In my last blog post, I shared how I often feel invisible when reading books because I can never find authentic portrayals of chronic illness in fiction. In this post, I share 6 beautiful novels about chronic illness with authentic and relatable chronically ill characters.
The books surrounding me offer opportunities as I lie on my bed, tethered to it by chronic illness. Every book is a magical passport granting freedom and the possibility to escape the real world for a moment. I can open a book, and chronic illness and all its symptoms and complications seemingly dissipate from existence. Books allow me to be and do anything I want. Living inside books is the only place I can be free from the debilitating symptoms of chronic illness.
"Books allow me to be and do anything I want. Living inside books is the only place I can be free from the debilitating symptoms of chronic illness." Click To TweetI love reading books, but sometimes they make me feel lonely. And the more my life seems strange compared to the characters that live inside books. The more time I escape inside the pages of books and away from my reality, the more its magic dissipates. Because books, particularly fiction, ignore the thing that affects my life the most – chronic illness.
"The more time I escape inside the pages of books and away from my reality, the more its magic dissipates. Because books, particularly fiction, ignore what affects my life the most – chronic illness." Click To TweetI’ve often felt excitement upon discovering a book depicting life with a chronic illness. But that spark of excitement is fleeting as I often feel frustrated after turning the last page. Finding books representing chronic illness is incredibly hard, and authentic representations are even rarer. Because usually, books that do feature chronically ill characters are inaccurate, lack nuance, or are entirely ableist in their portrayal.
There is a long way to go before we have authentic, chronically ill characters in popular fiction. But that’s not to say there aren’t authors who are getting it right. Some writers are doing an excellent job of making the literary world a little more inclusive. Below are my recommendations for novels about chronic illness that became mirrors of my thoughts and experiences of living with ill health.
"Although there is a lack of authentic representation of chronic illness in fiction, the six books mentioned in this post deeply resonated with me as someone with a chronic illness and disability." Click To TweetTHIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PRODUCTS.
6 Novels About Chronic Illness That Got It Right
Please Read This Leaflet Carefully by Karen Havelin
Having been diagnosed with severe endometriosis in her twenties, she believes being self-reliant is the only way to survive her painful and debilitating illness. Between doctors’ appointments and in and out of hospitals, Laura confronts single parenting after her divorce, leading a life her teenage self would be in awe of.
After many years of enduring pain and the feeling of never being understood, Laura navigates her sexuality and unrecognised chronic condition the best she can. And forced to question her beliefs as she learns to find a certain peace, even in an impossible situation. Figure skating has been her salvation, as do writing and her dream of escaping Norway and moving to NYC.
My Thoughts:
It’s funny; I still struggle to discuss it despite years of living with chronic pain. There don’t seem to be words to describe the pain adequately or its effect on my life. But somehow, Havelin has eloquently articulated my and many others’ chronic pain experience. I resonated so deeply with the words on the page that they mirrored my thoughts and feelings. I underlined passages that struck a chord and that I felt reflected my very own journey of living with ill health.
The reverse chronological narrative brilliantly illustrates the endurance of chronic pain. It also demonstrates how pain and illness can determine the circumstances of people like Laura forced to endure it. And it is why Please Read This Leaflet Carefully is one of the best novels about chronic illness and chronic pain.
To read my full thoughts about Please Read This Leaflet Carefully; you can read my full review here.
Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan and a list. After almost – but not quite – dying, she’s come up with a list of directives to help her ‘Get a Life’:
- Enjoy a drunken night out
- Ride a motorbike
- Go camping
- Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex
- Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage
- And…do something bad
But it’s not easy being wrong, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines. Chloe needs a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job: Redford ‘Red’ Morgan.
With tattoos and a motorbike, Red is the perfect helper in her mission to rebel, but as they spend more time together, Chloe realises there’s much more to him than his tough exterior implies. Soon she’s left wanting more from him than she ever expected…maybe there’s more to his life than her list ever imagined?
My Thoughts:
Unfortunately, books rarely bestow us with authentic, chronically ill heroines. Until Chloe Brown, that is! I love that illness surfaces a lot in the book – because chronic illness influences most, sometimes even all, aspects of your life. My life looks like Chloe’s, from the many mobility aids strewn about the place to my inconsistent schedule because of inevitable flare-ups. Every detail in the book feels incredibly familiar as it mirrors my reality of living with a chronic illness. I also love Chloe and see her as a role model. Throughout the book, Chloe talks a lot about her condition and disability, but without it being the whole of her identity. It is admirable that she lives a happy life and thrives without finding a cure or overcoming her illness.
But, more than that, it is hopeful and uplifting as Chloe finds acceptance and love with the male protagonist, Red. Throughout the book, Chloe fears rejection from friends and potential partners because of her disability. Unfortunately, I have experienced this, but Red assures her she isn’t a burden and she shouldn’t accept people treating her as such. In these conversations, it felt like the author, Hibbert, talked directly to me and addressed my insecurities. In all, it is a book that gives us hope we, too, can find love and romance even with a chronic illness and disability.
Take A Moment by Nina Kaye
Meet Alex. She has a wonderful fiancé, a job she thrives in, and a best friend she’s known since childhood. Life’s not perfect, but it’s pretty fantastic. Until a shock diagnosis suddenly throws everything off course.
But Alex has never been one to back down from a fight. Now single and unemployed, she packs up and moves from her Glasgow hometown to vibrant Birmingham for a fresh start. In a new job, in a new city, she’s learning what’s important in life all over again.
Friendship, fun and romance lie just around the corner. But can Alex leave her way and learn to take a moment and live?
My Thoughts:
Described purely romantic fiction, I would argue that it is so much more than that. It is a thought-provoking, heartfelt and life-affirming novel about chronic illness and its impact on every facet of a person’s life and identity. But, more than that, I felt seen and represented in a book in a way I never had before. Unlike the main character Alex, I do not live with MS, myself but the symptoms I live with overlap. Therefore, reading Alex’s experiences and feelings was like reading my own.
Take A Moment gives a brilliant insight into the experience of becoming chronically ill. The sudden loss of independence, suddenly feeling vulnerable in your own body, the concern about being unreliable, people treating you differently, and facing professional barriers. Too often, the focus on us becomes what we can no longer do instead of what we can. The book highlights the strengths and insight you gain when living with a chronic illness. But, it also emphasises the importance of having supportive people around you – friends, family or colleagues. I hope this raises awareness and makes people more empathetic towards those with invisible conditions.
At times, the words jumping from the pages took me back to the start of my chronic illness journey and the time I received my diagnosis. But despite all this, the book isn’t maudlin or depressing, it emphasises the challenges, yes, but it’s also incredibly positive. It is a reminder that a chronic illness diagnosis does not mean the end but can be the start of something better. And a book that also makes you appreciate the people that are always there; and who believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself.
The Little Pieces of You and Me by Vanessa Greene
Best friends Isla and Sophie made each other a promise long ago to never let life pass them by. Years later, Isla is in love, living abroad and fulfilling her dreams. But for Sophie, things haven’t turned out how she was expecting, and she hasn’t achieved anything she and Isla discussed.
And then, in one sudden moment, life irrevocably changes for both women.
Isla and Sophie have hard decisions, but above all else, they must face the uncertainty ahead. Only when they realise this is easier together, two friends standing side by side, can each woman embrace whatever the future holds for them.
My Thoughts:
Chronic illness does not take centre stage in The Little Pieces of You and Me. However, some descriptions were so visceral and resonated so much that I thought the book was still worth mentioning.
“Her body, something she’d always taken for granted, could no longer be counted on to behave predictably. She’d almost stopped seeing it as part of her, and instead looked on it as an adversary, biding its time preparing to trip her up.”
Vanessa Greene, The Little Pieces of You and Me
After reading this passage, I realised I had tears in my eyes. As someone with a neurological condition, like one of the characters in the book, this sentence hit close to home. It felt like I was reading how I see my body on the page, and for the first time, it felt like someone understood me.
But most of all, the book is about love and friendship. The strong friendship between Isla and Sophie was heartfelt, and their connection came alive from the pages. Both characters encounter challenges but weave seamlessly through the book with great sensitivity and compassion. I love how both characters were resilient enough on their own but were even stronger when together. The book teaches us that we can often know precisely what we want and can easily list them. But then suddenly, life can change, ct, the one thing that makes you happiest was never on our list. A book that is well-worth reading if needing something uplifting and thought-provoking.
Meet Me on the Buddy Bench by Hannah Pearl
When an ordinary bench becomes a lifeline…
As a primary school teacher, Ava Lam is familiar with the ‘buddy bench,’ a rainbow-painted bench where sad or lonely children can sit to show they need a friend.
But are buddy benches just for kids? Ava might have assumed so – until she finds herself sobbing her heart on a park bench, and a kind stranger sits beside her.
The stranger, Dr Sam Stone, has a house and an impressive job, and he’s even training for a marathon – all things that have become painfully out of reach for Ava in her new and scary circumstances. But whilst Sam appears to have everything figured out, he needs a sympathetic ear just as much as she does.
Is this encounter a one-off, or could the ‘buddy bench’ begin to represent a source of comfort and support that will become precious to them both?
My Thoughts:
Again, this book seems like a typical romantic read for the regular chick-lit audience but packs much more of an emotional punch. The book does not shy away from sharing the emotional and physical challenges of living with a chronic illness. It gave a brilliant insight into the reality of invisible illnesses like ME, which the book shines a light on. The dismissal of symptoms from medical professionals and the lack of understanding from family and friends all hit so close to home, as I, too, have experienced this.
The author has accurately portrayed so many elements of living with an invisible illness that I can only hope it will raise awareness among the wider public. But like, with like all of the books I have mentioned, the story does not dwell on the negatives. It is a positive and uplifting story about how it is possible to rebuild your life after an illness has suddenly shattered it. The idea of the buddy bench to help build connections with others is such a charming and unique idea that you begin to wish one were in your area!
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital in 1987. Sadie is visiting her sister; Sam is recovering from a car crash. The days and months are long there, but playing together brings joy, escape, fierce competition – and a special friendship. Then, that time is over too soon, and they must return to their everyday lives.
When the pair spot each other eight years later in a crowded train station, they are catapulted back to that moment. The spark is immediate, and together they work on what they love – creating virtual worlds in the digital realm that eludes them in their real lives. Their collaborations make them superstars.
This is the story of the perfect worlds Sam and Sadie build, their imperfect world and the thing that comes after success: Money. Fame. Duplicity. Tragedy.
My Thoughts:
I was interested to read this book because of the glowing reviews I read online. I’m not a fan of video games, which is the book’s central theme. I was, however, interested in how it would deal with other main themes such as disability, chronic pain and chronic illness. As it turned out, I completely fell in love with the book, its characters and even the world of video games! The book is one of the most comprehensive portrayals of chronic pain I have ever read. Sam’s pain, disability and medical trauma underlie the book, shaping who he is, his relationships and how he functions in the world. There were many poignant quotes throughout the book, but one that stood out was:
“Sam was scared and ashamed because he felt as if he had no control over his body, no understanding of what was causing the pain and this, no means to ameliorate it.”
Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
One of the most relatable aspects of Zevin’s depiction of Sam’s disability is how it dictates his life. I could feel it as much as he does, resonating with my experiences. Just as Sam can never forget he’s in pain, neither can we, as voyeurs of his experiences. It resonates as someone living with chronic pain; it is a part of my life I can never forget, just like Sam. His only reprieve, however, comes from playing video games. When the book immerses us in the world of video games, we also go through a reprieve from Sam’s pain. He goes on to explain:
“Sometimes, I would be in so much pain. The only thing that kept me from wanting to die was the fact that I could leave my body and be in a body that worked perfectly for a while.”
Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Although I don’t play video games, I still resonated with the need to escape from chronic pain. I find distraction and solace in books; I love that I can be anyone else and be free from pain and illness, if only for a short while.
Although the book deals with several tragedies, I found Sam’s arc hopeful. It is a story that shows us that Sam can still live, succeed and eventually thrive despite it all.
As a confessed bookworm, I read a lot of books! You will rarely see me without a book in my hand. But it is rare for me to find a book with a character like me living with a chronic illness; however, as this post has shown, seeing more novels about chronic illness on our bookshelves is encouraging.
"It is encouraging to see more novels about chronic illness on our bookshelves." Click To TweetAny other novels about chronic illness I might have missed?
Have you read any great novels about chronic illness? What have been your favourites? Let me know; I always love learning about new books and authors I may not have found on my own!
