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libraryofdreaming's review
5.0
March is just the gift that keeps giving with amazing disability reads! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for sending this book my way. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made me think deeply about chronic illness. I wonder what it would’ve been like to read this as a teen. I would have really appreciated it when I was first sick. I’m so glad that this books exists for a new generation of teens!
Anna is a regular teenaged girl who runs track and goes to parties with her best friend. But one day at track practice, Anna falls unconscious - but instead of falling down, she falls up, defying gravity. In another book, this would be the beginning of a classic superhero plot. Instead, THE MOTH GIRL follows Anna as she’s diagnosed with lepidopsy: a rare illness that causes symptoms reminiscent of moths: floating, attraction to light, a craving for sugar, and for an unlucky few, more dangerous physical manifestations.
Lepidopsy may be a magical illness, but THE MOTH GIRL is based solidly on the real experience of chronic illness (the author herself has Lupus). It shows one rather average girl’s journey through hospitals, support groups, and her own body which overnight has become unfamiliar. I think the author has managed to portray the complicated cycle of chronic illness through a unique fantasy lens.
Fantasy has been used to discuss love, war, and many more challenging subjects, but at last it’s being used as a lens to examine what it means to be sick in our society. I can’t wait to see the discussions that come out of reading this book. It made me think long and hard about my own experience with chronic illness and left me with many questions to ponder.
At times I wanted a little more detail on the magical world of THE MOTH GIRL. It feels a bit unmoored from time and place. Anna loves her Walkman and uses payphones, but at least in the advanced copy I read, all the bands she’s obsessed with are made up. I wish that the author had used real bands to give it a distinctly real setting OR leaned into the magic and expanded on the origins of lepidopsy and the other magical illnesses depicted.
THE MOTH GIRL is slow and thoughtful. It’s a story about friendship and self-discovery. There’s no romance, but Anna goes on a journey to find her voice, her identity, and what really matters to her. True friendship is revealed and tested. Overall, THE MOTH GIRL was at times maddening and beautiful. I wanted to shake Anna and I wanted to hug her for a thousand years. I treasure this book and I am so, so thankful it exists. Please don’t miss out on this book!
Anna is a regular teenaged girl who runs track and goes to parties with her best friend. But one day at track practice, Anna falls unconscious - but instead of falling down, she falls up, defying gravity. In another book, this would be the beginning of a classic superhero plot. Instead, THE MOTH GIRL follows Anna as she’s diagnosed with lepidopsy: a rare illness that causes symptoms reminiscent of moths: floating, attraction to light, a craving for sugar, and for an unlucky few, more dangerous physical manifestations.
Lepidopsy may be a magical illness, but THE MOTH GIRL is based solidly on the real experience of chronic illness (the author herself has Lupus). It shows one rather average girl’s journey through hospitals, support groups, and her own body which overnight has become unfamiliar. I think the author has managed to portray the complicated cycle of chronic illness through a unique fantasy lens.
Fantasy has been used to discuss love, war, and many more challenging subjects, but at last it’s being used as a lens to examine what it means to be sick in our society. I can’t wait to see the discussions that come out of reading this book. It made me think long and hard about my own experience with chronic illness and left me with many questions to ponder.
At times I wanted a little more detail on the magical world of THE MOTH GIRL. It feels a bit unmoored from time and place. Anna loves her Walkman and uses payphones, but at least in the advanced copy I read, all the bands she’s obsessed with are made up. I wish that the author had used real bands to give it a distinctly real setting OR leaned into the magic and expanded on the origins of lepidopsy and the other magical illnesses depicted.
THE MOTH GIRL is slow and thoughtful. It’s a story about friendship and self-discovery. There’s no romance, but Anna goes on a journey to find her voice, her identity, and what really matters to her. True friendship is revealed and tested. Overall, THE MOTH GIRL was at times maddening and beautiful. I wanted to shake Anna and I wanted to hug her for a thousand years. I treasure this book and I am so, so thankful it exists. Please don’t miss out on this book!
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
I needed this book the moment I heard about it. As someone who is chronically ill and who has been looking for books about others being like her this book felt like a gift. However, once it came in I was terrified to start reading it. I was afraid the confrontation would be too heavy. I was afraid I would cry my way through the entire book. I was afraid it would do a number on me. However, this week I start a new treatment and I got curious about this book again and decided to give it a go.
I have to admit that emotionally the book was not as heavy and confronting as I had thought it would be. And that's mostly because the book is written the way I talk about my illness when talking to others too. I leave the heaviest emotions out of it. I describe a situation and how that made me feel, but I don't let the emotions seep into the story, I don't feel them while telling the story. I can't. If I'd do that I'd be a mess every time I do tell my story.
However, that doesn't mean I could just read through this book in one sitting. Because I did recognize a lot. There were quite a few negative comments and situations in this book I've been through too. I therefore did need some air in between parts. Which is a good thing. The book does what it should do and is what it should be. I recognize myself and I can imagine that people who know me might also recognize me.
I also think that making this disease fictional was an amazing choice. When labeling it with an existing diagnosis others might recognize themselves in the story, but still know it's not about them. Now the story is. The illness itself might nog exist, but a lot of the symptoms are quite universal and the entire progress of getting symptoms, being diagnosed, being treated and having to cope with it is also quite universal. So now a lot of people can can say: This is my story! It was like this for me too!
I'm a few steps further in my coping progress, but I can imagine that this book is an amazing gift for everyone feeling alone when going through all this and the people around them who want to try to understand them.
I have to admit that emotionally the book was not as heavy and confronting as I had thought it would be. And that's mostly because the book is written the way I talk about my illness when talking to others too. I leave the heaviest emotions out of it. I describe a situation and how that made me feel, but I don't let the emotions seep into the story, I don't feel them while telling the story. I can't. If I'd do that I'd be a mess every time I do tell my story.
However, that doesn't mean I could just read through this book in one sitting. Because I did recognize a lot. There were quite a few negative comments and situations in this book I've been through too. I therefore did need some air in between parts. Which is a good thing. The book does what it should do and is what it should be. I recognize myself and I can imagine that people who know me might also recognize me.
I also think that making this disease fictional was an amazing choice. When labeling it with an existing diagnosis others might recognize themselves in the story, but still know it's not about them. Now the story is. The illness itself might nog exist, but a lot of the symptoms are quite universal and the entire progress of getting symptoms, being diagnosed, being treated and having to cope with it is also quite universal. So now a lot of people can can say: This is my story! It was like this for me too!
I'm a few steps further in my coping progress, but I can imagine that this book is an amazing gift for everyone feeling alone when going through all this and the people around them who want to try to understand them.
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
4.0
4/5
I found the book so intriguing and a short fast read. I wish it had more time with characters and their backstories though
I found the book so intriguing and a short fast read. I wish it had more time with characters and their backstories though
annamickreads's review
4.0
"The Moth Girl" is set in 1990 when promising track star Anna is suddenly diagnosed with a chronic illness that manifests as symptoms similar to moth or butterfly behaviors - floating above the ground, craving sugar, etc.
While the story is obviously magical realism, I thought it was an interesting and exciting way to introduce readers to a story about living with and navigating chronic illness, especially from a young age. That said, the only magical realism parts of the book were the illness itself, which could put out some readers who were expecting something even more fantastical.
While the story is obviously magical realism, I thought it was an interesting and exciting way to introduce readers to a story about living with and navigating chronic illness, especially from a young age. That said, the only magical realism parts of the book were the illness itself, which could put out some readers who were expecting something even more fantastical.
awhiting's review
4.0
It took me a little bit to get into this book hence the 4⭐️ but I’m glad I stuck it out. Even though the illness is made up, it represented the world of chronic illness nicely. My medical kiddo really loved it too.
wildflowerfields's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
biblio_bug's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
notamegamouthsharknosir's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I found this book to be a refreshing, albeit emotional narrative about chronic illness. Fixated not completely on tragedy or over coming but learning how to survive. Then, on your own time, learning how to thrive.
Now, while the book is focused on a diease with a magical nature, the narrative is very grounded in reality. The journey of diagnosis, to flare up, to treatment, to new found symptoms and flare-up is very real for so many. Alongside with Anna's struggles to cope with everything that comes alongside the diease and how to explain it to others.
Despite this foot hold in realtity, the use of a magical diease was important. The symptoms (excluding anything too moth-like of course) are very real for many people, but the use of something otherworldly made the absurdity of chronic illness stand out. These diease that change your life completely, your body sabotaging you in ways you didn't know physically possible, the lack of knowledge that even medical professionals have. It executes these premises flawlessly.
My only real critique might be the simplicity of the prose, however listening to this book made it so I barely noticed it. And the book never failed to convey the emotions it needed to, truly embodying whatever Anna was feeling.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a wonderfully done representation of chronic illness, and a very enjoyable read (or listen :)) .
Now, while the book is focused on a diease with a magical nature, the narrative is very grounded in reality. The journey of diagnosis, to flare up, to treatment, to new found symptoms and flare-up is very real for so many. Alongside with Anna's struggles to cope with everything that comes alongside the diease and how to explain it to others.
Despite this foot hold in realtity, the use of a magical diease was important. The symptoms (excluding anything too moth-like of course) are very real for many people, but the use of something otherworldly made the absurdity of chronic illness stand out. These diease that change your life completely, your body sabotaging you in ways you didn't know physically possible, the lack of knowledge that even medical professionals have. It executes these premises flawlessly.
My only real critique might be the simplicity of the prose, however listening to this book made it so I barely noticed it. And the book never failed to convey the emotions it needed to, truly embodying whatever Anna was feeling.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a wonderfully done representation of chronic illness, and a very enjoyable read (or listen :)) .
bookmarvel's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was really interesting that the author created this whole fictional illness, but how it was talked about and treated and everything felt like it could be a real illness.
The author wrote this book because she couldn’t find hardly any good stories in books or movies or anything about chronic illness. I don’t have a chronic illness so I don’t personally relate to Anna’s journey, but now I think I understand a little bit better what it’s like for someone to be going through something like that.
The author wrote this book because she couldn’t find hardly any good stories in books or movies or anything about chronic illness. I don’t have a chronic illness so I don’t personally relate to Anna’s journey, but now I think I understand a little bit better what it’s like for someone to be going through something like that.
illidia316's review
4.0
I really didn’t know what to expect with this book, and I was pleasantly surprised! It was pretty fascinating. I felt so bad for Anna - I can’t even imagine suddenly floating out of nowhere.
The one thing I wish this book had was an epilogue - maybe like a 10 years later update on Anna, on how her life is, how the medical technology has advanced in that time period, etc. I think that would have been really cool!
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
The one thing I wish this book had was an epilogue - maybe like a 10 years later update on Anna, on how her life is, how the medical technology has advanced in that time period, etc. I think that would have been really cool!
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!