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WORK TITLE: My Demon’s Name Is Ed
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CITY: Toronto
STATE: ON
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
https://secondstorypress.ca/danah-khalil/
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WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Danah Khalil’s literary debut is the novel My Demon’s Name is Ed, based on her experience fighting anorexia nervosa (an eating disorder; the acronym provides the name of the demon in the title). In it, she details the ways in which the disease uses her own thoughts and desires to sabotage her health and well-being. Danah “struggles to eat `healthy’ foods in an effort to control her weight,” explained Myra Junyk in Resource Links. “She also exercises obsessively for long periods of time. She feels compelled to lose weight, and hates herself when she fails to achieve her goals.” Over time, however, Ed’s voice—represented in the diary-entry-like text of the book by italics—overcomes Danah’s resistance. She enters treatment only after her family notices her failing health. “Danah describes her outrage at the ubiquitous triggers: media, magazines, even well-meaning parents who cautioned her against carbs,” explained a Kirkus Reviews contributor. “Her voice is authentic and visceral.”
Although treatment brings Danah’s issues under control for a time, Ed’s presence never retreats, and his voice becomes stronger as she begins to weaken once again, sabotaging her recovery. “The terrifying aspect of the novel,” said Adrienne Sayban, writing in School Library Journal, “is when Ed … constantly places negative thoughts into Danah’s head.” Eventually she comes to realize that, while she may recover her health, Ed and his damaging voice will never leave her entirely alone. A contributor to Read Rate Review observed that “Ed is the very personification of the demented activity that can go on inside the head of a … person.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote: “The immensity of Danah’s struggle certainly comes through in her deeply conflicted ruminations and inner debates.” Khalil’s novel, stated Julie Summers in Reviewer’s Bookwatch, “is a brutally honest depiction of a disorder that changes a life forever.”
Critics appreciated Danah’s unflinching look at her own eating disorder and how she learns to cope with it. “The raw nature of this true story is one that I appreciate. It is a real story,” assessed Rob Bittner in CM. “Khalil has poured her heart and soul onto the pages of this novel. And I am fully conscious of how much emotional effort and energy must have gone into this text.” The novel “is a cautionary tale, highly recommended for parents, adolescents, and health professionals,” declared Andréa Schnell in Quill & Quire. “It serves as a warning to all to be on the lookout for the earliest symptoms of eating disorders.” “Danah’s story is a hopeful story for families with a child who has an anorexia, or for anyone who is close to someone with an eating disorder,” concluded Patricia Tilton in Children’s Books Heal. “Although Danah recovers, she acknowledges that it will be with her forever and she will need to stay vigilant.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2016, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
Publishers Weekly, August 8, 2016, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed, p. 69.
Resource Links, October, 2016, Myra Junyk, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed, p. 34.
Reviewer’s Bookwatch, January, 2017, Julie Summers, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
School Library Journal, September, 2016, Adrienne Sayban, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed, p. 159.
ONLINE
Children’s Books Heal, https://childrensbooksheal.com/ (February 27, 2017), Patricia Tilton, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
CM Online, https://www.umanitoba.ca/ (June 22, 2016), Rob Bittner, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
Quill & Quire Online, http://www.quillandquire.com/ (May 12, 2017), Andréa Schnell, review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
Read Rate Review, http://readratereview.co.uk/ (January 24, 2017), review of My Demon’s Name Is Ed.
Second Story Press, https://secondstorypress.ca/ (May 12, 2017), author profile.
DANAH KHALIL
Danah Khalil was inspired to write at a very young age by some of her favourite authors. My Demon's Name is Ed is her first novel, based on her own life and her own journals. She continues with her journal entries, fictional novels, and poetry in hopes of inspiring others to tell their stories through writing as well.
Danah lives in Toronto.
Khalil, Danah: My Demon's Name is Ed
Myra Junyk
Resource Links. 22.1 (Oct. 2016): p34.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
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[A]
KHALIL, Danah
My Demon's Name is Ed
Second Story Press, 2016. 248p. Gr. 1012. 978-1-927583-96-8. Pbk. $12.95
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Danah Khalil has brought her personal journal entries to life in this novel about anorexia. Khalil describes the psychological torment endured by individuals suffering with eating disorders. As the novel begins in April 2012, the main character is grappling with the realization that something is very wrong with her. Her life has become one long conversation with the imaginary Ed (acronym for Eating Disorder). These conversations appear frequently throughout the text, and Ed's words are italicized. Ed is continually telling her that she is too fat, and that she must do something extreme to deal with her imperfection!
What follows is a personal journey through the agonies of anorexia. The heroine struggles to eat "healthy" foods in an effort to control her weight. She also exercises obsessively for long periods of time. She feels compelled to lose weight, and hates herself when she fails to achieve her goals. She is fixated on health and fitness blogs on the Internet as she pushes for more and more weight loss. Her obsession has caused her to lose twenty pounds, but she still wants to lose more despite her emaciated appearance. Despite her family's attempts to get her treatment for her eating disorder, she feels very much alone and isolated. How much weight will she have to lose before she no longer feels fat?
Danah Khalil's novel is an emotional roller-coaster. The raw honesty of the novel is evident on each and every page. The narrative focuses on the main character and her struggles with her eating disorder. This novel gives readers information about healthy eating habits, vegan lifestyle, as well as definitions of various eating disorders. It was very brave of Khalil to publish this novel about a topic which is very important in our weight-obsessed society.
However, the journal format soon becomes very repetitive. Ed's didactic voice, as well as the frequent profanity, soon becomes difficult to hear. At times, the novel feels more like a non-fiction expose about eating disorders. The writer also digresses into poetry at several points which becomes confusing in this journal format. This novel could definitely have used more rigorous editing to enhance its important message.
Thematic Links: Anorexia; Journaling; Athletic Competition; Family Relationships; Addiction; Vegan Lifestyle
[A] Average, all right, has its applications
My Demon's Name Is Ed
Publishers Weekly. 263.32 (Aug. 8, 2016): p69.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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My Demon's Name Is Ed
Danah Khalil. Second Story (Orca, dist.), $12.95 trade paper (136p) ISBN 978-1927583-96-8
Teenage author Khalil debuts with a fictionalized version of her own battle with Ed, the personification of her eating disorder. Told entirely through diary entries, the novel begins after Danah's eating disorder is well underway, as she attempts to wrest control of her life back from Ed and his constant criticisms. She often aims her anger and frustration at her family and resorts to secrecy to maintain her unhealthy compulsions, including demanding workouts and meticulously planned meals. Many novels that tackle eating disorders feature characters who strive to be thin, but Danah is obsessed with appearing fit and athletic, which highlights the body dysmorphia that accompanies many eating disorders: Danah is far from fit at her goal weight of 97.89 pounds. The diary entries--which include poems, meal and workout regimens, and recurring italicized commentary from Ed--are rigid and come across as scripted as opposed to genuine, which, coupled with the repetition of thoughts and outbursts, adversely affects the story's pacing. But the immensity of Danah's struggle certainly comes through in her deeply conflicted ruminations and inner debates. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)
Khalil, Danah. My Demon's Name Is Ed
Adrienne Sayban
School Library Journal. 62.9 (Sept. 2016): p159.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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KHALIL, Danah. My Demon's Name Is Ed. 260p. ebook available. Second Story. Oct. 2016. pap. $12.95. ISBN 9781927583968.
Gr 9 Up--Khalil chronicles her personal journey of conquering an eating disorder in her autobiographical debut. Using her own journal entries, the author starts with Danah at 14 years old, developing unhealthy eating and overexercising habits. Listening to the demon voice in her head named Ed, she begins to lose all sense of reality and faith in herself. Eventually, the teen is taken to a treatment program at a hospital after family and friends notice a change in her appearance. Wanting to be rid of the disorder, she is able to get on the right track by writing a food and exercise log. However, Ed still lingers in her mind and thrives on weakening Danah's self-esteem. Readers will identify with the protagonist as she struggles to free herself from her eating disorder. The terrifying aspect of the novel is when Ed, whose narration is indicated with an italic font, constantly places negative thoughts into Danah's head and causes her to draw back from reaching her own goals. Though the ending is very abrupt, teens will feel compassion for Danah as she tries to defeat the disorder and Ed. VERDICT A realistic and dramatic work that will resonate with young adults; pair with Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls.--Adrienne Sayban, Peoria Public Library, AZ
My Demon's Name is Ed
Julie Summers
Reviewer's Bookwatch. (Jan. 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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My Demon's Name is Ed
Danah Khalil
Second Story Press
20 Maud Street, Suite 401, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 2M5
http://secondstorypress.ca
9781927583968, $12.95, PB, 136 pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The real journal entries of a teen girl suffering with anorexia show the terrifying grip the disorder has on her. She personifies her eating disorder by calling it a demon and naming it Ed.
Ed is undermining her self-esteem and her perception of the world. How can she explain that even when she tries to develop healthier eating habits, there is a demon wriggling inside her mind, determining her every step? Every whispering: You see? It is "normal" to lose weight. I told you. Yes, I am always right. You must keep going. Keep going.
Critique: "My Demon's Name is Ed" is a brutally honest depiction of a disorder that changes a life forever. An exceptional and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "My Demon's Name is Ed" should be a part of every highschool, community, and college library collection in the country. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "My Demon's Name is Ed" is also available in a Kindle format ($7.55).
Julie Summers
Reviewer
MY DEMON'S NAME IS ED
by Danah Khalil
Age Range: 12 - 17
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KIRKUS REVIEW
A teen girl gives readers an intimate close-up of her eating disorder through her journal writing.
This novel, based on Khalil’s actual journal, begins when she’s 14 and travels through four years of her agonizing struggle with anorexia nervosa. There is a tyrant in her head whom she has named Ed. His voice appears in italics as he tells Danah she’s too fat, that she’s lazy and weak. “Please understand,” he wickedly reminds her, “I only want what is best.” The grip Ed has on her is relentless and exhausting, as he insists on an obsessive daily exercise regimen, on calorie counting, and on menu planning. Even when her weight drops below 100 pounds and she begins an outpatient program, Danah keeps the presence of her demon a secret. After treatment, Ed’s stranglehold lessens, but his strength returns and Danah surrenders once again. Danah describes her outrage at the ubiquitous triggers: media, magazines, even well-meaning parents who cautioned her against carbs. Her voice is authentic and visceral. The journal entries are sprinkled with poems, often haiku, and fold in helpful resources, including a short list of topical books and symptoms of eating disorders. The roller coaster of emotions and weight fluctuations becomes repetitious, but the gut-wrenching reality of Danah’s situation is unforgettably powerful.
This brave revelation is a young anorexic’s heart laid bare. (Fiction. 12-17)
Pub Date: Oct. 4th, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-927583-96-8
Page count: 248pp
Publisher: Second Story Press
Review Posted Online: July 20th, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1st, 2016
My Demon’s Name is Ed
by Danah Khalil
There is a tendency to dismiss eating disorders, particularly anorexia, as a rite of passage for young women from wealthy or middle-class backgrounds. My Demon’s Name is Ed demonstrates the danger of such assumptions.
unnamedIn an unflinching adaptation of her own diary, 18-year-old author Danah Khalil shows readers how anorexia permeated every aspect of her life. Khalil’s eating disorder is personified in the form of a demon called Ed. This characterization is extremely effective, underscoring the insidious ways in which anorexia tugs at the back of her mind, undermining her self-esteem and making her doubt her perceptions of herself and the world around her. The book documents the swirling, incessant thoughts that characterize an eating disorder; Khalil’s frustration at the endless “arguments” with Ed about what she should or should not eat, do, or say is palpable.
Khalil’s story also informs readers of the collateral damage associated with eating disorders: as the disease progresses, relationships with friends and family members break down or disintegrate entirely. While Khalil acknowledges the toll her anorexia takes on her family, it is worth noting they are not blameless in her suffering. Their insensitive comments and mixed signals, combined with the media’s incessant promotion of weight loss and fitness, create a climate that allows the eating disorder to fester.
While nothing about Khalil’s story is easy, the most devastating part of the book is the author’s recognition that, though in recovery and loving her life, the disorder will be with her forever; she knows she will need to be vigilant to keep the destructive tendencies at bay.
My Demon’s Name is Ed is a cautionary tale, highly recommended for parents, adolescents, and health professionals. It serves as a warning to all to be on the lookout for the earliest symptoms of eating disorders, and to take the necessary steps to stop them before they take over.
Reviewer: Andréa Schnell
Publisher: Second Story Press
CM . . . . Volume XXII Number 41. . . .June 22, 2016
cover
My Demon’s Name is Ed.
Danah Khalil.
Toronto, ON: Second Story Press, 2016.
240 pp., trade pbk., $12.95.
ISBN 978-1-927583-96-8.
Grades 8-12 / Ages 13-17.
Review by Rob Bittner.
** /4
Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy.
excerpt:
I look in the mirror and can’t distinguish between the hazy image of Ed, the demon, desperately pleading for attention and recognition and my own reflection that should be staring back at me. The demon tells me that I am too fat, that my inner thigh gap should be more noticeable, and my stomach should be flatter. It whispers in my ear—gently and soothingly, at first. Then the whispers become roars as it spits in my face. What choice do I have but to obey? I am too weak to fight; I am too afraid to try.
Author Danah Khalil started keeping a journal of her experiences with anorexia as a teenager and has now published them in novel form. She imagines her eating disorder in the personified form of Ed, the demon—Ed, of course, is the acronym for “eating disorder”. Through the novel she explores the development of her disorder, her attempts to get healthy again, and the struggles she has with parents and friends as she works through her own self-harming behaviours. The novel is published in the format of a journal, but it is also—at least in part—a novel in verse. The voice of Ed is italicized throughout, and, although his moments in the spotlight are brief, he is a continual presence throughout the text.
Thought I respect the novel in verse and the diary format in general, the mix of the two is not as effective as I feel it could have been if the narrative was told either in verse or as a journal. I believe the poetic devices being used are meant to cause feelings of instability and uneasiness. The breaks in sentences and the mixture between poetry and prose are often jarring, and for good reason, I believe, but at the same time, I found myself very much conscious of these switches, drawing me out of the story more often that I would have liked. The raw nature of this true story is one that I appreciate. It is a real story. Khalil has poured her heart and soul onto the pages of this novel. And I am fully conscious of how much emotional effort and energy must have gone into this text.
Unfortunately, as much as I felt connected to the protagonist, I found the consistent repetition of the entries and the voice of Ed to be quite annoying by the mid-way point. Because we are witness to Khalil and Khalil alone, the novel becomes unnecessarily long and repetitive, and reveals that could have helped to make the book more fully rounded and complete are left until the end of the novel, when it is almost too late to fully appreciate. Ed’s voice, as well, was unfortunately very didactic, leading to a feeling that readers are to be taught. Cliché turns of phrase led to a less than fully developed and engaging novel in the end.
All of this being said, I very much appreciate Khalil’s willingness to bare her life on the printed page and share her story. There will be an audience for the content of the book, but the combination of content with form unfortunately leaves My Demon’s Name is Ed wanting and not entirely engaging as one would hope.
Recommended with Reservations.
Rob Bittner is a graduate of the MA in Children’s Literature program at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University.
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. — Margaret Mead
My Demon’s Name is Ed by Danah Khalil
my-demons-name-is-ed-51rokvjcjpl__sx337_bo1204203200_
My Demon’s Name is Ed
Danah Khalil, Author
Second Story Press, Fiction, Oct. 4, 2016
Suitable for Ages: 12-16
Themes: Anorexia Nervosa, Eating Disorders, Peer Pressure, Mental Health, Self-Esteem, Courage, Hope
Synopsis: Danah’s eating disorder has a personality — it’s a demon she calls Ed, the voice in her head that undermines her self-esteem and her perception of the world. How can she explain to her family and friends that even when she tries to develop healthier eating and exercising habits, there is a demon wriggling inside her mind, determining her every step?
ED: “There is nothing wrong while I am in control.”
“You see? It is “normal” to lose weight. I told you. Yes, I am always right. You must keep going. Keep going.
While Danah knows that what she is doing is unhealthy, the validation and sense of control that her “demon” gives her begins to win out over everything and everyone else.
Why I like this book:
Danah Khalil has written compelling novel based on her own struggle with an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. She is 14 years old when her dieting begins. It takes guts to share something so profoundly emotional and deeply personal. I applaud Danah for bravely sharing her realistic story. Her suffering is visceral. Her voice is completely authentic. The solitude and misery she plummets into is dark and seductive. She calls the demon who lives in her head, “Ed.” And, with every journal entry, Ed’s voice (written in italics,) is there to coax, command and control her every thought and action.
Danah tells her story entirely through diary entries she started at age 14, at the beginning of the anorexia through her recovery at age 18. Although it is an interesting way to watch the progression of her anorexia, the entries become very focused on meal plans, weighing herself, daily workouts, anger towards her parents, and some lovely poetry. This is the isolation she creates for herself. My only sadness is that I never really get to know Danah, her family and friends, even after she enters a treatment facility. I hoped her therapy would reveal more family interaction.
Danah’s story is a hopeful story for families with a child who has an anorexia, or for anyone who is close to someone with an eating disorder. Although Danah recovers, she acknowledges that it will be with her forever and she will need to stay vigilant. Many years ago I worked with teens and young women with eating disorders and it brought back many memories. My Demon’s Name is Ed is an excellent book that will alert parents, siblings, friends, and teachers to the earliest symptoms of eating disorders and seek help.
Resources: The book includes information on common symptoms and book recommendations. I recommend that readers also check out the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), which provides information about the eating disorders, support groups, treatment options and stories of hope.
Check other Middle Grade review links on author Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.
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Posted on February 27, 2017 by Patricia Tilton • This entry was posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Danah Khalil, Eating Disorders, Middle Grade, Young Adult Book Review and tagged Anorexia Nervosa, Eating Disorders, Hope, Mental Health, Peer Pressure, Self-esteem. Bookmark the permalink.
About Patricia Tiltonhttps://childrensbooksheal.wordpress.comI want "Children's Books Heal" to be a resource for parents, grandparents, teachers and school counselors. My goal is to share books on a wide range of topics that have a healing impact on children who are facing challenges in their lives. If you are looking for good books on grief, autism, visual and hearing impairments, special needs, diversity, bullying, military families and social justice issues, you've come to the right place. I also share books that encourage art, imagination and creativity. I am always searching for those special gems to share with you. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.
My Demon’s Name is Ed by Danah Khalil
Jo | January 24, 2017 | Reviews | No Comments
Being interested as I am in mental health issues, I was very intrigued by this book. For me, Ed is the very personification of the demented activity that can go on inside the head of a mentally sick person. Yes, it can feel as if there is constantly a voice in your ear, urging you on and on even though you know y0u shouldn’t. Yes, it can feel as if you are perpetually in a battle – usually with yourself – over your actions. Yes, you do feel that you want to silence a perpetually busy brain permanently, whatever it takes – just to get some peace and quiet. I really felt for Danah, I truly did – but I couldn’t finish her book. The downside is that it was very repetitive; people with mental illness often have very repetitive lives based on obsessions and behaviours that they might have developed to cope with life.
To summarise, although Danah wrote very poignantly, desperately, and with more knowledge of her subject than you would hope a teenage girl would have, the repetitiveness of the book finally beat me.
I give this book three stars out of five.
About The Author
jo
Jo is a qualified Primary School teacher and has a Masters Degree in English Literature. A mum of two who loves to read.