The Ecstatic
By Victor D. Lavalle  

     If ever I have felt a love/hate relationship with a book, The Ecstatic would be the book that deserves this honor. I’m still reeling from the life that main character lives. Anthony Jones is a 318-pound schizophrenic, plagued with the same affliction that affects his grandmother, mother and little sister. The story centers on the mental journey surrounding food addiction and the lack of treatment for the families’ mental afflictions. On one hand, it's easy to see why Anthony weighed as much as he did; on the other hand, it was disgusting how his extreme low self-esteem affected him physically and mentally.

     The Ecstatic will definitely take the reader on a ride. After being evicted from his college apartment where he was living in mental collapse while attending Cornell, Anthony ends up living in the basement of the home his mother, grandmother and sister share. He is faring no better in these circumstances, where his family has imposed severe eating restrictions on him.

     Anthony seeks friendship and counsel from one Ishkabibble, the neighborhood street banker (loan shark). Everybody in the neighborhood owes Ishkabibble--I loved the name, try saying it three times fast--and the loan shark takes advantage of this and Anthony by loaning him money to write a book, and using him as his heavy. The home life doesn't improve when Anthony’s little sister participates in a beauty pageant for vestal virgins and they quite literally lose their mother while on a trek to the South. On top of that, a friend of Anthony’s infuses himself with a case of botulism to induce rapid weight loss and tries to get Anthony to join him. Just who is schizophrenic here?

     This isn’t a book to pick up you’re looking for comedic relief, but it is a pleasant aside. Though The Ecstatic's twists and turns are quite confusing, its dark humor sent me into sidesplitting fits of laughter on several occasions.

If you are searching for an in-depth exploration of a weakened mind, this book can take you there. The unique characterization of Anthony and his adventures really makes you wonder how many people are suffering as he is. I found that I loved the comedy, hated the reality, but understood the quandary that makes The Ecstatic a well-written novel.