Told through a variety of flashbacks of her life “before” and falling into anorexia, we meet Anna. A girl who seems to have it all, a loving family and most of all a loving husband. But all is not as it seems with our main character, having left the life she knew in Paris to follow her husband who’d gotten a better job in the states, Anna finds herself essentially losing herself. Eating meals alone, being in a strange new country where things are so different from Paris, Anna begins to develop anorexia. This disease that not only affects the body but most of all the brain in its distorted views of the self and world, Anna feels more alone than ever and so close to giving up. After a disastrous Christmas trip to Paris where her family and husband see just what had become of Anna who stopped eating long before any of them had noticed, Anna voluntarily seeks treatment.

Enter 17 Swan Street, a place meant to help those with eating disorders and Anna meets a variety of girls who teach her that though anorexia may be a lonely disease, the girls here watched out for each other. Through relapses and a great amount of strength we read that what is considered by many as something trivial and second nature, to the girls at 17 Swan Street, eating is the equivalent of hiking up a mountain without any form of aid. We read just how difficult it is to eat one meal let alone 6 daily. And though Anna struggles so much to the point that she almost gives up, through the help of the girls and staff at 17 Swan Street, Anna realizes that she wants to live. Live even though the thought of food is so mind numbingly terrifying, Anna wants to live for herself and for the man who loves her above all else.

I honestly thought this book was going to be so difficult to get through due to the heavy subject matter, but what I found this book to be was a show of strength and survival of a woman who was so close to losing it all. This book was.. healing and therapeutic and a must read for anyone who wants to both know more and understand these victims of anorexia.

The Girls at 17 Swann Street was a captivating and powerful novel! I enjoyed the relationships portrayed by the girls at 17 Swann Street and their journeys during their treatment. I could not stop reading this book and finished it in two days. 17 Swann Street is the home where women stay for treatment of different eating disorders. Anna is married to Matthias. She has things in her past that include loss and disappointment. So much has happened over the years and she finds herself struggling with eating, anorexia, and with her life in general. Anna’s family begs her to get treatment at 17 Swann Street. What she goes through during her treatment at 17 Swann Street is moving. I could just feel what Anna was going through during her days of treatment. Anna’s husband Matthias and her family sound wonderful and supportive. The women at 17 Swann Street all have their own touching stories and their own disorders. The women help each other as best they can. The story was not at all what I expected it to be, but ended up being much more and one that will be hard to forget!

Subject matter was intense and I still find myself thinking about this story months later.
Anorexia is difficult to overcome and the backstories of the girls help to keep this story true. This author has been able to tell us more about the emotional struggles of women suffering from anorexia and hopefully is beneficial to some.

Thank you #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a ARC copy of this book

This book deals with a serious subject anorexia. The story follows Anna as she goes to a treatment center. I felt the story was a bit slow and repetitive, however, it did hold my attention.

I was very intrigued by the subject of this book. I don’t often come across fiction that tackles the experience of someone suffering with an eating disorder and I was very interested to see how the story would unfold. I was pleased with the book overall. It gave an insight into life in a residential program for eating disorders and the daily struggles a patient encounters as well as its impact on other family members. I sometimes got confused with the brief intros of the other patients at the residence center, but could see how their arrival/departure impacted Anna, the main character. I would recommend this title to anyone interested in a view from an eating disorders clinic as a patient tries to determine if she can survive her battle with anorexia.

Although I've never battled anorexia, I was able to relate to the characters as this book really gave me insight to the torture that disease inflicts. Told from likable characters who you really feel for, this story follows Anna, a dancer as she tries to start her career in Paris. So much pressure is put on female dancers, so it was astonishing to read of the world she lives in and the challenges she faces just to do her job. I definitely had more empathy for those with this disease after the book, and would encourage anyone to read it!

Thoughtfully rendered look into the lives that are affected by anorexia. I read this courtesy of Netgalley.com and I am glad that I did. It was haunting; one that will resonate for some time.

This book is a must read. The story is about Anna and her disease, Anorexia Nervosa. But it is also a story of love and sadness, hope and happiness.
The author brought me right to the table with this young lady and the other patients in the treatment center. I could actually feel the struggle they went thru to eat the food they had in front of them and how hard it was to relearn how to like, maybe eventually enjoy food again.
The only thing I knew about this disease was that it killed Karen Carpenter. I did not realize how a brain could convince a person that they did not LIKE food anymore.
I am not doing enough justice to this book here. Please read it. If you never meet a person with an eating disorder you will still appreciate this book.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Anna is a 26 year old former ballet dancer who has anorexia. Her disease slowly begins when she moves to the Untied States from France with her husband. Her husband fearing that Anna may die, forces her to go to an in patient treatment center at 17 Swann Street. There are several other girls who are all battling their own eating disorder demons.

At times it was hard to read about the girls and the issues they faced, knowing that many girls/young women are probably going through the same thing in real life.

The author did a great job of being real and yet showing grace in her writing.

I loved the setting of this book and the descriptive writing style this author used to make the reader feel like they were experiencing everything the characters experienced. As a teacher, I found this to be very accurate and relatable. I’ve struggled with body image issues as well as the pressure to be the best at everything. This is more common than ever today with colleges being more and more selective with admissions and GPAs. I really liked this book and I would read it again as well as recommend it to others.

Wow! What a truly memorable, enlightening, and important read. The Girls at 17 Swann Street was one of those books for me that once I got into it, I couldn't bring myself to put it down. I had no idea what to expect when I began reading, due to the fact that mental illness/anorexia and any number of other eating disorders is not only a sensitive topic but something that hits close to home for me personally. Yet I was so utterly and pleasantly surprised at the compassion yet honesty with which the author wrote about it all. Overall it was realistic and heartbreaking, and so incredibly well-written. Plus, any book that brings me to tears on multiple occasions ranks high for me.

This story follows Anna, a twenty-six-year-old married gal, who doesn't recognize her illness, and it takes hitting rock bottom as her husband discovers her unwell for the decision to be made for her to go to this home where she would hopefully recover. That's where the story truly begins, and we see in alternating chapters her current situation on the road to recovery, her relationship with her husband, and also her past which got her to this point. I found that this really kept the story moving forward and gives readers a raw and real look at how "normal" life can so easily spiral into you never intended for it be due to any number of circumstances. It was also eye-opening and powerful to read her assessment forms, treatment and meal plans, etc. that were all included throughout the story. Basically, it all hit me so hard as my heart absolutely went out to our main character (and the other girls mentioned as well).

It's almost difficult to bring myself to use the word beautiful to describe this book, because it was so haunting and deep at the same time. Yet that's exactly what it was because of the particular way the author tackles the subject matter with such empathy and love. I highly recommend this book to anybody looking to be moved by a less talked about struggle and mental illness, or simply anybody who has struggled with the person they see looking back at them in the mirror. I'm so impressed that this was a debut novel, and will very much be looking forward to what this author may have up her sleeve next. All the emotional and wonderful stars for this one!

This book offered a depressing yet captivating look at eating disorders. It was depressing because the stories of the young women at 17 Sean Street is so sad, with little hope that any of them will fully recover and live the lives that they dream of. It is captivating because I was drawn into the story of Anna Roux, a dancer who hurt her leg, moved from Paris to the United States with he husband, and finds herself spiraling into loneliness, depression and anorexia. When the book opens, we see Anna entering the treatment house at 17 Swann Street. The other woman who lives there have stories also, but it is Anna’s story that is compelling and told in detail. The reader is introduced to Matthias, Anna’s spouse who sincerely wants her to succeed in her recovery. This was a fiction novel but at times it seemed like an entry from Wikipedia with its detailed description of what the women had to go through in their quest for recovery. A most memorable scene for me was when Ann had to complete a menu for the week, with six meals each day. The foods that she used to enjoy and which she no longer eats become evident as she checks off what she is willing to eat daily. This was a realistic look at a very complex problem. The struggles of the women are real, and the author presents Anna’s story with empathy and authenticity. Readers of contemporary fiction will enjoy this book, as will those who want to know more about eating discorders and how it ravages the bodies of those affected and the lives of their loved ones.

I sadly can't say a lot about this book without giving too much away, so I'm gonna keep it quite short.
The Girls at 17 Swann Street's focus is on the thought process that goes on while the main character develops and tries to overcome an eating disorder. It's beautifully written, in a tone and pace that keeps one's attention throughout. It has well-developed characters that are easy to connect to, and it has an interesting storyline. With its theme being the psychology behind someone's eating disorder, it was a bit difficult to read, but at the same time, it's an incredibly moving book.
It's one of the future releases that you shouldn't miss.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press who provided me an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

I don’t know if I can give this book justice, but I will try. THE GIRL’S AT 17 SWAN STREET by Yara Zgheib is a portrayal of disordered eating. It is told from the point of view of Anna, the main character, who suffers from depression, fears of failure, anorexia and her struggle of recovery. I felt as if Anna was talking to me; telling me her story.

I am a psychologist on the staff of the Student Health Center Department of Psychiatry at a private university. I am also an adjunct professor. One of my specialities is working with patients who suffer from eating disorders. From all of my research, training and treatment of patients with eating disorders, I know first hand how difficult it is for individuals to heal psychologically and emotionally from this condition. This novel is a breathtakingly beautiful novel that opens your eyes to the demons of eating disorders and mental illness.

I highly recommend this novel. It will be required reading for my students when it is released.

Anna was once a professional ballet dancer in Paris. When she meets Matthias, it is love at first sight. So she marries him and moves to the States. Hoping to recover from an injury that left her unable to dance as she once had.

Anna has had a lot of heartbreak in her life. Nothing she shares. No, she punishes her body. At 88 pounds she believes she is hideous, and as she begins to fade away, her husband brings her to a home for young women with eating disorders.

Anna chafes against the rules and schedules and doesn't really share much with her team. She tells herself she is a failure, imperfect and lies to herself about how lonely she really is.

There are many girls at 17 Swan Street. All struggling just to stay alive. Some can't eat and some can't stop eating. But with the help of these struggling young ladies, Anna may have the best chance of beating this and returning to being Anna because she has Matthias, someone who wants her to be well and happy.

This was a beautifully written novel. It was unbearably sad and torturous watching these young women try so hard and when one can't go on, my heart broke for them all.



Well Done!

Netgalley/February 5th 2019 by St. Martin's Press

"The chocolate went first, then the cheese, the fries, the ice cream. The bread was more difficult, but if she could just lose a little more weight, perhaps she would make the soloists' list. Perhaps if she were lighter, danced better, tried harder, she would be good enough. Perhaps if she just ran for one more mile, lost just one more pound."

THIS. So hard to process. As a person who LOVES food, this is hard for me to comprehend. But as a woman. It's easy for me to understand. The entire book made me feel uncomfortable.

Anna used to be a dancer. She used to live in France. She used to eat things other than apples and popcorn. We meet her in America, where she is no longer a dancer, she is married, and she is very, very sick. In the middle of hot August summers, she shivers. Her husbands touch makes her flinch because it hurts so much. She passes out, often. It's haunting reading the things that go in her head. It's heartbreaking, and raw and obsessive. It made me anxious just reading what goes on in Anna's head.

You read about how a lot of illnesses are invisible. Like mental illness - you never know if someone is suffering. With Anorexia, it's a little more visible, the sunken eyes, the sharp, pointed angles of bones protruding from shoulders and hips, the brittle hair and damaged teeth.... but to know how this illness plays in ones mind is harrowing. I was shocked. I had no idea.

Anna's husband knows how frail and sick she has become and he faults himself for letting it get so bad. He brings her to 17 Swann Street, to get help - it's a home for women with eating disorders. Mostly Anorexia like Anna. We follow her journey, her struggles and pain and denial, trying (and not trying) to get better. We learn her history, how just a few years ago she was eating pizza, and ice cream, and loving every minute. The downward spiral she takes is heartbreaking.

I LOVED the writing style, almost like a script. It's peppered with intake notes about her health, history, and "progress", and the paragraphs are short - but easy to follow. It's a hard one to read, but it's even harder to put down.

I loved this book. I usually do not read this genre, but I am so glad I did. The emotions and insights of anorexia were very prominent. I loved the connections the girls at 17 Swann Street had. The description of the struggle with food was interesting. It shows how a support system is more important than any of us truly realize.

I've read other books with characters who have anorexia, but none were quite as moving as The Girls at 17 Swann Street. The lyrical writing of Yara Zgheib made the book hard to put down. The story is told from the POV of a twenty six year old woman, Anna Roux, as she enters a residential treatment center for eating disorders. It is a heartbreaking story, but full of hope. Through Anna we see other girls at 17 Swann Street and learn how their relationship to food controls their lives. The reader learns about Anna's past in small glimpses of memories. It's a painful story, but one that sticks with you after you're done.

When Anna arrives at 17 Swann Street, she doesn't see her 88-pound weight as a problem, or the fact that she is always cold, tired, and feels old beyond her years. At times, barely able to walk, Anna knows her enemy and it is food, not her failing body. Anna's internal voice has its own name, anorexia, and it will do whatever is necessary to win.
Anna remembers before when she was a ballet dancer when an injury stole her career when she loved her family, her husband, and her life. But those things happened before this disease pushed everything aside in its quest to control Anna and make her thin. The thought of eating more than a slice of apple and some popcorn makes Anna ill, but the staff at 17 Swann Street know that only calories( and therapy) can save Anna's life.
For someone like Anna, eating 3 meals a day and 2 snacks is paralyzing. A nutritionist oversees every patient's meal plan and failure to finish every bite in the allotted time will result in the insertion of a feeding tube. It is painful to witness Anna's struggles and unbearably sad to know that no matter what the staff does, no matter how much her husband loves her, no matter how this disease is breaking her father's heart, it still might win.
This was not an easy read, but I couldn't put it down. The story was just too compelling and beautifully written. The author wrote about an illness that can become your master and literally kill you.
I had a hard time rating this book, not because it wasn't heartbreaking, and not because it didn't feel real, but because the timeline seemed just a bit rushed. I didn't think someone who had spent years avoiding food, could so quickly start eating so much food from Day 1. I realize this is fiction, but it just seemed that someone with such a severe illness wouldn't be capable of doing what the staff wanted without much more of a fight( or more time getting inpatient treatment).

I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

Anna's story is heartbreaking. The Girls at 17 Swan are all suffering from anorexia or bulimia. As I have always from these diseases to be interesting, I was excited to read this book. I have to say while I read about and even giving speeches on these diseases, I never really thought about the impact it has on the individual and their loved ones. This book gave you a deep dark in-depth look at what it looks like to try to "recover". Anna is the main focus, but you find yourself hoping all the girls find their way to recovery. I can't say enough about how honest and touching this book was. I highly recommend it to everyone. I think if you know someone suffering it may give you a deeper look from their side.


I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.