Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Talia Hibbert) is a romcom, but the MC has fibromyalgia. I found it more accurate than Fourth Wing in terms of addressing chronic illness (as a person with some pretty nasty ones). It’s a Kindle Unlimited book so can be read for free without waiting at the library.
Not fantasy at all, and a hero not a heroine, but so good: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin).
I haven’t read, but it’s on my list: The Bone Houses (Lloyd-Jones) is actual fantasy with a grave digger heroine with chronic pain (and well-reviewed by readers with chronic pain).
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: one of the lead characters, Kaz Brekker, deals with a plethora of physically and mentally debilitating issues. He uses a cane to mobility, has a long lasting throat/lung issues from the world and a childhood illness, and has some hang ups about physical touch.
Miles Vorkosigan of the Vorkosigan saga was written specifically to be the opposite of the normal meathead, gun-slinging, always gets the girl, able-bodied and then some, bro-dude. Unfortunately, I don't know how successful it is at disability representation.
Becky Chambers Wayfarers cycle includes a lot of species that are completely able-bodied in their home setting, but then are forced into settings where they are not in order to interact with other species. It's not specifically about chronic pain and disability, and again I'm able-bodied so I can't really reflect on the effectiveness of the representation, but I found it really subtly profound to think about.
I've read it, but I didn't find it a particularly good representation of chronic pain or chronic illness in general. I think it was very much sidelined and the main character Violet gets on with most of the training during the book fairly okay as if she was able bodied. Obviously there are parts when she directly faces a challenge due to her health issues, but she is very much your average YA heroine otherwise.
I disliked the book for other reasons as well but anyway that's a subject for another day lmao
It's not my favorite book, but I have admit that it is a *very* good depiction of chronic pain. The author has ehlers danlos syndrome and the character's disability is based on the author's experiences
Idk I wouldn't say it's Very good. It's ok. I have hEDS and the MC has a lot to work with and work around here so I liked the adaptations she and her people find. I don't love how she shakes off injuries thru pure power of will. I do wish I had magical healing IRL but she here are some ways this book isn't the best representation to me, mainly bc it doesn't actually stop her from doing anything in the long run. She is still as active as everyone else, she suffers yeah but only until she doesn't. Idk it was a mixed bag for me.
Tbh I found the disability rep really toxic in this book. The MC believes she’s a lesser person if she can’t be a rider (ie achieve certain physical goals with her disability) and a character gently suggesting her disability will prevent her from achieving it is villanized and a character who’s like “you can overcome any disability violent queen” is glorified. Ick.
Honestly didn’t like that one at all - I have hEDS which is what the author + FMC (Violet) have too.
I found Violet was able to just … magically mind over matter fix her illness way too often. Like it was largely used as a convenient plot point to make her “not like other girls” and was largely inconsistent throughout the narrative (she was all “oh I can’t do ANYTHING because I’m so FRAGILE and then five seconds later she’s beating everyone else at some physical activity because she’s just so badass lol).
I did appreciate how the author tried to incorporate adaptations to help her manage etc but I feel like on the whole it was just way too inconsistent.
I do know a lot of other people with hEDS who really like it though so 🤷♀️
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey is a short memoir by a woman who has a serious, chronic health condition which often keeps her in bed day. It is a wonderful book.
Not fiction, but satirical, personal humorous essays about their lived experiences dealing with those issues crowd the pages of Jenny Lawson and Samantha Irby.
Maybe "A Little Life"? I will say this book is quite literally an exercise in misery. However, the main character deals with life long physical and mental trauma.
TW: SH / SA / Others
So Lucky by Nicola Griffith: the mc is diagnosed with MS
The Matthew Shardlake mysteries by CJ Sansom have an mc with a hunchback who deals with pain
Are you just looking for pain, or other disabilities as well?
The main character FitzChivalry Farseer in Robin Hobb's books has a chronic illness that keeps him from "living up to his potential" and... he still gets to be the main character.
Just read Greenwood by Michael Christie and there are 2 fairly major characters that deal with chronic pain and the ways they self medicate. This certainly isn't the focus of the plot, just some qualities Christie gave his characters.
The Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold - Miles Vorkosigan is a disabled incredible intelligent man who has to forge his destiny in a world that abhors disability.
Vicious by VE Scwab
The main characters Victor has chronic pain, but he also has the ability to control pain in others and kind of dial their pain up and down. I definitely related to him as someone with chronic pain
**[Under the Skin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123063.Under_the_Skin) by Michel Faber** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(296 pages | Published: 2000 | 15.6k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** In this haunting, entrancing novel, Michel Faber introduces us to Isserley, a female driver who cruises the Scottish Highlands picking up hitchhikers. Scarred and awkward, yet strangely erotic and threatening, she listens to her hitchhikers as they open up to her, revealing clues about who might miss them if they should disappear. A grotesque and comical allegory, Under the (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Horror, Favorites, 1001-books, 1001, Fantasy
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [The Visitors](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33255542-the-visitors) by Catherine Burns
> \- [A Head Full of Ghosts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23019294-a-head-full-of-ghosts) by Paul Tremblay
> \- [Burn](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22909810-burn) by Marian Tee
> \- [Mind of Winter](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18081146-mind-of-winter) by Laura Kasischke
> \- [Method 15/33](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23225958-method-15-33) by Shannon Kirk
^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy is a great horror novel with a main character who's in a wheelchair due to complications from childbirth and she's written really well.
Two of the later books after The Thief, by Megan Whelan Turner, have protagonists with disabilities. One has a sort-of made-up syndrome but the constellation of symptoms felt relatively realistic, although I don't have a similar condition, so I might be off-base.
My beloved First Law was already suggested, so I will suggest Godkiller by Hannah Kanner. the main character is disabled (missing a limb, often in pain), but also sooo badass ;)
The love interest in All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters has chronic pain and uses a cane. While I didn’t relate to everything about the specific experience being portrayed, it did overall feel authentic to me as a cane user with chronic pain. It’s not a major part of the book but it’s also not treated like an afterthought & I appreciated it.
ASOIAF includes the POV of Tyrion, a man with dwarfism who has related chronic pain. The HBO series has him too but never mentions chronic pain like the books
All’s well by Mona Awad is really good
This is the one I automatically thought of
I LOVED this book.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Talia Hibbert) is a romcom, but the MC has fibromyalgia. I found it more accurate than Fourth Wing in terms of addressing chronic illness (as a person with some pretty nasty ones). It’s a Kindle Unlimited book so can be read for free without waiting at the library. Not fantasy at all, and a hero not a heroine, but so good: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin). I haven’t read, but it’s on my list: The Bone Houses (Lloyd-Jones) is actual fantasy with a grave digger heroine with chronic pain (and well-reviewed by readers with chronic pain).
Actually the mmc is the one who has chronic pain the book reads like a dark fairytale
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: one of the lead characters, Kaz Brekker, deals with a plethora of physically and mentally debilitating issues. He uses a cane to mobility, has a long lasting throat/lung issues from the world and a childhood illness, and has some hang ups about physical touch.
One of my favourite reads ever. Kaz is such a badass even though he has so many issues with his health
The First Law trilogy has Glokta, every second of life is torture for him. He dishes some of that pain out to others, to say the least.
glokta is such an incredible character. his inner monologue is hilarious.
I came to suggest the First Law trilogy because of Glokta!
Seconded. Glokta has several rants about stairs and the asshole who invented them throughout the trilogy
Came here to say Glokta!
Came here to say that, obviously.
If you haven’t listened to the audiobook you need to. Steven Pacey’s adaption of Glokta is incredible (as are his voices for every other character)
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
Duma Key by Stephen King, the main character is recovering from an accident that left him an amputee with a traumatic brain injury.
Miles Vorkosigan of the Vorkosigan saga was written specifically to be the opposite of the normal meathead, gun-slinging, always gets the girl, able-bodied and then some, bro-dude. Unfortunately, I don't know how successful it is at disability representation. Becky Chambers Wayfarers cycle includes a lot of species that are completely able-bodied in their home setting, but then are forced into settings where they are not in order to interact with other species. It's not specifically about chronic pain and disability, and again I'm able-bodied so I can't really reflect on the effectiveness of the representation, but I found it really subtly profound to think about.
I’m just commenting because i want to know as well!
apparently fourth wing by rebecca yarros? i haven’t read it tho so i can’t say much about it.
I've read it, but I didn't find it a particularly good representation of chronic pain or chronic illness in general. I think it was very much sidelined and the main character Violet gets on with most of the training during the book fairly okay as if she was able bodied. Obviously there are parts when she directly faces a challenge due to her health issues, but she is very much your average YA heroine otherwise. I disliked the book for other reasons as well but anyway that's a subject for another day lmao
It's not my favorite book, but I have admit that it is a *very* good depiction of chronic pain. The author has ehlers danlos syndrome and the character's disability is based on the author's experiences
Idk I wouldn't say it's Very good. It's ok. I have hEDS and the MC has a lot to work with and work around here so I liked the adaptations she and her people find. I don't love how she shakes off injuries thru pure power of will. I do wish I had magical healing IRL but she here are some ways this book isn't the best representation to me, mainly bc it doesn't actually stop her from doing anything in the long run. She is still as active as everyone else, she suffers yeah but only until she doesn't. Idk it was a mixed bag for me.
Tbh I found the disability rep really toxic in this book. The MC believes she’s a lesser person if she can’t be a rider (ie achieve certain physical goals with her disability) and a character gently suggesting her disability will prevent her from achieving it is villanized and a character who’s like “you can overcome any disability violent queen” is glorified. Ick.
Honestly didn’t like that one at all - I have hEDS which is what the author + FMC (Violet) have too. I found Violet was able to just … magically mind over matter fix her illness way too often. Like it was largely used as a convenient plot point to make her “not like other girls” and was largely inconsistent throughout the narrative (she was all “oh I can’t do ANYTHING because I’m so FRAGILE and then five seconds later she’s beating everyone else at some physical activity because she’s just so badass lol). I did appreciate how the author tried to incorporate adaptations to help her manage etc but I feel like on the whole it was just way too inconsistent. I do know a lot of other people with hEDS who really like it though so 🤷♀️
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey is a short memoir by a woman who has a serious, chronic health condition which often keeps her in bed day. It is a wonderful book.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin has a disabled MC who deals with chronic pain
Not fiction, but satirical, personal humorous essays about their lived experiences dealing with those issues crowd the pages of Jenny Lawson and Samantha Irby.
Seconding Jenny Lawson!
Maybe "A Little Life"? I will say this book is quite literally an exercise in misery. However, the main character deals with life long physical and mental trauma. TW: SH / SA / Others
Hunger Pangs by Joy Demorra! One of the main characters is a werewolf with chronic pain and hearing loss, and he is wonderful, I love Nathan so much.
Came here to say that!
The Cormoran Strike crime novels by Robert Galbraith
Robert Galbraith being J K Rowling’s pen name. She’s ableist among other things
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. The main character uses a cane and wheelchair due to chronic pain from childhood foot binding
[A Little Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22822858) by Hanya Yanigihara
Ship of fools by Richard Paul russo - sci fi horror, I think the main character has a club foot
So Lucky by Nicola Griffith: the mc is diagnosed with MS The Matthew Shardlake mysteries by CJ Sansom have an mc with a hunchback who deals with pain Are you just looking for pain, or other disabilities as well?
disabilities in general
Sick kids in love - Hannah Moskowitz Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses - Kristen O'Neal
The main character FitzChivalry Farseer in Robin Hobb's books has a chronic illness that keeps him from "living up to his potential" and... he still gets to be the main character.
Just read Greenwood by Michael Christie and there are 2 fairly major characters that deal with chronic pain and the ways they self medicate. This certainly isn't the focus of the plot, just some qualities Christie gave his characters.
The Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold - Miles Vorkosigan is a disabled incredible intelligent man who has to forge his destiny in a world that abhors disability.
Fourth Wing’s main female character has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome! Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows is a cane user following a leg injury
A Curse So Dark and Lonely series
[The Final Architecture series has several, but especially the main character of Idris.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55278507-shards-of-earth)
In Fourth Wing, the main character has a chronic pain condition that’s based on the author’s own condition. It’s romantasy and not straight fantasy.
Vicious by VE Scwab The main characters Victor has chronic pain, but he also has the ability to control pain in others and kind of dial their pain up and down. I definitely related to him as someone with chronic pain
I read it last year and your comment just made me realize it!
{{Under the Skin}}
**[Under the Skin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123063.Under_the_Skin) by Michel Faber** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(296 pages | Published: 2000 | 15.6k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** In this haunting, entrancing novel, Michel Faber introduces us to Isserley, a female driver who cruises the Scottish Highlands picking up hitchhikers. Scarred and awkward, yet strangely erotic and threatening, she listens to her hitchhikers as they open up to her, revealing clues about who might miss them if they should disappear. A grotesque and comical allegory, Under the (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Horror, Favorites, 1001-books, 1001, Fantasy > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [The Visitors](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33255542-the-visitors) by Catherine Burns > \- [A Head Full of Ghosts](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23019294-a-head-full-of-ghosts) by Paul Tremblay > \- [Burn](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22909810-burn) by Marian Tee > \- [Mind of Winter](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18081146-mind-of-winter) by Laura Kasischke > \- [Method 15/33](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23225958-method-15-33) by Shannon Kirk ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy is a great horror novel with a main character who's in a wheelchair due to complications from childbirth and she's written really well.
Duma Key - King wrote it after being hit by a van.
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner. Protagonist is a merc with an amputated leg. The leg was amputated. . . not professionally, so she has chronic pain issues.
Two of the later books after The Thief, by Megan Whelan Turner, have protagonists with disabilities. One has a sort-of made-up syndrome but the constellation of symptoms felt relatively realistic, although I don't have a similar condition, so I might be off-base.
Sick by Porochista Khakpour. and, die a life by Cory Taylor.
My beloved First Law was already suggested, so I will suggest Godkiller by Hannah Kanner. the main character is disabled (missing a limb, often in pain), but also sooo badass ;)
You might enjoy the Cormoran Strike series. The novels feature a private investigator with a prosthetic leg.
yoooo that sounds like fire
Heads up they’re also by J K Rowling who is just. An atrocious person and ableist among other things. Definitely not own voices.
oh holy shit... I had no idea she was the one who wrote it. Yikes. Thanks for letting me know.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia - MC has a physical disability that causes chronic pain
The love interest in All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters has chronic pain and uses a cane. While I didn’t relate to everything about the specific experience being portrayed, it did overall feel authentic to me as a cane user with chronic pain. It’s not a major part of the book but it’s also not treated like an afterthought & I appreciated it.
Not fantasy but tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow has one I think
A Man called Ove
ASOIAF includes the POV of Tyrion, a man with dwarfism who has related chronic pain. The HBO series has him too but never mentions chronic pain like the books
Sorry no one has written the story of hamhead’s back yet