Rachel lives alone in LA, works at a boutique talent agency, and focuses pretty much only on counting calories and exercising, fighting against a consuming fear that she will be anything less than skinny, and that her mother's approval will thus slip away.
Everything changes for Rachel when her frozen yogurt routine is thrown into a tailspin by a beautiful, voluptuous, and good-natured yogurt maker named Miriam who encourages Rachel to get some toppings, toppings that she cannot possibly know the calorie count of.
With her whole life now out of control, Rachel begins to indulge her desires, including her intense sexual longing for Miriam, who happens to be an Orthodox Jew.
Will this all end in horror for Rachel?
This extremely raunchy book was ultimately uplifting, life-affirming, had nothing extraneous, and I loved it.

Rachel is a 24 yr-old comic who works at a talent agency. Her daily and weekly routine is full of food rituals and restrictive eating. That is until she meets Miriam an Orthodox Jew who works at the yogurt place Rachel frequents.

As Rachel gets closer to Miriam and begins a communication detox from her mother, she begins to throw her rituals away. She begins to question her beliefs about religion, sex, her relationship with food and relationship with herself.

I really enjoyed the discussion about current events with Palestine and the mention of different branches of judaism.

This is a beautiful book centering recovery and self discovery.

Tw: eating disorder, sex, masturbation

Milk Fed started out really strong, with the focus on Rachel’s eating disorder (mainly very restrictive calorie counting) and her efforts to deal with how her mother raised her to be afraid of eating “too much”. The emphasis on being slim as being of major importance rang true to me, having had my own struggles with weight over the years, albeit not nearly as extreme as Rachel’s. However, as the story veered more into a focus on a budding lesbian relationship with an overweight young woman who works at Rachel’s favorite frozen yogurt shop, I lost a bit of interest. Miriam is not only overweight, but (gasp!) she enjoys eating! She is also a “modern Orthodox” Jew and Rachel is a lapsed Jew who doesn’t know all that much about Judaism. I enjoyed the portrait of Miriam’s large family as a welcoming haven for Rachel, who never felt that warmth in her own family. (We don’t hear anything about Rachel having any brothers or sisters and her parents are divorced.)

I wasn’t sure how to rate this book. I really thought I was going to love it, but then it kind of went off the rails for me. So, 3 stars, as a compromise.

Warning: In addition to frank discussions of eating disorders, there is a lot of graphic description of sex, both realized and fantasized, both female-female and female-male. If that’s not to your taste, steer clear of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The protagonist of Milk Fed, Rachel, is a morose woman in her late-twenties, idiosyncratic in kind of terrible ways, obsessed with her body and weight, suffering from maternal issues that haunt her on the daily. She's Jewish but not really, aimless and lonely, working a job she doesn't care about. Her life has meaning solely through her strict regimen of low-calorie muffin tops, protein bars, and one exact serving of frozen yogurt at Yo!Good doled out by a fastidious Orthodox boy. From a young age, Rachel's mom instilled in her the importance of being skinny as a stick, chastising her for even dreaming of honey, forcing eating disorders upon her. Rachel's messed up attitudes towards her mom and other women drive this story.

One day, Rachel shows up to Yo!Good for her daily calorie-restricted treat, and finds a new person there - a fat Orthodox young woman named Miriam. Miriam is everything. Miriam does not stop at the top line of the cup when Rachel tells her to. She starts with adding sprinkles to the yogurt, and slowly gets Rachel to try mix-ins, then Chinese food, then candy, then all the delights you could imagine from the Jewish deli.

There is a lot of sex - gratuitously and viscerally described - in this book. There are also a lot of toxic views around food and body image here, as advertised.

Fans of Ottessa Moshfegh will probably love the latest from Melissa Broder. I see a lot of overlap in their characters and writing, and it was ultimately these styles that made me not love the book. As a reader, you feel so detached from Rachel - you feel like you really don't know her, as if she doesn't make decisions for herself, as if her body is just an animated object acting mindlessly. I never felt a connection to her, even in her moments of vulnerability. I wasn't rooting for her, despite wanting to. I was disappointed at the lack of resolution at the end of the book as well - there are a few salient plot points that don't get tied up or really addressed by the conclusion. Maybe this is a reflection on how life happens - things don't tie up perfectly - but it's a book, and sometimes you just want that.

Maybe one day I'll be more in the mood or more appreciative of stories about lonely, broken, lost women, but today wasn't that day for me. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley!

CW: Very disordered eating, body shaming, explicit sexual content, emotionally abusive relationship with a parent, self-harm, fatphobia, mental illness

Rachel is a twenty-something working in Los Angeles, adjacent to the entertainment industry by day and a stand up comedian by night. Her fraught relationship with her controlling mother and her long struggle with body image and disordered eating have consumed her life for many years, but have also allowed her to control and limit the scope of her life in ways that are comforting to her.

Her therapist suggests she “detox” from her mother and cut all communication for ninety days, which sets into motion a series of events, including meeting Miriam, the Orthodox Jewish women who makes her low-calorie frozen yogurt and whose fat body fascinates Rachel and turns her on. Being out from under her mother’s control and her relationship with Miriam, who takes joy in eating, Rachel starts to let herself enjoy indulging in food. Her relationship with Miriam develops as well, as Rachel’s attraction to her is reciprocated. Judaism and the different experiences that Rachel and Miriam have had as Reform and Orthodox, respectively, are central to the narrative, which is refreshing.

I’m still thinking about this book and turning it over in my head. What it says about women and food, about bodies, about our relationships with our mothers and all the ways they can damage us when we just want to be fed. Milk Fed made me deeply uncomfortable at many points. Once she’s not longer being controlled by her mother, Rachel is set free to explore her sexuality and live inside her body, and she sure does. This book is explicit and graphic in many ways, about sexuality, about bodies, about disordered eating, and you’re inside the head of someone whose ideas about themselves are so caught up in her relationship with her mother, it’s hard for it not to take a real Freudian turn. But at its core, this is a story about hunger—hunger for food, freedom, love, belonging, themes that are universal. It’s funny, difficult, sexy, uncomfortable, sad, and introspective all at once. I don’t think this is for everyone, but it’s a thoughtful, quirky little book that I think will sit with you for a while.

Melissa Broder had a way with language that is captivating. She’s also not afraid to make her readers uncomfortable.

In her most recent book Milk Fed, Broder grapples with themes of sexuality, hunger, want, and faith. What does it mean to be sated? How can one be physically full when one is emotionally empty?

Is a fascinating look into Judaism and hunger. And yet, it’s not exactly a pleasant book. This doesn’t mean it’s not a good book. It is a complex book that will elicit a visceral reaction.

TW: strong warning for individuals with ED or history of ED

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

TRIGGER WARNING: disordered eating, body dysmorphia, homophobia

This was a wild ride of a novel with an interiority that bordered on too invasive. Following 24 year old Rachel, a woman who has an eating disorder, Milk Fed explores a young woman forging her path and allowing desire to overtake her while still battling the struggles of her past. Rachel is at the beginning of a 90-day communication detox from her mother, the woman largely responsible for Rachel's complex, damaging relationship with food when she meets Miriam, an Orthodox-Jewish woman who relishes a good meal. As Rachel discovers passion and attraction, she also re-engages with eating to savor rather than punish. However, the damage her mother and years of self-loathing have caused does not subside easily.

Broder's writing feels as if we're reading Rachel's unfiltered, unapologetic thoughts. The novel in no way glorifies disordered eating and I think could be quite triggering for readers who struggle with food and their body image. The descriptions of bodies often relate to food, as if sexual experiences feed Rachel's hunger in ways that food never could. This book is queer, it is erotic, and it will undoubtedly be polarizing. I thought the writing was superb and I would recommend this to readers of Luster by Raven Lelani, Supper Club by Lara Williams, or Want Lynn Steger Strong.

My only complaint is that the ending felt abrupt.

Fantastic Sapphic love story. Broder's writing is sharp, smart and sensual. I couldn't put it down!

TW: Eating disorders.

WOW. Milk Fed was one of the most honest and emotional fiction books I have read in a long time. Rachel's struggles with her eating disorders and her through processes were so relatable to the struggle many women face with food. The author displayed all the intrusive thoughts that come along with disordered eating, and I felt I could truly identify with Rachel. Then Miriam was just so lovable! I wanted to be her friend and watch old movies with her! The blossoming of their friendship was beautiful and kept me wanting more and more development.

At the beginning, I thought the book read a lot like "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" (which I did NOT like). I was worried the storytelling may be too similar. However, within a few chapters, I realized the author was going to give me the character development of Rachel that was missing from MYRR. I was blown away by the writing of Milk Fed!

You know how sometimes humor isn't funny but rather seems like a pathetic attempt to cover up abject misery? That is how this book hit me. I found no humor in it. Instead I found a sad and desperate woman grasping at things she isn't even sure of. Okay, so maybe she isn't a total grown up yet, being in her mid-20s, and we can chalk it all up to still trying to find herself? Maybe there was just too much wrong and I couldn't find the humor in it. Maybe it seemed like even the author didn't know what to do with her character and filled up the empty space first with calorie counts and then with sex. A lot of sex. Or just a lot of talking about sex. I can't think of a time I have heard/read the word "pussy" more than in this book. It wasn't erotic. It felt blatant and dirty. The end result was a read that was far from "scathingly funny, wildly erotic, and fiercely imaginative." Maybe I am just the wrong audience?

Milk Fed just goes to show that you can love a book and still be incredibly disappointed in it. After I read the first 30%, I was convinced that this was going to be my favorite book of the year. Ultimately it did lose a bit of steam and I can't help but to mourn for the exceptional book that it could have been, but nevertheless, I still enjoyed this so much and recommend it wholehearted to the right reader.

Milk Fed, Broder's sophomore novel following her sensational debut The Pisces, follows Rachel, a lapsed Jewish woman who works at a talent agency in LA and spends every waking hour of her days counting calories and fixating on her diet. Her therapist recommends a detox from her emotionally abusive mother, who Rachel usually calls every day. Mid-detox, she meets Miriam, an Orthodox woman who works at Rachel's local frozen yogurt place, who Rachel becomes fixated on, leading to a breakdown of her carefully constructed food rituals.

Broder's books are messy, piercing, gritty, and deeply, deeply funny--it's a recipe that works perfectly to my tastes. (Also, if you're familiar with LA and/or into bougie LA culture... her books are such a treat.) Rachel is a character whose head I bizarrely enjoyed inhabiting, in spite of or perhaps because of the sheer level of toxicity. Rachel was so convincing and well-crafted that I felt like I knew her intimately after only a few pages. Melissa Broder really excels at sharp and specific characterization where a lot of books in the 'disaster woman' genre tend to opt for a more 'generic millennial every-woman' approach (which I've certainly seen done well, but which I think I may be a bit burnt out on). Where this book falters is in its introduction of Miriam and her family--the pace slows, the focus shifts, Rachel's behavior becomes slightly less intelligible. Still, while I ultimately felt that Broder could have used a defter hand in editing to get it up to the high standard she set for herself in The Pisces, I honestly loved spending time with this book. It's not for everyone, but if you gravitate toward the slightly fucked up and absurd, you'll probably love this too.

Massive trigger warning for eating disorders. Probably other things too, but that's the big one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not for everyone and will probably cause lots of strong feelings no matter if you liked the book or didn't care for it. However, isn't that what books are supposed to do? Make you feel and generate conversations. Some will love the main character, Rachel, and really empathize with her. Others will find her totally unlikable. This book brought up a lot of emotions and deals with a lot of different subjects, but Broder writes in such a way that it doesn't come off a heavy as she has a very carefree style that I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed the short chapters so you can walk a way if needed. I highly recommend this book and Broder's other novels.

There are books that you know that you will love and you do love them. But there are books where you don't expect to even like, but end up wholeheartedly adoring the book. You have a visceral reaction to them. Milk Fed falls in the latter category.

It is difficult for me to explain why I liked the book. Broder's previous book, The Pisces, is about a girl falling in with a merman(?!) from what I have heard and I skipped reading that book altogether. But from what I have understood of Broder's writing, it borders on weird to prove a point. And I have think I like reading these kinds of books the best. (See my love for Milkman in the previous post).

In Milk Fed, the protagonist suffers from a food disorder and has a difficult relationship with her mother. This is all you need to know while going into the book. And to be fair, there are other things that happen in the book but these two things are the essence of it. The writing in the book is bold and quirky. It also gets super deep and insightful in seconds, shifting the entire mood of the book with just a few sentences.

I also think that this book is not for everyone, but if you do read it, it will evoke instinctive reactions whether they are good or bad. All I know is that I am a fan of Melissa Broder for life now and can't wait to read The Pisces asap.

TW: Food disorder, homophobia

After absolutely loving The Pisces, I had high hopes for Melissa Broder's latest novel. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the story and I didn't find myself caring for the main character.

Trigger Warning: mental health, disordered eating.

This isn’t the type of book I’m normally drawn to, but wow! I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it’s a bit vulgar and the main character continues to make bad choices. But despite all that, I found Rachel to be quite endearing. She’s a young woman trying to make her way in the world, battling with her relationship with food, getting out from under her mother’s manipulation, and exploring her sexuality. Within the course of the book she really grows up and into more of herself. Really enjoyed her journey.

TW: eating disorder, disordered eating

For me, this was a fast and gripping read. Rachel is a 24-year-old lapsed Jew with a complicated relationship with food and her mother. Milk Fed is honest, hilarious, and sad all at the same time. Rachel's world of calorie counting, control, and obsession over her food intake and rituals really resonated with my younger self. I hope that Rachel becomes a better daughter for herself. I hope the same for myself.

Thank you, Scribner and NetGalley, for the captivating early copy of Milk Fed.

I really enjoyed Broder's last book, "The Pisces," but this one didn't click for me in the same way. Her writing is absolutely fantastic, witty as hell, and that was enough to push me through the book, but I just could not connect with the story in the way I wanted to. I'm still on board for Broder's next book!

For fans of <i>Luster</i> by Raven Leilani - pick up Melissa Broder's new novel, <i>Milk Fed!</i>

*TRIGGER WARNINGS* Eating disorders and body dysmorphia

Rachel is in her early twenties and lives in Los Angeles. “It didn't matter where I worked: one Hollywood bullshit factory was equal to any other. All that mattered was what I ate, when I ate, and how I ate it.” She's obsessed with food. She tracks all the calories in and out of her body and follows eating rituals. She blames her mother for part of the reason for this and when a therapist suggests she takes a 90 day cleanse from her mother, she decides to try it.

This book fell a little short for me; I would not recommend this to someone with an ED because it almost felt like she was making fun of her. This book was a quick read and beautifully written, it's one of those books that you're either going to love or hate.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Scribner for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion!

I’ve never read a book like this before. Just be aware — this isn’t a book for the faint of heart or those who are triggered by the content, which is graphic.

Rachel’s life is empty, and she fills it up by obsessing about food and calories. She has a dysfunctional and unhealthy relationship with her mother, and the communication detox brings her mother issues to the forefront, along with some other issues.

When Rachel encounters Miriam, a Modern Orthodox Jewish woman, she starts a journey of discovery. She starts learning about herself, religion, faith, family, and love. I enjoyed seeing how such different forms of Judaism intersect, and watching Rachel discover different aspects of faith, religion, and spirituality after she had grown so distant from what she had grown up with.

The beginning of the book focuses deeply on Rachel’s disordered eating habits — detailing her eating rituals, her exercise routine, and her emotional connection to these patterns. She deliberately cultivates an empty lifestyle so that nothing interferes with her plans, and rolls happiness and being thin into one concept.

As she detaches from her mother, she begins to see other women as mother figures, yet she has erotic fantasies about them as well. Rachel is incredibly unhappy, and is seeking any kind of acceptance. She was never able to find it from her mother, and tries to find it anywhere that she can, even when it involves contorting herself to be something or someone that she isn’t.

In addition to her unhealthy habits, Rachel quickly develops unhealthy and obsessive patterns of behavior around other people. For the majority of the story, Miriam is the center of Rachel’s focus. I really felt like Miriam really got in over her head and had no idea what she was in for. On the other hand, Rachel’s character led to a variety of cringe-worthy situations over the course of the book. At times, the writing was a bit cringe-worthy at times as well.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to make of the book, although I couldn’t stop reading. It was almost like watching a train crash and being unable to look away. While the majority of the books I’ve read like this were chock-full of characters I couldn’t help but hate, this book was packed with characters that I didn’t hate so much as those that I just felt sorry for. I wanted to see Rachel find a path to happiness and self-acceptance, and to learn how to love herself instead of hoping to find acceptance from someone who just wasn’t able to give it to her.

Melissa Broder is extremely talented. I've enjoyed her twitter and several of the articles she's written. That said - I'm not that much of a fan of her long form/fiction.

This book is an honest and open story of an eating disorder, a dysfunctional family and an emotionally desperate person. At the central core - the story of Rachel is good. There is a lightness in the darkness of the theme and the many issues that Rachel has. There is humor. There is intense honesty. It's well written literary fiction - - - - that I do feel could be rather dangerous if it finds itself on the shelves at Urban Outfitters and then into the hands of an impressionable young woman. It's a guide on how to destroy your body. It's a step by step way into an eating disorder.

But then....Rachel meets someone and develops a deep friendship that helps her grow up. Yes, there is rather graphic and intense sex and sexually imagery - but what Melissa Broder book wouldn't be.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.