Helen doesn't want to stay in the fattening hut. She's told her mother
that she's too young, not ready for it. Why must she marry so soon--and
gorge on rich meals for months, until she's heavy and round, like a good
bride? Like her mother and sister before her, like all the women of her
tribe.
When she learns the terrible secret the fattening hut harbors, Helen
becomes even more defiant and confused. Lonely, scared, and feeling
confined by her family, culture, and tradition, she fights for a chance
to be educated, young, and free.
The Fattening Hut is a lyrical and timeless tale about a teenage girl
who struggles to reclaim her independence, her body, and her soul.