The Heartbreak Diet

The Heartbreak Diet
by Thorina Rose
Chronicle Books
San Francisco, CA
2008
ISBN: 9780811860574

Plot Summary:
Thorina lives a comfortable life, married to a photographer, and mother to two boys. Steadily, she begins to notice that her husband is less engaged, and spending a lot more time out of the house. Eventually, he admits to being in love with someone else, and Thorina's life is suddenly upheaved.
Critical Evaluation:
A graphic novel designed to express a world where the drawings and text bleed into each other, both reflecting synchronized visions of the other. Neither format supercedes the other, and the drawings quietly illustrate the emotions described. There are several illustrations that stand in relief to the story itself--portraits of famous women and particular statements they were known for making--which serve to refocus the viewer back onto the book's images, reminding never to forget that a story isn't just words.
Reader's Annotation:
Thorina lives a comfortable life with her husband and two young sons. Sure, her husband's kind of turd, but you can't have everything, right? As Thorina slowly comes to realize--no, you can't.
Genre:
Graphic Novel/Romance/ChickLit
Author Info:
Thorina Rose is an author and illustrator. The Heartbreak Diet is her first book. In 2004 she was nominated for a SFMOMA SECA award.
Reader Level/Interest Age:
Teens and up; an illustrated novel fun to read for anyone.
Booktalking Ideas:
*Is this a book about body image?
*Why does X leave his family?
*Does Thorina truly love X, or is she just comfortable?
Challenge Issues:
None foreseeable.
Why Include?:
Eyed it on the shelf, an illustrated sad romance is always very enticing.