Washed Away is the story of two women, actually–not just Nikki herself, but also her mother. Nikki’s story illustrates just how strong the ties of mental illness can be–both nature and nurture. Her life was basically just a boulder rolling down a mountain–there was no way to stop it until the very bottom–and that boulder crushed everything in its path.

And Nikki was crushed by everything imaginable. I don’t often put a trigger warning at the beginning of my reviews, but it was necessary for this one. It is so easy to feel hopeless while reading a book like this because there seemingly is no end to the tragedy that this woman went through in her life. But she found her way out. I cannot imagine how impossible recovery seemed, but her epilogue was full of all the hope that was missing in the rest of the pages. It’s worth reading the rest just for that.

If you are looking for a story about someone who got out, someone who fought through bulimia and mental illness and came out on the other side–maybe look at Nikki’s book. Just be aware that this is a very triggering story, so take care.

There's o much boom that actualluy treath a theme like mental illness in such a sutil way as this. DuBose made a good effort to create a good profile to this ill without been overdramatic.

Anyone who can read this without at least tearing up has no heart. As someone with a traumatizing childhood, and eating disorders, and my own hallucinations and demons, all of which I am still coming to terms with, I not only empathized, but found hope in these pages. Although this may be triggering for some, and indeed, I myself had to pause often to cry and deal with the memories that were stirred, it was also in its own way cathartic..