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A review by nicolemhewitt
Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book shines a (glaring) spotlight on ableism. The main characters, Isabel and Sasha both have chronic illnesses that aren’t life-threatening (at least not directly) but are serious. Isabel has rheumatoid arthritis and lives in near-constant pain. She decided long ago that she didn’t want to be in a relationship—her life is just too complicated, and she knows darn well that she’s not always the most cheerful companion. But when she meets Sasha, her feelings start to change. Sasha has Gaucher Disease, an illness that puts him in the hospital often. Isabel relates to Sasha in a way she hasn’t with anyone else—he understands her, and he understands the challenges of living with a chronic illness. One aspect of the book that I love is how it explores the ways that different illnesses can be seen (and felt) differently—Sasha has always known he was sick. No one expects him to just “get over it” and move on. But Isabel’s illness is invisible. She sometimes even wonders herself if she’s making symptoms up in her head or turning them into something more than they actually are. She’s left constantly feeling like she’s letting people down or like she should be trying harder to ignore her symptoms. Moskowitz just delves into so many nuances of chronic illness—it’s obvious this is an #ownvoices book when it comes to chronic illness—including exploring the more philosophical side of the issue, bringing up a lot of topics I had never given much thought to.
This story captured my heart. I was wrapped up in the romance between Isabel and Sasha, and I was completely engaged in their friendships and family relationships as well. I definitely recommend this book!!
***Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This book shines a (glaring) spotlight on ableism. The main characters, Isabel and Sasha both have chronic illnesses that aren’t life-threatening (at least not directly) but are serious. Isabel has rheumatoid arthritis and lives in near-constant pain. She decided long ago that she didn’t want to be in a relationship—her life is just too complicated, and she knows darn well that she’s not always the most cheerful companion. But when she meets Sasha, her feelings start to change. Sasha has Gaucher Disease, an illness that puts him in the hospital often. Isabel relates to Sasha in a way she hasn’t with anyone else—he understands her, and he understands the challenges of living with a chronic illness. One aspect of the book that I love is how it explores the ways that different illnesses can be seen (and felt) differently—Sasha has always known he was sick. No one expects him to just “get over it” and move on. But Isabel’s illness is invisible. She sometimes even wonders herself if she’s making symptoms up in her head or turning them into something more than they actually are. She’s left constantly feeling like she’s letting people down or like she should be trying harder to ignore her symptoms. Moskowitz just delves into so many nuances of chronic illness—it’s obvious this is an #ownvoices book when it comes to chronic illness—including exploring the more philosophical side of the issue, bringing up a lot of topics I had never given much thought to.
This story captured my heart. I was wrapped up in the romance between Isabel and Sasha, and I was completely engaged in their friendships and family relationships as well. I definitely recommend this book!!
***Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***