3.5/5 rounded up

This book is a delicious look at the nature of women’s desire and hunger, something we are often told not to have. It made me frustrated and happy and angry and hungry, all at once. That being said, I feel like it didn’t know what it wanted to be. Thriller? Literary fiction? Speculative fiction? I just wanted it to commit a tiny bit more.

This book was well written and I enjoyed the food descriptions. The protagonist's character development through her relationship with food was interesting.

woah! loved the fast-pace and intensity of this one! the story follows Piglet, who is about to marry into a family of a higher class than her own. The story is full of DRAMA and you can feel the tension! great debut

Entertaining story. The main character will have you shaking your head a lot. It’s funny at times and sad at other times. It’s a ride!

What a wonderful, exhilaratingly, satisfying book.

Piglet, a wife-to-be, is all about food, her fiancé Kit, and her best friend Margot. Piglet is selfless, is often too caring, too kind, too quiet. And when something devastating happens, she realizes she is unsatisfied with everything.

This book is mostly dialogue and descriptions of cooking food. It’s a little annoying if you don’t think about the calming quality that cooking is, but overall the way it reads is very helpful for getting in to the mind space of the MC.

I really enjoyed the ending of this book, although I had a hard time connecting to Kit and Piglets relationship. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more books written by Lottie Hazell

Piglet follows a woman in the weeks leading up to her wedding and the day itself. Her fiancé unveils a secret that changes her feelings for him and the wedding. The many descriptions of food were mouth-watering!

There were many parallels between Piglet never being satisfied with her life and never feeling full with her appetite. Control was a major theme I was thinking about a lot while reading this. The ending felt complete when you realize she was finally satisfied with how she ended up in life and her choices.

This book was very literary, very character-driven, and very thought-provoking. I was sympathetic for the main character in multiple scenes- that burger scene made me sad. :( However, I felt like there were some gaps. I felt like many parts of the book were never directly addressed. You were supposed to grasp what happened based on what was vaguely being described. Not to say that it wasn’t super hard to figure it out, but you never really know if you were right. The secret her fiancé shares? We never learn exactly what it is. We also know she has an eating disorder, but we never really learn more about it, which would have added more depth to her character. This was all probably intentional, but it made me feel slightly detached from everything.

Getting this into the right hands is crucial, and I recommend this to people who like reading about women losing it. Definitely wouldn't be surprised to see this in a “books cool girls read” tiktok.

Thank you Henry Holt for the e-arc! It's been a long time since I've read a book that's made me so stressed out. I've definitely never read a book that's made me stressed out through descriptions of food and its preparation (and its consumption). I both couldn't stop reading but then had to stop because I wanted to die of second-hand embarrassment and stress. This was an excellent depiction of a woman at her breaking point, while also being very funny. I am extremely happy to not be in Piglet's place, but what a story! And now I want pasta for dinner.

PIGLET is a unique literary novel that centers on the unfortunately nicknamed Piglet, a thirty-something cookbook editor. About two weeks before she's set to be married, her fiancé, Kit, reveals a dark secret that derails her life drastically off course.

Piglet gets little support from anyone, and she often clings to food in these uncomfortable moments. The descriptions of food are dazzling and contain surprising, emotional moments (that croquembouche scene!).

One of the reasons why I loved this book is that it didn't beat you over the head with lessons and answers. The writer gives the reader the credit and freedom to draw their own conclusions, and I find that way more enjoyable than your standard "this happened, and this is why" plotline. It is also a great character study that left me with a lot to ponder.

This was a gem of a story that may not be for everyone, but it worked for me. I look forward to whatever the writer comes out with next.

Piglet loves her life, she is weeks away from marrying Kit, the perfect guy and joining his perfect, upper class family when he confesses a secret that could ruin everything. Now Piglet has to decide what to do and she starts spiraling out of control. Lottie Hazell does such an amazing job of building tension through this book. I never knew reading about someone making a wedding cake could stress me out so much! I really enjoyed the use of food and cooking throughout the book, and I think this one will stick with me for a while. It explores so many different topics, particularly for women. I think this would be a great book club read or buddy read.
(If food or body image is triggering, this may be one to skip.)

Thank you NetGalley and Holt for the e-ARC of this book.

I'm going to be as brutal as I can be with this review, but it won't be very brutal because, God, how I fucking love character-driven novels. Hazell writes with all the spunk of a seasoned writer, all of the emotional awareness of the likes of Rooney, to make your insides feel twisty with fear for characters that you hate. And the food! Oh, the food. What a wonderful way to tie a character's personality together, demonstrate that never-ending sense of control through the one thing that women spend their entire lives trying to control, what they eat, the way they look, who they marry. It's just thoughtful. The novel is thoughtful, and stunning.

I did dock a star because the ending left plenty to be desired, but still. It's so very good, and if you've ever had an eating disorder, buckle up! You'll hate this and love this and it's worth it, because I see myself on every page in a way that makes me sick.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review!

Exquisite! Piglet is a stunning novel of a woman trying hard to keep herself together while she is falling apart. Thirteen days before her wedding, Piglet’s fiancée confesses a wrongdoing and sparks a literal and figurative hunger in Piglet. We follow her as the wedding day approaches and as Piglet tries to figure out what exactly she wants…

I loved this and was charmed by Piglet from the first page. The writing is gorgeous and the descriptions of the food were especially fantastic. The storytelling is restrained and yet so visceral - my heart and stomach were aching. One of my favorite reads of the year. Highly recommend this impressive debut!

Thank you very much to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Piglet is a portrait of a woman coming undone from her fiancé's betrayal. In the days following her fiancé's confession (and leading up to her wedding), Piglet engages in self-destructive behavior. The entire time I was reading I found myself rooting for Piglet, as she comes to terms with her identity. Although Piglet may not be for everyone, I found that Hazell crafted a nuanced, relatable character. We see how Piglet's relationship with food is influenced by her parents, how Piglet's binge-eating can be explained by her wanting to have semblance of control over her life . . . 4 stars. The cherry on the top? The food descriptions in Piglet are unforgettable and left me craving for more. I can't wait to see what Hazell writes next.

i'm curious to read further about whether hazell did any research or consulted with a psychologist in EDs before writing piglet as the ED depiction is very subtle for the most part. i did like how hazell wove in class politics with their depiction of piglet's ED though in that the facade that upper class individuals have to maintain is different to the one that she had to uphold in her less well off life before she met her fiance. the paradox of choice and opportunity strikes here causing piglet to neglect her old relationships. an intriguing read for sure, but i'm not sure the lack of a reveal (even though most people should be able to pick up on some clues) was warranted for how little character introspection there ends up being.

Thank you for sharing this title!

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Sigh. With that being said, it was an easy, enjoyable read. But there were some frustration points for me

******(spoiler-esqe!)*******

I felt like the bringing up of the sister's ED was so awkward and unfinished-- kind of the whole dynamic between them. On that note, so was the allusion to Piglet's ED. Like if you are going to talk about something that important, don't half-say it. Throughout the book there was this tendency to not say what was going on speak of everything in allusions-- I suppose that was to create tension but it was clunky.

I feel like this COULD have been so uncomfy and weird and really get under your skin in a good way but then it just kinda didn't go far enough.

The only saving grace was the end when she goes to her friend's house and they get to have their special friendship love story-- ahh, love that. Friendships are love stories. Women's lives don't revolve around men's actions!!!!!!

Great vivid food descriptions! Beginning of the story drew me in. Ending fell flat for me. Although I can understand the authors purpose for not stating Kits mistake, I wish it was revealed.

TW: Disordered eating & body image.

Piglet is phenomenal. At five pages in, I texted my husband. “I cannot stop reading this book,” and then promptly went back to reading. Engrossing, painful, and at times terribly funny, Piglet delivers emotional punches in between lush descriptions of food. I am so so impressed and cannot wait for more from this author.

One important note; I personally found the book extremely intense, especially as I’ve struggled with an eating disorder in the past. I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to tread carefully with this book. Look after yourselves!

Wow, what a cool book! I love books about women, especially when they're going through these major life changes. Women losing it and behaving in a way that society would deem 'wrong' or 'unseemly.'
Piglet is about a woman in such a situation. The book follows her and her seemingly perfect life in the days prior to her wedding. But then disaster strikes as Piglet's fiance admits to an unnamed betrayal. What follows is Piglet struggling to hold it all together and make it through the days before her wedding, all while people (including her fiance) tell her what to do and how she should feel about the situation.
In a way, it's an incredibly frustrating book. I felt for Piglet in a lot of ways. She was relatable in her hunger, her desire for control, as well as the body-image issues we see uncovered throughout. She's an oldest daughter with major oldest-daughter vibes, and I definitely connected with those aspects.

Piglet is a wild hilarity. The title and the books covered made me want to check it out, but the description of delicious food and ridiculous drama kept me speeding through this book. Oh the drama! It’s one of those books where you hate almost every character but keep you wanting more from them.

Definitely one of those books that you recommend to a friend to see their reaction and see what they think about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the ARC

Piglet is set to marry her fiancée Kit in less than one hundred days. Two weeks before the wedding Kit reveals something huge that sends her perfect life into an emotional roller coaster.
Piglet is a cookbook editor and is obsessed with food. She eats when she’s happy and when she’s sad. Food has consumed her mind, body and soul. I enjoyed the writing style of the author.

Piglet is a successful woman who is about to get married to the love of her life. However, when her fiancé drops a secret he's been keeping up on her 2 weeks before the wedding, and her nasty family, who created the taunting nickname, has infiltrated her life, Piglet finally loses control of her perfectly manufactured life, and she starts to have a hunger for something different.

This is such a great exploration of growing up being expected to provide so much, while also being constantly looked down upon. Piglet has never had her own identity, it's always being molded by those around her and what they perceive of her at the time. It also provides an interesting commentary on class and wealth through VERY unlikeable characters and the actions of those in the real world.

Thank you Henry Holt & Company and Netgalley for the Arc