The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting

A searing memoir from actress and activist Evanna Lynch about the tragedy and the glory of growing up, mourning girlhood, and navigating the path between fears and dreams.

Evanna Lynch has long been viewed as a role model for people recovering from anorexia, as the story of her casting as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films grew to almost mythic proportions-a tale of how she faced disordered eating as a young girl, found solace in a beloved book series, and later landed the part of her favorite character. But that is not the whole story.

Even after recovery, there remains a conflict at the very core of her being: a bitter struggle between the familiar, anesthetizing pursuit of perfection and the desire to fully and fearlessly embrace her creative side, uncertain as it may be. Revealing a startlingly accomplished voice, Lynch delves into the very heart of her relationship with her body. As she takes the reader through a personal journey of leaving behind the safety of girlhood, she explores the pivotal choices that ultimately led her down the path of creativity and toward acceptance of the wild, sensual, and unpredictable reality of womanhood.

Honest, electrifying, and inspiring, this is a story of the battle between self-destruction and creation, of giving up the preoccupation with perfection in favor of our uncharted dreams-and how the simple choice to create is the most liberating action a person can do.