Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses

Thanks to Quirk Books for giving me a free digital galley of this book in exchange for feedback.

I loved this book!

I picked it up on the strength of its cover and title, which is always risky, isn't it?  But so rewarding when it pays off, like right now. I've never heard of Kristen O'Neal, and googling tells me that this is her first novel.  I am prepared to preorder her second novel with no further information.

"Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses" is the story of Priya, who has recently contracted chronic Lyme disease.  Priya is learning to live with weakness and pain that look like they might be a permanent part of her life now.  She's rethinking her future.  Priya joins Oof Ouch My Bones, an online support group for people with chronic illnesses.  She meets good and helpful friends there, who can sympathize and give useful advice and help one another.  It's exactly what she needs.

One of those friends is Brigid, who is a little bit vague about the exact nature of her chronic illness, but still a good friend to Priya.  And what IS Brigid's chronic illness?  It would be a spoiler to tell you, if it weren't the first word of the title: Brigid is a werewolf.

This book is so warm and fun to read and full of heart, and I'd enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who lives with chronic illness or who likes their horror character-driven and full of heart.  

Gentle reader warning: Like many werewolf novels, this one does include a bad thing happening to an animal.  But it isn't vividly described, and it isn't an animal you are emotionally attached to.  You're probably okay to read this book.

This book was amazing!! I absolutely loved it. Sensitive and serious topics were handled so very well and provided insights about chronic illness that resonated with me and others that expanded my perspective. There were so many times I had to put this book down because I was laughing so hard. This book was emotional and captivating, and I only recommend reading it when you have enough time to sit down and read it properly (or else you'll find yourself clearing your schedule at the last minute to stay up late reading it like I did!). The characters were all well developed, and whilst portrayed a variety of experiences, cultures and identities were not caricatures. This has easily become one of my favourite books, especially as it juxtaposes funny light-hearted moments with emotional and realistic portrayals of chronic illness.

I loved this book. For starters, I enjoyed seeing how O'Neal showed readers what the world of someone with a chronic illness might look like in a straight forward, non-manipulative way. In some ways, this book is the opposite of all the tearjerkers made into movies a few years back. And then there's the whole, you know, werewolf thing. Simply put, I love a real-world story with one or two plainly fantastic elements, and this fit the bill better than most. If you want a plausibly implausible story of friendship, pick this up immediately.

Immediately after finishing this book, I pre-ordered 3 copies. One for myself, one from my partner, and one for my chronically ill friend who is still in the midst of her fight for a diagnosis...and now I've just thought of a fourth person who I could get a copy for...on that note; here's my review:

I need to start off this review selfishly, this book made me feel seen. I’ll be 35 next month, but this book about 20 somethings spoke to my in a way a book hasn’t done in a long time. Anyone who knows me and my partner knows how much online communities have always and still mean to us, that’s how we met. The relationship between Priya and Brigid reminds me of her and I to the point that as I was reading this book I got to chapter 15 and the first paragraph was so on point that I immediately had to screenshot the page and send it to her.

"Sometimes you just know when you click with someone, when you realize the two of you were meant to find your way to each other. When they say something a little stupid when they introduce themselves, or make a joke about an obscure interest you have, too, or ask you a question so thoughtful it tilts the axis of your world, just a little. Sometimes you just look at someone in the moment and think, yes, they’re going to be important to me. They’re going to change the shape my life takes. We’re going to mean something to each other."
Kristen O’Neal, 2021

The world needs more representation of queerplatonic relationships. I want to thank the author (which I did, I DM’d her on Twitter) for shouting out her platonic life partner in the acknowledgements because the more people see these terms being used and these healthy and loving relationships described the more normal they become. Just because you meet a friend online doesn’t make them less of a real friend. Online friendship are just as important as those you make offline, and they can be life changing and life saving, as seen in this book. Like one of the characters, I went through a dark period in my late teens and early 20s and it was my online friendships, especially my relationship with my partner, that got me through it. So if you’ve ever had a friendship like that you’ll love this book. And if you’ve never had the experience of a relationship like that, then you need to read this book so that you can understand how powerful that experience is.

This book also made me realise that my PCOS is a chronic illness…I had never thought of it in those terms before and none of the other women I know who have it have either, but of course it is. Now I’m annoyed that it’s taken me this long to come to terms with that because society hates talking about anything that has to do with women’s reproductive systems, which also gets brought up in this book! For that reason, because of how GOOD this book is at talking about chronic illnesses, everyone should read this book. You can tell that O’Neal spent a lot of time talking to people and learning and reading to present accurate, sympathetic and compassionately humane portrayals of people with chronic illnesses. If you or someone you love is dealing with a chronic illness, this book can help you. If you’re not, or you don’t know someone who is then you need to read this book in order to humanize those who are. You’d think the inclusion of lycanthropy in there would kick it out of reality and make it a joke, but it does the exact opposite, it’s a little shot of magical realism that makes everything about all of the chronic illnesses that much more real and visceral.

This book was exactly the vibe I needed to end 2020 with, overall hopeful and uplifting. There are no magical fixes or happy endings here, there is reality that life is hard, but that you can get through anything with the right people in your life. That’s a lesson we all need to learn in 2021.

This book is a real freakin' delight. DELIGHT. As someone who has been a teacher of teenagers for twenty years, I can sniff out bad teen dialogue from a mile away, and this just reads so authentic. The voice of this novel is so funny and real. The lack of capitalization in the messaging is real. The dialogue sparkles with silly and real humor. And the premise? Super bizarre, but I love how the author just goes for it. I love Brigid and Priya together, and the idea that a friend takes a road trip just to check on her friend. I also admire the way this book talks about chronic and long-term illness. It's not all doom and gloom, but it does affect the main characters. It's a great book to recommend to those who need some empathy for others who suffer. You just can't help loving it. Highly recommend.

What a fun and funny, creative and charming, totally unique read.  Talk about a wonderful spin on the "sick girl" genre!  Humor and warmth permeate this YA/emerging adult novel about two friends who find one another online, and who both belong to a online support group of young adults with chronic illnesses.  Anyone who has felt betrayed by their body can relate to at least some of their struggles, and the experience of chronic illnesses is handled gently yet accurately. Somehow, exactly the right amount of time is spent on discovering the shock of lycanthropy - enough to be believable ("how can this be real?!"), yet not so much to drag you down or add drama.  Despite its subject matter, this book remains angst-free AND gimmick-free.  Instead, it is an uplifting story that emphasizes friendship and support, while never turning sappy or trite.  Perfect balance of heart, humor and quirkiness in this excellent debut novel! 

While I hate to make one more thing about the pandemic, I also think that the fact that these characters make such valuable connections with one another online may ring especially true in these pandemic times.  I expect that many of us can now relate to the joy of seeing someone's face in a video chat, while being kept home by illness (or fear of it).

Many thanks to #NetGalley and Quirk Books for an advance copy of this title.  I will absolutely be talking this book up like crazy!

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a funny, heartwarming, real, not-at-all cheesy take on werewolves and life with chronic illness. (It's compared to the Fault in our Stars, but I honestly thought that book was a little eye-rolly.)It has a diverse group of characters who meet on tumblr and use discord to chat. The main characters are generation z (this IS a young adult book) who talk using many gifs, links, and pop culture references in a chat room. So, if you dont get this kind of stuff, or dont like books that include emails, texts, and such, then the jokes might be lost on you and this book might not be for you. If you're significantly older (read: out of touch with current internet lingo), it still might be worth the read for Brigid and Priya's self discovery and friendship. It's especially perfect if you have a chronic illness, know someone with a chronic illness, or even want to understand someone with a chronic illness's point of view.
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The plot itself went in directions I wasn't expecting. There were a few times where I was thinking that if the stort went a certain way, I might not like the book. But no. It didn't disappoint.
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Bottom line: I absolutely loved this book. All the stars. Also note: I'm biased because I have a chronic illness and also happen to love werewolves.

This was a precious book. I think that Kristen O'Neal's first book was a hit. It was so much fun. Priya was a wonderful character, and the overall premise is so unique.