What Does It Feel Like is a 2024 novella written by bestselling author Sophie Kinsella.
The story of a renowned novelist facing a devastating health diagnosis is based on Sophie’s own battle with incurable brain cancer.
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Book Blurb
Eve is a successful novelist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. Her husband, never far from her side, explains that she has had an operation to remove the large, malignant tumour growing in her brain.
As Eve learns to walk, talk, and write again — and as she wrestles with her diagnosis, and how and when to explain it to her beloved children — she begins to recall what’s most important to her: long walks with her husband’s hand clasped firmly around her own, family game nights and always buying that dress when she sees it.
What Does it Feel Like Book Review
What Does it Feel Like is an unforgettable novella that I managed to read in one sitting. It’s incredibly moving and even more poignant knowing it’s drawn from Sophie Kinsella’s personal experience.
Having read nearly all of her books, I’ve spent so much time with Sophie Kinsella’s fictional characters and it was fascinating to get such an intimate glimpse into her own life, both before and after her diagnosis.
The story explores the devastating reality of incurable brain cancer, not just for Eve/Sophie but for her entire family, and the way it impacts her children and her own state of mind.
The writing is beautiful, balancing moments of devastation with uplifting reflections on love, family, and the little joys that matter most. I can’t even imagine how terrifying this must have been for Sophie, and how brave she is to share this with her readers while continuing her fight.
This novella is not only a testament to her talent as a writer but also to her incredible strength and resilience. It’s heartbreaking and life-affirming all at once, and it will stay with me for a long time.
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The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella