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There are currently 40 member reviews
for The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
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RebeccaR Western USA
Realistic Life Lessons from Desperate People
I'm glad I read this book, although I wasn't immediately sure I was going to enjoy it. The summary on the back cover says that not even the "sisters are sure exactly what happened," and I think that was some initial confusion for me as well. While it was clear that eldest sister Althea and her husband were arrested, I would have liked more information on the extent of the scam. There are some important issues handled in this book - bulimia, physical abuse, behavior problems in school (stemming from unstable home lives) as well as a variety of relationships. Perhaps most importantly, this book addresses an issue that is pervasive in societies around the world and very much in the news in the United States at the moment: the casting of doubt on females who have been assaulted or abused with the question of why something was not said sooner. The answer is clear in this book and that is that people doubt you anyway or looked the other way when there was a cry for help, hoping that the problem would just go away and that they would not have to get involved. I think this book's plot contains important issues for book club discussions.
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Joan P. (Owego, NY)
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
What is really a fascinating plot is made even better by great characters. They are troubled people and the author skillfully shows the roots,of their dysfunction.
Althea and Porter are sent to jail when their daughter, Kim, turns them in for fraud. Family is called on to care for teenaged Kim and her twin, Little Vi. The past continues to influence the present. A dark story that ends with hope for the future.
This is a debut novel that has made me a fan. I look forward to Anissa Gray's next book. This would make an excellent book club selection.
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Laura P. (Atlanta, GA)
Family dynamics
Anissa Gray's family drama focuses on the Butler family. When their mother dies and dad, a traveling evangelist, is largely absent, oldest sister Althea takes over. Then Althea and her husband Proctor are imprisoned following a food stamp and charity swindle, and younger sisters Viola and Lillian have to take over the management of Althea's daughters, Kim and "Baby Vi." Trouble is they have problems of their own, as do both daughters. The novel walks the reader through a complex set of family dynamics as the whole family tries to sort out its problems. The characters are wonderfully drawn, with the story told in the alternating voices of the three sisters, and the resolution of the story is satisfying without being corny or cloying. My only frustration was a sense that Gray was attempting to be so sure she had left no potential problem or issue unrecognized -- there's gay marriage (on the rocks, yet), bulimia, OCD, prison life, bullying, extramarital affairs, and more, but in the end the story feels like it's about people with real problems, not a catalog of potential issues.
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Catharine L. (Petoskey, MI)
Wonderful first novel
I would rate this 4.5. A story of mothers, daughters, sisters, relationships, family secrets. Characters are so believable. I empathized with them all even though they made terrible choices.
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Beth B. (New Wilmington, PA)
Devour This Book
There's a lot to consume and digest in The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray. This is a novel rich in characters, wisdom, relationships, and family dynamics. History definitely repeats itself throughout the generations' stories. Inherent are the dangers: playing favorites, poor coping skills, blind spots, and failure to communicate with one another. What's past is past but slights and wounds are opened and reopened. The author has given readers a palette of people, mostly related to one another. Pay particular to one non-family gem, Mercedes. Happy reading and reflecting.
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Nancy L. (Staunton, VA)
Dysfunctional Family
"The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls" follows a dysfunctional trio of sisters, their partners, and twin daughters as they attempt to navigate the trials of their lives. Eldest sister, Althea, seems to have inherited her father's hard-headedness and is in jail with her husband for stealing from funds collected for the needy in her town. Middle sister, Viola, suffers from bulimia and hides behind a stoic, professional demeanor. Youngest sister, Lillian, feels unseen and unappreciated and seems to display some OCD behavior. They are defensive with each other and avoid any real closeness until one of Althea's twin daughters is missing after threatening suicide. The sisters pull together to find the missing girl as well as begin to confront the demons of their childhood. The story is told in the alternating voices of the sisters and illustrates how problems in one's childhood can infect generations to come. Although choppy at times, I found this story to be hard to put down.
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Susan T. (Bahama, NC)
Good writing, but...
I really was excited about reading this book. The title alone is very intriguing and the topic (family dynamics) is something that interests me. However, I struggled to finish this one--so much so, I almost decided not to review it. I had trouble connecting with and caring about the characters. I didn't feel as though they were developed enough. What motivated Althea to swindle the charities, why did Lillian have an affair, Viola left Eva because...?? I think it would have helped to have a little more insight making it easier to relate or be empathetic to their situations. I really only felt empathy for Kim and Baby V., mainly because they are children and still powerless regarding their situation, unlike the sisters. I also think the narrative was just a bit too disjointed which may have contributed to my difficulty in relating to the characters. I actually had to flip to the front of the chapters occasionally to make sure I remembered correctly which sister's viewpoint I was reading.
I think this book has a ton of potential. The topics covered are very interesting and the writer is obviously talented. The characters and story just needed to be more engaging for me to be more invested in the outcomes.
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