A STEM based romantic comedy with a diabetic main character? YES.
So, though this is going to be a book review, it is going to be a little bit different than the others.
When the mention of an insulin pump first showed up in this book I almost lost my mind. It is pretty uncommon to see diabetes within books, especially well done and in romance books. From that moment on, I started tabbing where Diabetes was mentioned in the story for the purpose of going back and looking over it for the sake of this blog.
For what I know, Ali herself is not Diabetic but that doesn't mean it can't be done right. (If I'm wrong about this please let me know). Overall, I think this story did a great job with some of the mentions of diabetes and how it impacts the person who has it, but also the people around them. But, I want to be more specific, so there may be some spoilers within quotes I pull from the book to explain why I think was done well.
"...I don't want to explain that alcohol is a dangerous, glycemic terrorist and that my struggling pancreas did not negotiate with-"
Honestly, this line really just made me laugh, a lot. I don't drink alcohol for a few reasons, but diabetes is one of them and this line is just -chefs kiss-
"I'm not embarrassed to be diabetic."
Here is where we will start to get serious, this line is something I've thought a lot about, especially in the context of the book. Elsie is trying to explain that even though she isn't worried about, the reactions when people find out can vary, and that she doesn't want to be a nuisance to anyone, so she doesn't tell people. This is SUCH a real feeling, and I felt it so deeply. This feeling comes up a lot within the story and Elsie's inner monologue.
"My blood is 0 percent sugar. Fun."
This is the start of a scene where Elsie's blood sugars drop while she is in an interview and talking with her arch-nemesis. There are two things about this scene that I liked. One, the description of being dizzy, having blips of memory disappear...it just did a really good job of explaining how lows feel. Two, Jack responded immediately and correctly but after the event asked her why she never told anyone and I think that is a big step for any diabetic, but also for the book itself. This also leads to them having a conversation about how getting supplies with no or government health insurance is almost impossible which is a great conversation to have within the text.
""You don't know what it feel like to have a chronic condition nd no health insurance! To have to be perfect, to have to be on all the time because everyone around you expects you to be!""
-finger snaps- I have never lived without health insurance, thankfully, but I have heard horror stories about 26 year olds with diabetes struggling without it. Hell, supplies are expensive even when you have it. The part about being perfect might not be directly connected to diabetes, but I sort of read it that way. Some expectations are high when you are trying to prove you are OK with a chronic illness, but somethings its not OK or perfect but its hard to explain to others.
"I'm still not positive that the reason he wants to see me is not to stealthily substitute my insulin with Frappuccino."
II know this line is probably silly, well it is silly, but it is just one example of some of the diabetes related humor in this novel that gave me a giggle. While Elsie is trying to figure out if Jack is actually trying to help her, she is pretty convinced he is trying to kill her, which I just found funny at times. (spoiler, he was trying to figure out more about diabetes to be able to help -cries-).
This brings me to my last 'I really liked this' moment of the book. Throughout their story, Jack learns about diabetes, figures out what words like bolus mean, has snacks that help with blood sugar stabilization, wants to know how she changes her insulin pod. He isn't turned off by the devices on her skin and he praises her when she is taking care of herself and that just made my heart so happy. Its just a constant fear that someone won't care to understand, and seeing it happen so flawless in fiction was just lovely.
They do say 'glycemic level' a lot in this book, maybe because they are scientists, but technically so am I and you will be lucky if I say 'blood sugar' and not just 'sugars' on a good day.
Overall, this representation was amazing and I'm so happy to see diabetes showing up in books and as something that isn't stopping the character from getting what they want.
Remember everyone, representation matters. -winks-
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