Member Reviews
This book is so incredible. It is about chronic illness. I didn’t like the writing style. I did find it very slow paced. But I did enjoy this.
For me this book was very average. I was really interested in the story line since it was very different than what I have ever read before, but O failed to connect to the character and her struggles. The writing style is functional but lacks a distinctive voice. It does the job of conveying the story, but it doesn't leave a lasting impression. The descriptive passages are adequate, but they don't evoke a strong sense of emotion.
Anyone who knows anything about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will tell you what an awful debilitating illness it is. Grace, the narrator of this superb novel has it. This really should be a depressing book to read but it is poignant, thought-provoking and ultimately uplifting. It is almost a self-help book and one can learn a lot from Grace and her absolute determination to rebuild the life she had before the illness struck her down. All the other characters are like planets orbiting around her sun but in changing herself she changes them too. A must-read for anyone fighting severe illness at the moment.
A phenomenal novel with such an interesting premise. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
Excellent read, so gripping I couldn't put it down.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
This book was an emotional read for me. I didn’t love the writing style, but that’s really just a personal preference rather than a criticism.
My heart broke for our main character, Grace, and all that she had to deal with.
As a person who suffers from more than one invisible illness, I completely related to that element of the story and thought that the author did a great job in creating what I feel to be an accurate picture of being a person with an invisible illness in society today.
I did find the story a bit slow paced for my taste, but I enjoyed it in spite of that.
I would definitely recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.
The title and cover really drew me into this book. I really appreciated the premise of someone dealing with chronic pain. It's a slow-moving story exposing the day-to-day experience of someone whose every move is pain. You really feel for Grace and her struggle. Her character growth is done well.
My only gripe with the novel is the writing itself. I didn't feel connected to the story for a long time.
This reminded me a lot of My Year of Rest but actually a better understanding of invisible illness. As someone with depression it’s also refreshing to see a character deal with like toxic positivity and grow to understand her own healing. Loved the sister relationship, that was so pure.
This phenomenal story will touch your heart in so many ways… an amazing escape that you are sure to cherish long after you finish reading… I absolutely loved this story of chronic Illness.
Grace's character is so complex; She starts out so ambitious and competitive, hiding how much her physical pain actually affects her until she cannot go to work anymore. Her character development is amazing! And the description of dealing with an invisible illness and being perceived as well by those around you is written so well.
A genuinely unique novel which has really stayed with me. A poignant and engaging story about a chronically ill young woman Grace and the relationships around her as she navigates a life-limiting illness. The characters were beautifully rendered filled with nuance, expectation and unsaid emotions. A very moving novel about hope in the face of something few people undderstand. Utterly wonderful.
Another big thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this wonderful story. I enjoyed it from the first sentence on the first page. For the last two days I’ve been completely enveloped in the book. Each character and relationship truly pulled me into their world. Graces illness was so so so interesting to read about! It was such a different storyline that spoke about the importance in always believing in your body and how difficult that can sometimes be. I genuinely loved this perspective on being sick, and feeling bad about it. The guilt Grace felt was vibrating through the pages, it was almost like i could reach in between the lines and give her a hug. Her relationship with her sister was my favourite. It put a lot of things into perspective, especially how one believes family should be, and are treated. This was great and i would buy a hard copy when it hits the shelves.
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Matador and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Heart wrenching, poignant, emotional.
This book is a heartbreaking and beautiful journey of a sick woman and how she deals with that in her everyday life. It's kind of a slow moving book, which I usually don't prefer, but Beate executes it wonderfully and I got fully consumed by this story.