenager and having troubles? This is it, and shows that every single teenager has some kind of issue, with some people having a bigger one than others. This is one of the realest contemporaries that I've ever read.
*4.5 star rating*
You know, I've always seen these books around at the bookstore. Go Ask Alice has been on my TBR for ages. Ages, literally. Letting Ana Go was actually one that I never even heard about until my local library's catalogue received it. Anorexia is a sensitive subject that not many modern YA novels touch upon on excluding Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, a favourite of mine. This anonymous author has hit it perfectly, in a tiny novel that keeps readers guessing.
I love making predictions when reading. Not every novel can obviously leave you with an endless amount of questions that surround the protagonist or plot, but this sure did. Although it has an unattractive cover, the title and premise sounded so relatable (not to me, but to teenagers everywhere) and I found myself in the mood for a novel that's just surrounded with one thing. After reading, I've come to realize that the author adds more than just an anorexic character; there are many more issues including divorce, keeping fit and drinking at a young age. Go multi subjects!
"Me: I feel like I am my best friend. When I'm able to get through a meal without eating too much, there's this thing I feel inside of me—this strength. It's like a place of power, and when I don't eat too much, or when I exercise enough, it makes me feel invincible. It keeps me company." (Hardcover, page 228)
Now that I even think about it, this title doesn't even seem to make sense, unless the heroine's name is Ana. Through the end of the novel where the protagonist goes through an even tougher situation, her name even gets blacked out and she seems to have no identity. And at the same time, all of the characters are just classified by their first name. When things get hectic by the end, everyone is just by their name. IS THIS NON-FICTION? IS THIS REAL? WHAT? WHOA. If I found it to be actual non-fiction, I'd totally shriek because it's a total crazy story. My life depends on knowing the truth. *stays determined*
You'd think that this has a pretty easy plot, but it doesn't. This book is surely complex. The author makes TWO girls anorexic and it starts off small, just wanting to lose a few pounds and some body fat. But eventually, it becomes like an addiction, probably something even like taking drugs. Your whole mindset is suddenly changed and your life just depends on getting skinnier and skinnier. And then eventually, you have no more goals for yourself and you just collapse. Sure, a diet can be helpful for some, but starving yourself? This is completely ironic because the heroine even told her mother that she had to organize her meals correctly, but then all she's eating is rice cakes. O_O
The writing of this book was utterly fabulous. It was simple, easy-going and easy to follow. A lot of these stories have all of these complications where everyone's trying to help the troubled character out and it just gets chaotic. Because we had an independent young teen as our main character, she kind of blew all of the troubles out and sticked to her own plan. These kinds of books have a broad message that everyone just wants to help out with in reality. I bet that raising awareness for anorexia and eating healthy in a healthy way is the most effective when a person reads a fictional story that deals with the subject. Letting Ana Go left that impact on me and I'm now afraid to eat less than I'm supposed to. *grins*
PLOT TWISTS? SUSPENSE? A MAD ENDING? You've got it. I never saw that coming, I'll tell you that. I totally got freaked out in the end and was completely shocked. Yeah, picture an "O" shaped mouth on my face.
Heck yes, I need all of the books that are written in this tradition. I'll just head to my local bookstore, grab a basket, and slide all of the books off the shelf and head to the cashier, not even caring how much it'll cost me or affect my book buying ban. I can't get enough of this book and the romance and practically EVERYTHING. The perks of being a teenager and having troubles? This is it, and shows that every single teenager has some kind of issue, with some people having a bigger one than others. This is one of the realest contemporaries that I've ever read.
July 4, 2013
Not certain what I want to say about this. I read this using my "Coach" head, and to understand the problems of eating disorders.
This is really intended for a teenager - so maybe that's the issue i have with the book.
I coud not relate to that aspect of the teenage mind. I will, however, pass this book to my daughter and she will love it, I am sure.
Tragic story - but the ending was a little too quick for my head to wrap around it. Seemed a little unbelievable.
This is really intended for a teenager - so maybe that's the issue i have with the book.
I coud not relate to that aspect of the teenage mind. I will, however, pass this book to my daughter and she will love it, I am sure.
Tragic story - but the ending was a little too quick for my head to wrap around it. Seemed a little unbelievable.
January 28, 2014
Omg this story was just as amazing as go ask Alice. I read this in a span of five hours and was rooting for the main character the whole time. It's a very disturbing realistic view into anorexia and how it is a disease that affects girls every day. It made me feel good to be healthy. When I eat a cookie or a piece of cake I will not feel guilty about it.
May 18, 2013
this book broke my heart. I feel almost as if I was her and I died with her. I cried at the end like a big baby. it hurt in my chest. I'm very sorry for any one who goes thru this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2020
Ohhhh dear, this was such a mess. I was expecting it to be, but not to the degree it ended up being. This is an extremely triggering book and shouldn’t be read by young teens, which is ironically the target demographic.
Anorexia and eating disorders are much more complex than this book makes them out to be. I would have liked for there to be a disclaimer, or a page of resources like in The Book of David. But neither of those things were included, so instead we get a poorly-written teenager’s struggle with her weight. I don’t suffer from an eating disorder, but I trust the reviewers on this site who do, and if they say this book is trash and inaccurate, then I’m going to believe them. Research seems to be a foreign concept to the people who write these books, which is detrimental to their purpose to educate and can have negative consequences.
Aside from that, there’s not much I can say that I haven’t said about the other books I’ve read that are “in the tradition of” Beatrice Sparks’s ilk. The characters are flat, the story is boring, the writing is inconsistent, the boyfriend was extremely misguided and selfish, and no one bothered to do a Google search to fix inaccuracies. (I highly doubt a divorce would be finalized in less than a month.) Sometimes the main character uses complex phrases, and then she turns around and says things like, “Boobalicious the office manager.” How can I take this book seriously when I read things like that?
This is probably the worst one I’ve read so far, considering the subject matter. I only recommend it if you’re a completionist and want to read all these terrible accounts. It’s hard to get through and the imagery is pretty graphic, so go in with caution.
Anorexia and eating disorders are much more complex than this book makes them out to be. I would have liked for there to be a disclaimer, or a page of resources like in The Book of David. But neither of those things were included, so instead we get a poorly-written teenager’s struggle with her weight. I don’t suffer from an eating disorder, but I trust the reviewers on this site who do, and if they say this book is trash and inaccurate, then I’m going to believe them. Research seems to be a foreign concept to the people who write these books, which is detrimental to their purpose to educate and can have negative consequences.
Aside from that, there’s not much I can say that I haven’t said about the other books I’ve read that are “in the tradition of” Beatrice Sparks’s ilk. The characters are flat, the story is boring, the writing is inconsistent, the boyfriend was extremely misguided and selfish, and no one bothered to do a Google search to fix inaccuracies. (I highly doubt a divorce would be finalized in less than a month.) Sometimes the main character uses complex phrases, and then she turns around and says things like, “Boobalicious the office manager.” How can I take this book seriously when I read things like that?
This is probably the worst one I’ve read so far, considering the subject matter. I only recommend it if you’re a completionist and want to read all these terrible accounts. It’s hard to get through and the imagery is pretty graphic, so go in with caution.
August 3, 2014
I loved "Go Ask Alice" when I was a teenager, so I was excited to see this YA book at Target. However, I was pretty disappointed. I felt that Ana, while a pretty realistic character, did not accurately portray anorexia. First of all, she only lost 20 or so pounds, down from 130, so the numbers were not shocking. The whole story took place over less than a year, and generally young bodies can endure much longer. I wish the author had given Ana more symptoms, and described them in more detail (for example, the dark downy hair she grew at the end of the book was just mentioned but not discussed by her doctors), and that they had gone into more detail about the clinic she stayed at for a short time.
However, I do think it's good to get information out about anorexia so that symptoms can be recognized. That being said, this book could be dangerous for girls who are teetering on the brink of an eating disorder…I don't think death is a deterrent for many. They just see the allure of being thin and being in control.
A quick read and probably a good book for the parents of pre-teen and teenage girls who are at risk to read.
However, I do think it's good to get information out about anorexia so that symptoms can be recognized. That being said, this book could be dangerous for girls who are teetering on the brink of an eating disorder…I don't think death is a deterrent for many. They just see the allure of being thin and being in control.
A quick read and probably a good book for the parents of pre-teen and teenage girls who are at risk to read.
August 2, 2025
This was an extremely hard-hitting epistolary novel. Initially, what seemed like a slow pace turned out to be an impactful form of storytelling which added up towards the end.
Although the story is about a teenager, as mentioned in the novel, the issue at hand is all pervasive and effects so many people across the globe. Hence, the way the psychology of people suffering from anorexia and/or depression is depicted is well articulated and, I'm sure, unfortunately, relatable to many.
Although the story is about a teenager, as mentioned in the novel, the issue at hand is all pervasive and effects so many people across the globe. Hence, the way the psychology of people suffering from anorexia and/or depression is depicted is well articulated and, I'm sure, unfortunately, relatable to many.
April 10, 2017
Letting Ana Go by Anonymous
1.5 stars
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Villain Scale: 2 (very disappointed with the depiction of eating disorders)
Character Scale: 1
Plotastic Scale: 1
Cover Thoughts: Typical anonymous cover with half a face in the dark. Bleh.
1.5 stars
Ana is a good girl and she feels as though she’s not good enough for the perfect façade her family presents to the public. The one thing Ana knows she can control is her eating. Ana is spiraling, but she’s not eating it’s the best she’s felt in a long time. I remember loving Go Ask Alice in middle school; it’s one of the books that I consider to be a part of my childhood favorites. When I saw the this was free on Simon Pulse It I jumped to read it (that’s how long ago it’s been- there isn’t even a Simon Pulse It, now it’s called Riveted) and I instantly disliked Ana. Ana is my biggest problem with this novel and that isn’t a good thing when the novel is a diary. At first, Ana is a normal girl with good, healthy eating habits- until Ana’s best friend and her “perfect” mom make a comment about Ana losing a little more weight. She starves herself because her friend said it would be FUN. This is a horrible example of eating habits and disorders to display to younger audiences. Naturally, she runs all the time even though she has no fuel in her body- goes to rehab- then collapses and dies- the typical “anonymous” storyline. I’m sorry but this a pile of crap and after two year of ruminating on this it’s one of those novels I forget about, but once I remember it I’m angry. It left a bad taste in my mouth. These type of storylines make it seem like eating disorders have no chance of recovery and overcoming the problem; using death to display tragedy after multiple failed rehabilitation or attempts at intervention is not a positive message to send to younger readers. Also Ana was a completely judgmental twat to her mom and it only fueled my dislike for her and this “novel”.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Villain Scale: 2 (very disappointed with the depiction of eating disorders)
Character Scale: 1
Plotastic Scale: 1
Overall, I suggest skipping over this one. It’s a newer anonymous novel so I don’t consider it to be a classic or necessary for your angsty teen reads (there’s better stuff out there). I suggest Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson instead because it’s a beautiful novel that portrays eating disorders in a stark, gut-wrenching story that has stayed with me since my middle school years.
Cover Thoughts: Typical anonymous cover with half a face in the dark. Bleh.
January 27, 2013
This book was amazing. It took me deeper into the world of anorexia. I know people who have suffered from eating disorders, myself being one of them, but never really knew what went through the mind of a person suffering with anorexia. Ana keeps a food diary given to her by her cross country coach and tracks her weight and the day's events. At the beginning, you see her weight stay within a 5 pound range, between 130 and 135, which is healthy for a girl of her height (5'7"). Through the story, she gains a love interest and teams up with her best friend, Jill, in restricting their calories. They become obsessed with exercise, low calorie budgets, and weighing themselves every day.
While reading "Letting Ana Go", I was exposed to the wonders of hip bones, thigh gaps, and rib cages. Apparently you can only be beautiful if you have all of these characteristics present. That's what Ana and Jill had themselves believing.
I feel that this is a must read for everyone, not just teen girls. Parents should especially read it. They need to know that to many girls, looks are everything and they will go to great lengths to achieve the ultimate body. This book is a sure tear jerker. It took me on a ride. I absolutely loved everything about it.
January 5, 2014
This book was good in terms with educating people about anorexia, however I think it lacked something in its format. I've read the previous books in the series (Go Ask Alice, Jay's Journal, & Lucy in The Sky) and they all share the same basic format of a diary written by an anonymous teen. While the other three (especially the former two) do a good job of making you believe you're actually reading a diary, this one falls short. It seems more like just bad writing. You could definitely see the story line but it wasn't believable that the narrator was actually writing it down. It just made something seem lost. Because of this, a lot that happens feels less personal, or shocking I guess and I walked away feeling just kind of "meh" about it. SPOILERS: However, I think it does mention a lot of very accurate and important things about dealing with anorexia nervosa, such as briefly mentioning how the narrator's insurance won't cover her medical bills and how that negatively affects her recovery, and how some small comments and habits of those around can build up to very negative self esteem and self destructive behaviors. I just wish they had stayed more true to the previous books' formats though so I could have a better understanding/connection with the narrator.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2014
I found this book on the pulse it website as a free read for the 31 days of Christmas. The only problem with that is you have to finish reading in the allowed time or.. well your just out of luck. I started this book two days ago and was 50% in before it just expired on me while I was in the middle of reading. I am a bit aggrevated over that but I knew if I didn't hurry that it was a possibility. Now I MUST buy this book to be able to finish it because it is that GOOD. I will update after I have actually read the ending.
It's June the following year and they have put this book back on pulse it.. now I get to finish it!
I just finihed the last half of this book in about an hour. I couldn't stop reading. It had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know what would happen to her. This book is incredible and intense, INCREDIBLY INTENSE! It is a book worth reading but readers, especially young women with distorted body image should proceed with caution.
It's June the following year and they have put this book back on pulse it.. now I get to finish it!
I just finihed the last half of this book in about an hour. I couldn't stop reading. It had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know what would happen to her. This book is incredible and intense, INCREDIBLY INTENSE! It is a book worth reading but readers, especially young women with distorted body image should proceed with caution.
June 7, 2025
i’ve been going back and forth on whether or not i’d put this at 3 or 4 stars, but i think ive decided on 3.
this novel follows a teenage girl with an eating disorder—seen through her journal entries. i really liked the format of reading through the journal, because it allowed for a deeper understanding of her thoughts and mind and how she perceives everything in a way to have to do with her body.
the writing itself was a bit mid, though, which is why i’m putting it at 3 stars. part of me thinks that the so-so writing actually fit the novel well because obviously a teenage girl’s journal isn’t going to read like jane austen.
up until 70% through, i thought it was pretty mid, but that last part of the book makes up for it.
i would be careful about reading this if you have any body insecurities though lowk
this novel follows a teenage girl with an eating disorder—seen through her journal entries. i really liked the format of reading through the journal, because it allowed for a deeper understanding of her thoughts and mind and how she perceives everything in a way to have to do with her body.
the writing itself was a bit mid, though, which is why i’m putting it at 3 stars. part of me thinks that the so-so writing actually fit the novel well because obviously a teenage girl’s journal isn’t going to read like jane austen.
up until 70% through, i thought it was pretty mid, but that last part of the book makes up for it.
i would be careful about reading this if you have any body insecurities though lowk
January 25, 2022
I think that it’s enlightening to read a book that deals with such serious topics and doesn’t have a happy ending.
There are some exaggerations to it, not everything is realistic, but the toxic part of the ED is really well dealt with in this one.
Don’t read this one if you’re expecting it to end with a recovery, not everything can be treated.
There are some exaggerations to it, not everything is realistic, but the toxic part of the ED is really well dealt with in this one.
Don’t read this one if you’re expecting it to end with a recovery, not everything can be treated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2021
Wasn’t the best I’ve read but the ending made up for it!
July 6, 2025
Dang…. This is a seriously heartbreaking story of a girl who suffers from anorexia and her ultimate death. It’s so sad to know that this is a harsh reality that a lot of girls face. 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2022
me when i read something i knew would be triggering like an actual psycho…anyways the mc is so insufferable but this was definitely true to real life lol, how ironic is it that she dies not bc of her disease but because she cannot afford treatment?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2023
5 stars, but would not recommend to anyone who has even a slightly bad relationship with food/an ED. Extremely triggering & a very tough read.
December 12, 2021
actually 2.5
poorly written; subject matter can be very triggering for its intended teen audience
poorly written; subject matter can be very triggering for its intended teen audience
July 26, 2022
I had to skim through most of this so I’m not sure it even counts as something I read. As someone who is currently in treatment for an eating disorder, picking this up was a VERY bad idea. Extremely triggering and full of mentions of specific weights, diets, calories, and literal TIPS AND TRICKS to lose weight. The fact that this was in the teen section at my local library makes me beyond angry. This is the #thinspo side tumblr in book form.
September 18, 2014
I had read Go Ask Alice a couple years ago and decided to try out another book from the other "Anonymous" author collection. I am so glad I did. Like Go Ask Alice, this is the main character's journal, which started off as a food/feeling journal. It is interesting to see what she wrote, her weight changes, and the evolution of her disorder. Also, interesting, because it was a journal, we never know her name - really who writes their name in their journal entries?? But for the remainder of the review I'll just call her Ana - for simplicity.
This book gave me so many different feelings - I just wasn't expecting it. I find eating disorder books very interesting and very relatable since I had an eating problem when I was a teenager (not a full-out eating disorder but I believe it was borderline). I found that the topic was handled very well and covered all the ups and downs of the disorder – how it starts, the actual issue, and all the ugly.
All the characters were written very realistically. I believed everything that was going on and how each individual reacted to Ana and her behaviour. I completely felt for Jack! It must be hard standing there watching people you love hurt themselves. I could relate to Ana and her entire situation (although I have not experienced it all). Unlike what the back of the book describes, she did not start out by wanting to lose weight, but her sport forced the girls to track all the food and exercise they did. This was actually one of the parts of the books that completely irritated me! Why was it only the girls, yes it is predominantly girls who have eating disorders but why just focus on them? If you’re worried about eating disorders and are going to force people to track what they are doing (which I believe would just cause disorders instead of stopping them) then make the entire team do it not just the girls! Also, the coach’s reaction to Ana cutting her calories and losing weight just irritated me – if that’s how you are going to react the whole exercise was for nothing!
I was completely surprised by the ending and didn’t fully no how to react. I wasn’t expecting it – although I should have. Do not go into this expecting anything or having a certain mindset. It will throw you for a loop!
I would recommend this if you’re interested in eating disorders, Go Ask Alice style, journal writing, or realistic fiction.
This book gave me so many different feelings - I just wasn't expecting it. I find eating disorder books very interesting and very relatable since I had an eating problem when I was a teenager (not a full-out eating disorder but I believe it was borderline). I found that the topic was handled very well and covered all the ups and downs of the disorder – how it starts, the actual issue, and all the ugly.
All the characters were written very realistically. I believed everything that was going on and how each individual reacted to Ana and her behaviour. I completely felt for Jack! It must be hard standing there watching people you love hurt themselves. I could relate to Ana and her entire situation (although I have not experienced it all). Unlike what the back of the book describes, she did not start out by wanting to lose weight, but her sport forced the girls to track all the food and exercise they did. This was actually one of the parts of the books that completely irritated me! Why was it only the girls, yes it is predominantly girls who have eating disorders but why just focus on them? If you’re worried about eating disorders and are going to force people to track what they are doing (which I believe would just cause disorders instead of stopping them) then make the entire team do it not just the girls! Also, the coach’s reaction to Ana cutting her calories and losing weight just irritated me – if that’s how you are going to react the whole exercise was for nothing!
I was completely surprised by the ending and didn’t fully no how to react. I wasn’t expecting it – although I should have. Do not go into this expecting anything or having a certain mindset. It will throw you for a loop!
I would recommend this if you’re interested in eating disorders, Go Ask Alice style, journal writing, or realistic fiction.
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