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The Art of Starving

A Novel

Sam J. Miller

Ages 14–18

Readers rate it 4.0 (14 on Hardcover)

213 pages · Released Jul 11, 2017

Content report card

The Art of Starving parent’s guide: what’s inside

High confidence

Substance use

What it offers

Educational value

A note for parents

This YA novel addresses eating disorders, body image, and mental health with unflinching honesty. While it includes sci-fi elements and some humor, the core story is a serious exploration of disordered eating, bullying, and self-harm as coping mechanisms. The book ultimately conveys powerful messages about self-acceptance and connection, but the graphic depiction of anorexia and its psychological toll makes it most appropriate for mature teens who can engage critically with mental health themes.

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From the publisher

Winner of the 2017 Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book! "Funny, haunting, beautiful, relentless, and powerful, The Art of Starving is a classic in the making."—Book Riot Matt hasn't eaten in days. His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal, but Matt won't give in... Winner of the 2017 Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book! "Funny, haunting, beautiful, relentless, and powerful, The Art of Starving is a classic in the making."—Book Riot Matt hasn't eaten in days. His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal, but Matt won't give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp—and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he's going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove his sister, Maya, away. Matt's hardworking mom keeps the kitchen crammed with food, but Matt can resist the siren call of casseroles and cookies because he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have . . . powers. The ability to see things he shouldn't be able to see. The knack of tuning in to thoughts right out of people's heads. Maybe even the authority to bend time and space. So what is lunch, really, compared to the secrets of the universe? Matt decides to infiltrate Tariq's life, then use his powers to uncover what happened to Maya. All he needs to do is keep the hunger and longing at bay. No problem. But Matt doesn't realize there are many kinds of hunger...and he isn't in control of all of them. A darkly funny, moving story of body image, addiction, friendship, and love, Sam J. Miller's debut novel will resonate with any reader who's ever craved the power that comes with self-acceptance.

Shelved under

  • Young Adult Fiction
  • sad
  • Family
  • Fiction
  • Science Fiction
  • Young Adult
  • Gay teenagers
  • Families
  • Juvenile fiction
  • Family life
  • Bullying
  • Victims of bullying

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ISBN 9780062456731 · HarperCollins

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