Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt by Tessa Miller

32 reviews

kelseyland's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

A good guide for newly chronically ill/disabled people and/or their loved ones, since it's mainly focused on practical, day-to-day information along with stories of the author's experience with Crohn's disease.

Content note, per the author: Hospitalization, sexual assault, physical and emotional abuse, details of bowel disease

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aimiller's review

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emotional funny hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

I received a free copy of this book directly from the publisher, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to read this and write a review.

A powerful combination memoir and guide on how to navigate chronic illness in the US, Miller writes both of her own experiences and offers advice on how to deal with the changes wrought by chronic illness. The resources in the back of this I think could be very helpful; she writes about how to find a therapist who specializes in the changes of life and trauma associated with chronic illness, how to find a good doctor, and also reveals how absolutely garbage our healthcare system here is in the US. Her own journey of course is also really enlightening; she doesn't hold back in examining how her own privileges help her get the care she needs, and also how capitalism and the structure of work in the US really further damaged her health.

I think this could be really helpful for anyone facing chronic illness or pain--it really does cover a lot of important ground, and it doesn't pretend there are easy answers for any of the challenges that arise.

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kennyrae89's review

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dark emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

Great book to read for people dealing with chronic illness.

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emfass's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Part memoir, part journalism, 1000% vulnerable and a must-read, especially if you love someone with chronic illness. I cannot speak from an #OwnVoices perspective, but I hope it would also help a reader with chronic illness feel seen. I listened to this on audiobook, and it was made even more powerful by listening to Miller tell her story in her own voice.

Content warning: the author is descriptive throughout concerning the effects of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), C. diff, and Crohn's disease) and does not hold back about what it does to her body. She also shares openly about many different traumas she has faced throughout her life. (I love The StoryGraph website for more detailed content warnings, if you need them!)

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shaunashares's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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readalongwithnat's review

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informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I received a free ARC from Henry Holt Books in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint. My chronic illness differs from Tessa's, but I still found this book to be incredibly relatable. I also liked how it was part memoir and part educational. I want everyone in my life to read this so they can better understand living with a chronic illness.

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bgoodbookclub's review

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challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I am not very familiar with living with a chronic illness and this was the perfect book to inform me. I think that everyone can get something out of this book, as I thought that this book was amazing, but Miller also says that this is the book that she wishes someone had given her.

This book is not sugar coated, it's honest and raw and at times painful. It challenges our view of how we expect those with illness to either get better or die. I really enjoyed learning about chronic illness and I think it will help me better approach and support those that I know and meet with chronic illness.

I also thought that Miller did an excellent job of being aware of her privilege as a cis, white woman. She is very upfront about only speaking to her experience and how she understands that there are others who have additional struggles that she does not have because of her privilege.

Miller provides a ton of resources throughout the book and via an appendix in the back of the book. This is a read that anyone and everyone can get something from!

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