The Girls at 17 Swann Street

DEBUT Anna, a young Frenchwoman, finds herself at a treatment facility in the St. Louis suburbs for those suffering from eating disorders. How did she get here, and how will she survive this grim situation? She had followed her loving husband, Matthias, when he took a new job in America. Already suffering from anorexia, the former ballerina is bored and lonely, and further denial seems to be the answer. Her life starts to spiral downhill, and when her weight reaches a frightening 88 pounds, she becomes a patient at 17 Swann Street. The girls at this facility regard food as the enemy and every bite as a battle, as the counselors firmly insist on their eating a bland but wholesome diet. Some gradually get better; some don't. Anna describes her inner feelings in a poetic voice, and her story is a compelling revelation of what starvation does to the brain. However, readers could have benefitted from learning more about Anna's childhood trauma, only vaguely alluded to here.