Lisa de Nikolits' first novel is an unconventional treatment of eating disorders, which are often presented in fiction as merely an adolescent phase. De Nikolits shows how such disorders can in fact continue into adulthood. The sufferer appears fully functioning, while in reality their body obsession permeates every facet of their lives. Such close proximity to de Nikolits' unnamed narrator makes The Hungry Mirror an uncomfortable read. Part of this is intentional, and effective — it becomes clear that the narrator is a prisoner of an obsession that exhausts her both physically and mentally.... ]he novel's conclusion is thoughtful and strong....