The Girls at 17 Swann Street

A haunting portrait of a young woman's battle with anorexia, as she struggles to reclaim her life.
The Girls at 17 Swann Street, Yara Zgheib's poetic and poignant debut novel, follows Anna Roux, a professional dancer who spirals into anorexia and depression after following the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. Weighing a mere eighty-eight pounds, Anna is forced to seek treatment at 17 Swann Street, a peach-pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live.
Together with the other residents - Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; and Julia, always hungry - Anna must fight her disease and face six meals a day. Every bite causes anxiety, every flavor induces guilt. As Anna takes steps towards recovery, she will need strength, endurance, and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street.
A moving tale of female friendship, The Girls at 17 Swann Street is a haunting portrait of a woman's struggle with mental illness, body image, and the long road to healing and self-acceptance.