A powerful read that completely gripped me. I was, in turn, appalled, angered, upset and speechless as I read this. A must-read for not only its subject, but the voice given to Maddy and the fascinating concept of the creative writing assignment.

This is a gripping read. Though it might cause trigger warnings for some, the rape description was just enough to let you know what happened, without going into the gory details. My heart felt so strongly for Maddy I cried throughout the book. Her pain was so raw, so strong.

This should become a standard book to read in classes, as I believe it would bring up good conversations about rape, and men and boys that blame the female for their short-failings. Well done Second Story Press for publishing this and well done Beth Goobie for writing this.

What a creative concept for communicating a difficult topic. This also works beautifully to bring the characters in the book to life. Each of the students in the class not only writes a chapter in the English class group story, but they also present their chapter to the rest of the class. Maddie, the protagonist, observes her classmates as the group story turns into a fictionalized version of her own nightmare. Beth Goobie's The Pain Eater is a book that all high school students and teachers should read. As a high school teacher, I am always looking for books and ways to help teens build empathy toward others. This book is certainly a good start.

What a poignant and powerful piece of literature. This book chronicles the aftermath of a brutal rape of a 15 year old girl named Maddy. Maddy withdraws and remains silent for months, feeling like a piece of her soul has been removed from her. While reading this book, I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness through Maddy. Goobie was absolutely great and making you deeply care for this character.

The way Goobie portrays the aftermath of such horrible violence, how the victim can blame themself, how others can even blame the victim at all, is astonishing, stunning, and unsettling. Even more than that is the triumph of Maddy coming back to herself with time and encouragement. Ultimately, this is a powerful book that will make you think of it long after you’ve turned the final page.