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.