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SH!T BAG: a darkly funny story about life with an ostomy bag
COSMOPOLITAN'S BEST NEW BOOKS OUT IN JUNE 2023
'Funny, direct ... and romantic' - The Guardian
'Compelling and insightful' - Glamour
'Whip-smart' - Irish Independent
'Come along with me on this sh!tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice . . .'
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag on her stomach, her dreams of the perfect summer go down the toilet. Instead of partying in the Algarve, she's packed off to 'Poo Camp' - a place for kids with bowel disease to 'bond'.
And things can only get worse. Someone has started calling her 'Sh!t Bag' . . . and it's catching on.
Freya decides to live up to the nickname, raging at her friends, her ex and the world. Only her campmate Chris seems to see past her new attitude . . .
Can Freya get her sh!t together or will she end up with just her bag by her side?
A fresh, fierce and funny story about what happens when life literally goes to sh!t.
'Funny, direct ... and romantic' - The Guardian
'Compelling and insightful' - Glamour
'Whip-smart' - Irish Independent
'Come along with me on this sh!tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice . . .'
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag on her stomach, her dreams of the perfect summer go down the toilet. Instead of partying in the Algarve, she's packed off to 'Poo Camp' - a place for kids with bowel disease to 'bond'.
And things can only get worse. Someone has started calling her 'Sh!t Bag' . . . and it's catching on.
Freya decides to live up to the nickname, raging at her friends, her ex and the world. Only her campmate Chris seems to see past her new attitude . . .
Can Freya get her sh!t together or will she end up with just her bag by her side?
A fresh, fierce and funny story about what happens when life literally goes to sh!t.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 22, 2023
4 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 11, 2024
An heart-breaking first page of the book
They calling me shit bag! My words hang in the sterile hospital air like a privacy curtain speckled with an ominous brown stain. I wait for Suriya’s rage. Morgen’s rebuke. Neither come. The boys are calling me Shit Bag! I repeat. Look! I turn my iPad screen to face them like I’m revealing their Miss Universe scoreboards, as they stand before me al dolled up for our end-of-year ball. This time Morven shakes her head slowly, and the realisation that they knew already makes me gag. Morven leaps into action and passes me the paper mache puke receptacle. I dry-reach into it. Gu-uhh! Suriya has bolted for the door, a far from the potential splatter range as possible not hugely surprising considering she’s wearing a white evening dress.
They calling me shit bag! My words hang in the sterile hospital air like a privacy curtain speckled with an ominous brown stain. I wait for Suriya’s rage. Morgen’s rebuke. Neither come. The boys are calling me Shit Bag! I repeat. Look! I turn my iPad screen to face them like I’m revealing their Miss Universe scoreboards, as they stand before me al dolled up for our end-of-year ball. This time Morven shakes her head slowly, and the realisation that they knew already makes me gag. Morven leaps into action and passes me the paper mache puke receptacle. I dry-reach into it. Gu-uhh! Suriya has bolted for the door, a far from the potential splatter range as possible not hugely surprising considering she’s wearing a white evening dress.
March 13, 2025
Schwanke zwüsche 4 u 5 Sterne:)
I absolutely LOVED the
✨️chronisch entzündliche darmkrankheit✨️
repräsentation. O d Charaktere hani sehr gern gha usser Lockie aute, geit würk gaaaaar nid, de hetmi so ungloublech abgfuckt. U meathead o nid. Morven u Suriya heimi eig o ufgregt tbh und o d Freya (protagonistin) aber at least she's kinda excused because she was literally going through hell. Morven und Suriya, naja me hätt aso o besseri fründinne chönne si. Aber d lüt im Camp si super gsii. Chris isch dr absolut Ehrenbruder, love him.
I absolutely LOVED the
✨️chronisch entzündliche darmkrankheit✨️
repräsentation. O d Charaktere hani sehr gern gha usser Lockie aute, geit würk gaaaaar nid, de hetmi so ungloublech abgfuckt. U meathead o nid. Morven u Suriya heimi eig o ufgregt tbh und o d Freya (protagonistin) aber at least she's kinda excused because she was literally going through hell. Morven und Suriya, naja me hätt aso o besseri fründinne chönne si. Aber d lüt im Camp si super gsii. Chris isch dr absolut Ehrenbruder, love him.
January 27, 2025
It was a lighthearted read on a topic that I didn’t know a lot about but still nice to learn something new.
July 10, 2023
A funny and witty story about navigating teenager life, with the added challenge of an ileostomy bag. Freya has been through it all; she has an on/off boyfriend, friends that don't seem to be there for her when she really needs them, and people who are not sure how to support her through her struggles because no one really knows what's happening. Understandably, she feels lonely. This is made worse by the fact that her boyfriend had seemingly created her new nickname Shit Bag.
So, she gets sent to a camp with other kids that are going through the same struggles. She copes by being snarky and adapting her nickname as her own. She is understandably terrified of this new bag that is attached to her, and has a hard time accepting it. However, she also learns that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, when talking to her frenemy.
She’s infuriating, but the perfect epitome of a teenager. She can be rude and inconsiderate and loves to succumb to the pain of FOMO by scrolling through Instagram stories of her friends enjoying their hockey trip. She grieves for the loss of hockey but with the help of Chris (omg beautiful Chris), she realizes that it’s not the end of the world.
This book is great for representing people with the same disability. It doesn’t hold back on descriptions, and I feel that I’ve learnt a lot more about an area that is hardly spoken about. The voice of the book takes us through these graphic descriptions with ease, because Freya is just such a funny character. I think this is a must-read
So, she gets sent to a camp with other kids that are going through the same struggles. She copes by being snarky and adapting her nickname as her own. She is understandably terrified of this new bag that is attached to her, and has a hard time accepting it. However, she also learns that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, when talking to her frenemy.
She’s infuriating, but the perfect epitome of a teenager. She can be rude and inconsiderate and loves to succumb to the pain of FOMO by scrolling through Instagram stories of her friends enjoying their hockey trip. She grieves for the loss of hockey but with the help of Chris (omg beautiful Chris), she realizes that it’s not the end of the world.
This book is great for representing people with the same disability. It doesn’t hold back on descriptions, and I feel that I’ve learnt a lot more about an area that is hardly spoken about. The voice of the book takes us through these graphic descriptions with ease, because Freya is just such a funny character. I think this is a must-read
September 13, 2023
Teen story about learning to live with an ostomy. Kind of predictable story, but makes an interesting point.
May 23, 2023
This was kindly *gifted* to me.
What a beautiful book! I've been reading a few of the 'reading well' books in the library, and this would be a perfect fit. It highlights the importance of taking the time to listen to others, accept each other for our differences, and be respectful.
Before reading, I didn't know much about the process of maintaining a bag, and I love books that you can read as a hobby and feel like you're learning something at the same time. Opening up your world to an experience of someone else. I loved it.
Chris and Morven were just little gems. I loved their characters and if there's a sequel, I would love them to feature heavily in it (Lockie, on the other hand, I'd be happy if he is nowhere to be seen) 😒.
Overall, a wonderful YA read that is addictive (I read it in two days), insightful and heart-warming.
What a beautiful book! I've been reading a few of the 'reading well' books in the library, and this would be a perfect fit. It highlights the importance of taking the time to listen to others, accept each other for our differences, and be respectful.
Before reading, I didn't know much about the process of maintaining a bag, and I love books that you can read as a hobby and feel like you're learning something at the same time. Opening up your world to an experience of someone else. I loved it.
Chris and Morven were just little gems. I loved their characters and if there's a sequel, I would love them to feature heavily in it (Lockie, on the other hand, I'd be happy if he is nowhere to be seen) 😒.
Overall, a wonderful YA read that is addictive (I read it in two days), insightful and heart-warming.
August 29, 2023
I got my shit bag 4 months ago after 12 years of fighting crohns disease and complications. I used to say I’d rather not wake up, than to wake up with an ostomy. Everything Freya went through it so spot on, the denial, the refusal to learn to change her bag, slowly realising a reversal may not be for her. I loved this book, I loved how much it covered and educated the reader on IBD and ostomy awareness. I loved it with my entire heart and more. Recommending it to all my ostomates and chronically ill friends!
June 8, 2023
Vibrant, unafraid and graphic portrait of teenage bowel hell. Funny as hell with it.
Yes, the title got me. But like Fleabag, it's provocative and an absolute laugh-a-page. Rarely has so much wit been thrust into the mouths of bolshy, hurting teens at such a pace.
Freya is pretty fresh from bowel surgery and barely able to look at, let alone touch the ileostomy bag doing the job of her large intestine for her when she's told about her new nickname amongst their school cohort. Her on-off boyfriend is a part of it, and is clearly not coping well with her new status and inability to play hockey or even eat normally. And now her parents are sending her to a camp in Scotland for young people with bowel problems, and she's missing the hockey team's summer trip to Europe. It couldn't get much worse.
So we join Freya, or Sh*tbag as she asks to be called when she gets to camp. We join her in the bathroom, in the dining hall. We see how hard things are constantly - to eat and use the toilet, to wash, to do anything normal. And we see her railing against her bad luck but also seeing those around her and how they are coping with their own similar problems.
It wouldn't be a YA book without a love interest problem or two, without some family and friend issues, so we also see what Freya does with what she learns about herself and her body after camp ends, and how her story continues. I'm not spoiling anything for you. You'll have to read it.
I'm fairly sure most teenage readers will cope marvellously with the graphic bathroom descriptions - it's half the point of the book I would say - and the wonderful linguistic ability of Freya will have them sniggering through anyway, as she drags her "rickety drip-stand with me like I'm a geriatric Bo Peep" or speaks to readers directly: "yeah okay, I probably went a bit too far on that previous detail but you're either in or you're out on this story. Come along with me on this foul, sh*tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice." We're in Freya, we're in.
This was illuminating and a cut above (sorry Freya, probably not a phrase you'll like). There are some rather inspiring young characters and a lot of entertainment to be found in the material.
For ages 12 and above. Swearing pervades!
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Yes, the title got me. But like Fleabag, it's provocative and an absolute laugh-a-page. Rarely has so much wit been thrust into the mouths of bolshy, hurting teens at such a pace.
Freya is pretty fresh from bowel surgery and barely able to look at, let alone touch the ileostomy bag doing the job of her large intestine for her when she's told about her new nickname amongst their school cohort. Her on-off boyfriend is a part of it, and is clearly not coping well with her new status and inability to play hockey or even eat normally. And now her parents are sending her to a camp in Scotland for young people with bowel problems, and she's missing the hockey team's summer trip to Europe. It couldn't get much worse.
So we join Freya, or Sh*tbag as she asks to be called when she gets to camp. We join her in the bathroom, in the dining hall. We see how hard things are constantly - to eat and use the toilet, to wash, to do anything normal. And we see her railing against her bad luck but also seeing those around her and how they are coping with their own similar problems.
It wouldn't be a YA book without a love interest problem or two, without some family and friend issues, so we also see what Freya does with what she learns about herself and her body after camp ends, and how her story continues. I'm not spoiling anything for you. You'll have to read it.
I'm fairly sure most teenage readers will cope marvellously with the graphic bathroom descriptions - it's half the point of the book I would say - and the wonderful linguistic ability of Freya will have them sniggering through anyway, as she drags her "rickety drip-stand with me like I'm a geriatric Bo Peep" or speaks to readers directly: "yeah okay, I probably went a bit too far on that previous detail but you're either in or you're out on this story. Come along with me on this foul, sh*tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice." We're in Freya, we're in.
This was illuminating and a cut above (sorry Freya, probably not a phrase you'll like). There are some rather inspiring young characters and a lot of entertainment to be found in the material.
For ages 12 and above. Swearing pervades!
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
July 11, 2023
*3.5 (rounded up)
Content Warnings: bullying, ableism, medical content
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag, her summer plans are ruined. Now, instead of a training holiday abroad with her friends, she's spending a week camping with a group of other kids with bowel disease.
What an appropriate read for disability pride month! This was such an honest and transparent own voices book about living with a stoma bag and the journey to self acceptance for a teenager with a highly stigmatised disability. It's very clear that Knox is drawing from her own experiences and that really gives the book a very authentic feel. I've really never read anything with this kind of rep before, and there is such a real stigma around ileostomy bags which this book faces head on.
I'd say the target audience for this is probably on the younger side of YA, due to the writing style, and I'm very aware that I'm not that target audience, but the humour of this book definitely reminds me of the books I used to love reading as a preteen/young teenager. Even as an adult, I could really appreciate the nuances of Freya's character and her developing acceptance of her disability, which I think were handled really well. I'm definitely left feeling really glad that a book like this exists for kids who are in a similar boat to Freya.
A huge thank you to Hachette Children's Group for sending me a copy of Sh!t Bag in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings: bullying, ableism, medical content
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag, her summer plans are ruined. Now, instead of a training holiday abroad with her friends, she's spending a week camping with a group of other kids with bowel disease.
What an appropriate read for disability pride month! This was such an honest and transparent own voices book about living with a stoma bag and the journey to self acceptance for a teenager with a highly stigmatised disability. It's very clear that Knox is drawing from her own experiences and that really gives the book a very authentic feel. I've really never read anything with this kind of rep before, and there is such a real stigma around ileostomy bags which this book faces head on.
I'd say the target audience for this is probably on the younger side of YA, due to the writing style, and I'm very aware that I'm not that target audience, but the humour of this book definitely reminds me of the books I used to love reading as a preteen/young teenager. Even as an adult, I could really appreciate the nuances of Freya's character and her developing acceptance of her disability, which I think were handled really well. I'm definitely left feeling really glad that a book like this exists for kids who are in a similar boat to Freya.
A huge thank you to Hachette Children's Group for sending me a copy of Sh!t Bag in exchange for an honest review!
June 23, 2023
Teenager Freya collapses and wakes up in the hospital to a "Freya your large intestine will be removed and you will have a Ileostomy bag"
Freya is in high school, she is on the hockey team, their trip to Portugal is coming up, the school's formal dance, AND she is ON with her on and off again boyfriend Lockie - why is this happening?
Sadly for Freya, things can actually get worse... Someone starts calling her SHITBAG at school and sadly the nickname catches on...
Struggling, angry and frustrated Freya's parents enroll her in 'Poo camp' a camp where kids with similar experiences can bond and help each other through.
Freya spends 1 whole week at camp poo, and learns alot about herself, her choices and her situation
You honestly feel for Freya, as an adult this would be so hard to deal with, but as a teen who is pre-programmed to be MAD at the world with hormones and VERY STRONG emotions, this must feel a whole lot worse.
I could never relate to this, but you can actually feel her frustration through the pages, you could feel her resistance and anger towards this LIFE-CHANGING thing that has happened to her.
Freya's comical outlook and internal dialogue are just a riot and had me laughing out loud
Freya is in high school, she is on the hockey team, their trip to Portugal is coming up, the school's formal dance, AND she is ON with her on and off again boyfriend Lockie - why is this happening?
Sadly for Freya, things can actually get worse... Someone starts calling her SHITBAG at school and sadly the nickname catches on...
Struggling, angry and frustrated Freya's parents enroll her in 'Poo camp' a camp where kids with similar experiences can bond and help each other through.
Freya spends 1 whole week at camp poo, and learns alot about herself, her choices and her situation
You honestly feel for Freya, as an adult this would be so hard to deal with, but as a teen who is pre-programmed to be MAD at the world with hormones and VERY STRONG emotions, this must feel a whole lot worse.
I could never relate to this, but you can actually feel her frustration through the pages, you could feel her resistance and anger towards this LIFE-CHANGING thing that has happened to her.
Freya's comical outlook and internal dialogue are just a riot and had me laughing out loud
May 1, 2023
UPDATE- 1/5/23
This book has exactly the rep I wanted when I was struggling to come to terms with my new bag.
Freya is a sassy fierce queen who even when struggling displays an incredible amount of confidence & bravery (Sorry I know. I just hate being called 'brave' as a chronically ill person too but it's true)
I loved the accurate information that wasn't preached at you but was informative none the less. I did hope that other bag types would be acknowledged as although me & Freya both have "reversible" ileosomies (I do still have a colon though so no J pouch for me just reconnecting), my bag doesn't have a separate flange. It's a one piece. Marshmallows are EVERYTHING THOUGH!
This book did make me feel real grateful that I never had to deal with an ileostomy in high school.
I STILL BELIEVE YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
18.4.23
For transparency, I got a proofcopy given to me.
This is book is EVERYTHING I wanted it to be.
I'll need to dwell on my feelings before I review properly but PREORDER THIS BOOK 🙌
This book has exactly the rep I wanted when I was struggling to come to terms with my new bag.
Freya is a sassy fierce queen who even when struggling displays an incredible amount of confidence & bravery (Sorry I know. I just hate being called 'brave' as a chronically ill person too but it's true)
I loved the accurate information that wasn't preached at you but was informative none the less. I did hope that other bag types would be acknowledged as although me & Freya both have "reversible" ileosomies (I do still have a colon though so no J pouch for me just reconnecting), my bag doesn't have a separate flange. It's a one piece. Marshmallows are EVERYTHING THOUGH!
This book did make me feel real grateful that I never had to deal with an ileostomy in high school.
I STILL BELIEVE YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
18.4.23
For transparency, I got a proofcopy given to me.
This is book is EVERYTHING I wanted it to be.
I'll need to dwell on my feelings before I review properly but PREORDER THIS BOOK 🙌
May 29, 2023
Sh!t bag was a powerful story showing a character with a condition I previously knew nothing about. I found this part of the story fascinating to find out about how characters like Freya deal with the challenges of having a bag. When she went to a camp to other young people with bowel problems, I felt that there was going to be lots of potential for a good story there, but I actually found this part of the book quite dull and thinking that it would be more interesting to find out about her 'real world' experiences like school. We did then see this in the second half of the book which I did enjoy more but for me it ended up feeling like two separate books. I also found Freya incredibly unlikeable and I couldn't root for her to triumph when I just found her quite rude. This may have been because of her coping with her condition but if this was the case, it would have been interesting to see her before her diagnosis and after.
May 7, 2023
What a treat this was!
At the start I was so frustrated with Freya's refusal to even consider changing her own bag - why should her mum/nurses always have to do it? But I also understand part of this was her struggling to accept it.
I was diagnosed with colitis myself very recently and it was honestly so refreshing to read about people with bowel conditions and for it to be openly talked about. Some parts were so informative which I really appreciated, and I think a lot of young people could learn from this, and that ostomies can be life saving.
I really felt for Freya having to deal with the ignorant people in her school, but was equally proud of how she learnt to handle it and take it in her stride. The book was a real journey for Freya and I loved watching her grow throughout.
At the start I was so frustrated with Freya's refusal to even consider changing her own bag - why should her mum/nurses always have to do it? But I also understand part of this was her struggling to accept it.
I was diagnosed with colitis myself very recently and it was honestly so refreshing to read about people with bowel conditions and for it to be openly talked about. Some parts were so informative which I really appreciated, and I think a lot of young people could learn from this, and that ostomies can be life saving.
I really felt for Freya having to deal with the ignorant people in her school, but was equally proud of how she learnt to handle it and take it in her stride. The book was a real journey for Freya and I loved watching her grow throughout.
May 19, 2023
Received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review…
It’s a high 3 from me to be fair - I think it’s a little more teen than YA but that’s absolutely fine. The story reads really well and I got through it in just a couple of sittings.
It was a really educational but also fun look at ostomies, and other gut related issues, from a perspective I hadn’t seen before (no one really talks about young people needing colostomy bags).
Freya’s emotional arc was really important too.
It was funny, and witty and teenagers spoke like actual teenagers which is always a plus point for me.
That said, there were a few bits that made me a bit squeamish (totally my privilege, but I couldn’t help it) but we learn!
It’s a high 3 from me to be fair - I think it’s a little more teen than YA but that’s absolutely fine. The story reads really well and I got through it in just a couple of sittings.
It was a really educational but also fun look at ostomies, and other gut related issues, from a perspective I hadn’t seen before (no one really talks about young people needing colostomy bags).
Freya’s emotional arc was really important too.
It was funny, and witty and teenagers spoke like actual teenagers which is always a plus point for me.
That said, there were a few bits that made me a bit squeamish (totally my privilege, but I couldn’t help it) but we learn!
September 12, 2024
[Rezensionsexemplar]
Shit Bag war für mich ein totales Zufallsbuch, weil ich es tatsächlich gar nicht auf dem Schirm hatte. Zum Glück kam der Arctis Verlag auf mich zu und hat gefragt, ob ich das Buch nicht gerne rezensieren möchte. Der Inhalt klang spannend - natürlich habe ich dann ja gesagt.
Ich hatte vorher eigentlich keine Ahnung von dem Thema künstlicher Darmausgang, bis auf - die Leute „kacken in einen Beutel und den kann man dann ausleeren“. Durch das Buch habe ich mich jetzt etwas mehr mit dem Thema Stroma, den Ursachen und den Möglichkeiten auseinandergesetzt. Und das Thema war verdammt interessant.
In Shit Bag begleiten wir Freya, die nach einer Prüfung vor Schmerzen zusammenbricht und in einer Notfall Operation einen künstlichen Darmausgang bekommt. Eigentlich will sie nichts lieber als eine Rückverlegung (ja das geht) und so ihr altes Leben zurück. Sie kann ihr Stroma nicht leiden, möchte nicht lernen, wie sie ihren Beutel richtig tauscht und hat das Gefühl ihr Leben durch die Krankheit verloren zu haben. Ihr Freund macht mit ihr Schluss und als sie dann auch noch herausfindet, dass er sie hinter ihrem Rücken „Shit Bag“ nennt ist sie endgültig an einem vermeintlichen Tiefpunkt.
Ihre Eltern schicken sie deshalb auf ein Camp für Kinder und Jugendliche, die auch mit einem künstlichen Darmausgang oder ähnlichem leben, damit sie dort Leute kennen lernt, denen es geht wie ihr und sie lernt, mit ihrer Situation besser umzugehen.
Ein Buch bei dem ich mich in jedem Moment gefreut habe, dass ich es endlich weiter lesen konnte, wenn ich nach Hause komme, nur um mich dann daran zu erinnern, dass ich es schon am Morgen fertig gelesen habe.
Shit Bag richtet sich an ein jugendliches Publikum, gibt aber auch einfach kurze und spannende Einblicke in das Thema Stroma und Stromabeutel, die für jeden interessant sind und über die zu wenig allgemein gesprochen wird. Weil Kacke sich ähnlich wie die Periode immer noch wie ein Tabu Thema anfühlt, aber gerade, wenn es um die Gesundheit und das Miteinander geht Themen sind, über die man gerne häufiger einfach reden könnte.
Das Buch bietet eine gute Kombi aus spannende Charaktere, die viele Schichten haben und einer Story, die Spaß macht und einem Dinge erklärt. Leider ist das Buch etwas kurz, ich hätte gerne noch mehr, vor allem auch von den Charakteren und wie es weitergeht mit Freyas Stroma, erfahren.
Ein Buch, was Mut macht und Own Voice ist und sich einfach lohnt zu lesen.
Shit Bag war für mich ein totales Zufallsbuch, weil ich es tatsächlich gar nicht auf dem Schirm hatte. Zum Glück kam der Arctis Verlag auf mich zu und hat gefragt, ob ich das Buch nicht gerne rezensieren möchte. Der Inhalt klang spannend - natürlich habe ich dann ja gesagt.
Ich hatte vorher eigentlich keine Ahnung von dem Thema künstlicher Darmausgang, bis auf - die Leute „kacken in einen Beutel und den kann man dann ausleeren“. Durch das Buch habe ich mich jetzt etwas mehr mit dem Thema Stroma, den Ursachen und den Möglichkeiten auseinandergesetzt. Und das Thema war verdammt interessant.
In Shit Bag begleiten wir Freya, die nach einer Prüfung vor Schmerzen zusammenbricht und in einer Notfall Operation einen künstlichen Darmausgang bekommt. Eigentlich will sie nichts lieber als eine Rückverlegung (ja das geht) und so ihr altes Leben zurück. Sie kann ihr Stroma nicht leiden, möchte nicht lernen, wie sie ihren Beutel richtig tauscht und hat das Gefühl ihr Leben durch die Krankheit verloren zu haben. Ihr Freund macht mit ihr Schluss und als sie dann auch noch herausfindet, dass er sie hinter ihrem Rücken „Shit Bag“ nennt ist sie endgültig an einem vermeintlichen Tiefpunkt.
Ihre Eltern schicken sie deshalb auf ein Camp für Kinder und Jugendliche, die auch mit einem künstlichen Darmausgang oder ähnlichem leben, damit sie dort Leute kennen lernt, denen es geht wie ihr und sie lernt, mit ihrer Situation besser umzugehen.
Ein Buch bei dem ich mich in jedem Moment gefreut habe, dass ich es endlich weiter lesen konnte, wenn ich nach Hause komme, nur um mich dann daran zu erinnern, dass ich es schon am Morgen fertig gelesen habe.
Shit Bag richtet sich an ein jugendliches Publikum, gibt aber auch einfach kurze und spannende Einblicke in das Thema Stroma und Stromabeutel, die für jeden interessant sind und über die zu wenig allgemein gesprochen wird. Weil Kacke sich ähnlich wie die Periode immer noch wie ein Tabu Thema anfühlt, aber gerade, wenn es um die Gesundheit und das Miteinander geht Themen sind, über die man gerne häufiger einfach reden könnte.
Das Buch bietet eine gute Kombi aus spannende Charaktere, die viele Schichten haben und einer Story, die Spaß macht und einem Dinge erklärt. Leider ist das Buch etwas kurz, ich hätte gerne noch mehr, vor allem auch von den Charakteren und wie es weitergeht mit Freyas Stroma, erfahren.
Ein Buch, was Mut macht und Own Voice ist und sich einfach lohnt zu lesen.
September 5, 2024
I wasn't a fan of this book at first, then it grew on me, then I forgot about it for a few months and struggled to get back into it. It's stroppy, childish, rambling and focuses HEAVILY on school gossip. But that's the point. This book isn't necessarily for me but I recognise the appeal of it. If I'd read it as a 16 year old, it would likely have been far more impactful. After all, it's from the perspective of a Year Twelve girl with a frustrating and unpleasant health issue, who's just got dumped and is trying to figure things out. It's a book about navigating the world and realising that everyone has highs and lows and, most importantly, self-confidence is everything.
December 19, 2023
This was really fun!
November 18, 2023
DNF: this is going to sound really mean but…. where was the “funny” i was supposed to get from this book?
July 9, 2023
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 296
Publisher - Hodder Children's books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
'Come along with me on this sh!tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice . . .'
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag on her stomach, her dreams of the perfect summer go down the toilet. Instead of partying in the Algarve, she's packed off to 'Poo Camp' - a place for kids with bowel disease to 'bond'.
And things can only get worse. Someone has started calling her 'Sh!t Bag' . . . and it's catching on.
Freya decides to live up to the nickname, raging at her friends, her ex and the world. Only her campmate Chris seems to see past her new attitude . . .
Can Freya get her sh!t together or will she end up with just her bag by her side?
A fresh, fierce and funny story about what happens when life literally goes to sh!t.
My Review
Meet Freya, a regular sixteen year old, popular, hockey player, dating one of the popular boys, she has it all. Until she collapses and wakes in hospital to find she has an ileostomy and everything changes. Kids can be brutal, judgemental, and something like an ileostomy can have such a huge life changing impact, regardless of age. We follow Freya trying to come to terms with life now as she knows it, the impact on her body, her friends, her relationship, her family and her own body image. When she goes to a camp, against her will, Freya finds people similar to herself and trying to work through her rage and coming to terms with her new name and bag.
I think having the protagonist as a sixteen year old is a great move, whilst the majority of characters are teenagers the way the book is written, regardless of your age you can absolutely relate to the situations/interactions. Body image is something many of us, regardless of age and gender, struggle with and or have issue with as we grow. Add into that suddenly having an ileostomy so we go through a very important journey and education alongside Freya aka Sh!t bag.
The book looks at relationships, health journey, self acceptance, friendships and I think and this is so important and educates about stoma's, particularly ileostomy's. A book that teaches/educates in a non preachy and more with a *living example, you get to go with them as they endure/have their life experiences is so important. I love books like that, it helps give readers empathy and an understanding, in this case, how something as simple as a jokey nickname (pretty cruel as often can be) can impact on someone. It also shows strength of character and the vast array of emotions a person can go through having such a huge change to their lives/body and the importance of peoples attitudes to themselves and others.
It has quirks, humour, a lot of swearing (I mean the title should give the reader a heads up), anger, some teen angst but the books overall message is so much more than that. I would love to see more books that do this, I think "Sh!t Bag" is echoing for Ileostomy's what "Still Alice" did for Alzheimer's by giving you a person to relate to, going through it, and an insight into living with a medical condition, 4/5 for me.
Pages - 296
Publisher - Hodder Children's books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from Goodreads
'Come along with me on this sh!tty ride or bail out now. It's your choice . . .'
When Freya collapses and wakes up with a temporary ileostomy bag on her stomach, her dreams of the perfect summer go down the toilet. Instead of partying in the Algarve, she's packed off to 'Poo Camp' - a place for kids with bowel disease to 'bond'.
And things can only get worse. Someone has started calling her 'Sh!t Bag' . . . and it's catching on.
Freya decides to live up to the nickname, raging at her friends, her ex and the world. Only her campmate Chris seems to see past her new attitude . . .
Can Freya get her sh!t together or will she end up with just her bag by her side?
A fresh, fierce and funny story about what happens when life literally goes to sh!t.
My Review
Meet Freya, a regular sixteen year old, popular, hockey player, dating one of the popular boys, she has it all. Until she collapses and wakes in hospital to find she has an ileostomy and everything changes. Kids can be brutal, judgemental, and something like an ileostomy can have such a huge life changing impact, regardless of age. We follow Freya trying to come to terms with life now as she knows it, the impact on her body, her friends, her relationship, her family and her own body image. When she goes to a camp, against her will, Freya finds people similar to herself and trying to work through her rage and coming to terms with her new name and bag.
I think having the protagonist as a sixteen year old is a great move, whilst the majority of characters are teenagers the way the book is written, regardless of your age you can absolutely relate to the situations/interactions. Body image is something many of us, regardless of age and gender, struggle with and or have issue with as we grow. Add into that suddenly having an ileostomy so we go through a very important journey and education alongside Freya aka Sh!t bag.
The book looks at relationships, health journey, self acceptance, friendships and I think and this is so important and educates about stoma's, particularly ileostomy's. A book that teaches/educates in a non preachy and more with a *living example, you get to go with them as they endure/have their life experiences is so important. I love books like that, it helps give readers empathy and an understanding, in this case, how something as simple as a jokey nickname (pretty cruel as often can be) can impact on someone. It also shows strength of character and the vast array of emotions a person can go through having such a huge change to their lives/body and the importance of peoples attitudes to themselves and others.
It has quirks, humour, a lot of swearing (I mean the title should give the reader a heads up), anger, some teen angst but the books overall message is so much more than that. I would love to see more books that do this, I think "Sh!t Bag" is echoing for Ileostomy's what "Still Alice" did for Alzheimer's by giving you a person to relate to, going through it, and an insight into living with a medical condition, 4/5 for me.
February 4, 2025
Freyas Traum von einem legendären Sommer platzt. Stattdessen findet sie sich mit einem Stomabeutel im Krankenhaus wieder. Für sie wird es keine Hockeytrainings, Strandtage, Partys oder heiße Küsse geben. Dafür wird sie ins »Poo-Camp« geschickt, wo Kinder und Jugendliche lernen sollen, mit ihren Darmerkrankungen umzugehen. Freya hasst alles daran: das Mitleid ihrer Freundinnen, den Spot ihrer Mitschüler:innen und dass ihr Freund sie geghostet hat. Aber vor allem hasst sie den Kackbeutel auf ihrem Bauch. Das kann doch alles nicht wahr sein! Es kann sich definitiv nur um einen Albtraum handeln, aus dem sie hoffentlich ganz schnell wieder erwacht.
🤕
Freya ist zunächst eine sehr anstrengende, aber definitiv sehr authentische Protagonistin. Denn natürlich kann man ihr Abwehrverhalten und ihre Verzweiflung mehr als nachvollziehen. Sie will nicht wahrhaben, dass das jetzt ihr Leben ist und will weder mit dem Stoma, dem Beutel oder gar deren Versorgung irgendetwas zu tun haben. Sie tat mir total leid, aber ihr Umfeld hat es auch nicht leicht. So eine Situation ist für jede:n schwer, grade in ihrem Alter (17 Jahre).
🥺
Nur Chris, der ebenfalls am Camp teilnimmt und auch Stomaträger ist, lässt sich von ihrem unmöglichen Verhalten nicht beeindrucken. Kann er ihr dabei helfen zu erkennen, dass ihr Leben gar nicht so beschissen sein wird wie sie befürchtet?
💪
Freya ist wirklich schonungslos ehrlich und nimmt kein Blatt vor dem Mund. Sie spricht über ihre Ängste, Zweifel und Wut, aber auch über ihre Träume und Ziele für die Zukunft. Wer ist sie denn jetzt überhaupt, ist sie immer noch Freya? Kann sie in ihre alte Form zurückfinden? Sie schildert physische und psychische Probleme, die mit einem Stoma daher kommen. Dabei nutzt sie im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes Fäkalsprache. Da kann man sich definitiv alles ganz genau vorstellen. Es geht um Scham und Mobbing und es wird dementsprechend oft sehr emotional.
💭
Alles rund um Ausscheidungen, insbesondere was die des Darms betrifft, sind ja meist eher Tabu Themen. Dabei leiden erstaunlich viele Menschen an chronischen Darmerkrankungen wie Colitis ulcerosa und Morbus Crohn. Mehr Menschen als man denken würde haben/ hatten ein Stoma oder ein Pouch. Das Buch klärt auf verständliche Art und Weise auf und zeigt, was dies für Betroffene bedeutet. Und wieder mal zeigt sich, dass Jugendliche unglaublich grausam sein können, wenn sie sich anderen überlegen fühlen.
💩
🤕
Freya ist zunächst eine sehr anstrengende, aber definitiv sehr authentische Protagonistin. Denn natürlich kann man ihr Abwehrverhalten und ihre Verzweiflung mehr als nachvollziehen. Sie will nicht wahrhaben, dass das jetzt ihr Leben ist und will weder mit dem Stoma, dem Beutel oder gar deren Versorgung irgendetwas zu tun haben. Sie tat mir total leid, aber ihr Umfeld hat es auch nicht leicht. So eine Situation ist für jede:n schwer, grade in ihrem Alter (17 Jahre).
🥺
Nur Chris, der ebenfalls am Camp teilnimmt und auch Stomaträger ist, lässt sich von ihrem unmöglichen Verhalten nicht beeindrucken. Kann er ihr dabei helfen zu erkennen, dass ihr Leben gar nicht so beschissen sein wird wie sie befürchtet?
💪
Freya ist wirklich schonungslos ehrlich und nimmt kein Blatt vor dem Mund. Sie spricht über ihre Ängste, Zweifel und Wut, aber auch über ihre Träume und Ziele für die Zukunft. Wer ist sie denn jetzt überhaupt, ist sie immer noch Freya? Kann sie in ihre alte Form zurückfinden? Sie schildert physische und psychische Probleme, die mit einem Stoma daher kommen. Dabei nutzt sie im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes Fäkalsprache. Da kann man sich definitiv alles ganz genau vorstellen. Es geht um Scham und Mobbing und es wird dementsprechend oft sehr emotional.
💭
Alles rund um Ausscheidungen, insbesondere was die des Darms betrifft, sind ja meist eher Tabu Themen. Dabei leiden erstaunlich viele Menschen an chronischen Darmerkrankungen wie Colitis ulcerosa und Morbus Crohn. Mehr Menschen als man denken würde haben/ hatten ein Stoma oder ein Pouch. Das Buch klärt auf verständliche Art und Weise auf und zeigt, was dies für Betroffene bedeutet. Und wieder mal zeigt sich, dass Jugendliche unglaublich grausam sein können, wenn sie sich anderen überlegen fühlen.
💩
July 17, 2024
Sh!t Bag follows 16 year old Freya, who collapses during her GCSEs and wakes up with an ileostomy in place - it turns out she had undiagnosed ulcerative colitis and that her large intestine had ruptured.
Instead of the hockey camp in Portugal, Freya is shipped off to the Highlands to spend her summer in a camp full of children and teenagers who all have bowel issues/disorders. Although this is Freya's worst nightmare, it might just be what she needs to best adapt to her new situation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I was grateful for the discussions about adaption and acceptance, without ignoring that feeling of grief when your life drastically changes. It was giving a bit of 'just be positive' but not too much to ruin the experience. I enjoyed the discussion of different experiences with bowel disorders, and felt that things were described to a good level for people who are new to these and don't know terminology. There were also some fantastic points about losing your identity and friendships, places for disabled people being inaccessible when coordinated by able-bodied people, the awkwardness from the general population when it comes to disability and that the parts of you that show that you are disabled can actually be a freedom. Despite these heavy topics, they were woven into the story in a very light and fun way. I loved seeing Freya bond with our cast of characters, and learn to have fun.
The bits I didn't like so much about this book were mostly because it's YA. Freya was a little annoying, but mostly because of her age, so it makes sense. The plot was also quite predictable, but I still enjoyed the journey, and YA plots are usually more simplistic.
I also personally found that the first chapter doesn't describe characters properly, it just says that they are like other fictional characters (I had to search who these characters are, what they look like and memorable parts of their personality to properly understand the text).
This was a lovely quick read that tackled many subjects in a fun and interesting way. I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking for more diverse YA fiction.
Instead of the hockey camp in Portugal, Freya is shipped off to the Highlands to spend her summer in a camp full of children and teenagers who all have bowel issues/disorders. Although this is Freya's worst nightmare, it might just be what she needs to best adapt to her new situation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I was grateful for the discussions about adaption and acceptance, without ignoring that feeling of grief when your life drastically changes. It was giving a bit of 'just be positive' but not too much to ruin the experience. I enjoyed the discussion of different experiences with bowel disorders, and felt that things were described to a good level for people who are new to these and don't know terminology. There were also some fantastic points about losing your identity and friendships, places for disabled people being inaccessible when coordinated by able-bodied people, the awkwardness from the general population when it comes to disability and that the parts of you that show that you are disabled can actually be a freedom. Despite these heavy topics, they were woven into the story in a very light and fun way. I loved seeing Freya bond with our cast of characters, and learn to have fun.
The bits I didn't like so much about this book were mostly because it's YA. Freya was a little annoying, but mostly because of her age, so it makes sense. The plot was also quite predictable, but I still enjoyed the journey, and YA plots are usually more simplistic.
I also personally found that the first chapter doesn't describe characters properly, it just says that they are like other fictional characters (I had to search who these characters are, what they look like and memorable parts of their personality to properly understand the text).
This was a lovely quick read that tackled many subjects in a fun and interesting way. I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking for more diverse YA fiction.
December 2, 2023
A few months ago, I was thinking about how there is so little fiction about people living with (things like) stomas. In my line of work, we often perform life-saving procedures – ileostomies, tracheostomies, splenectomies, amputations – and afterwards people go back into the world with their lives forever changed. Saved, but changed.
In an emergency (which it often is), a patient comes in unconscious or semi-conscious, and we rely on the consent of their next of kin. That means we are unable to fully counsel the actual patient getting the procedure.
It is the nature of our work, the nature of major emergency surgery, and I really believe that we do try our best to do what is right for our patients. Even so, not only do we not really know what people experience afterwards, but their friends, family, and communities don’t know, either.
SO. Not long after these thoughts, Sh*t Bag by Xena Knox appeared on Netgalley, and I was beyond excited to review it. Sh*t Bag is a YA novel about Freya, a Scottish school girl with ulcerative colitis. She collapses due to a bowel perforation, and emerges post-operatively sans colon, and with an ileostomy (i.e. a bag of poop). Fun!
Freya must learn to live with, as she puts it, “a portable boo bottle on your tummy”. But it is more than the logistics of having to empty her bag in a public loo, or change a bag away from home. It is also dealing with the typical teenage bullying, which results in her nickname, “Sh*t Bag”.
Enter a camp for “ostomates” (I love me a story set at camp), friends with similar conditions, and a whole lot of character development. Freya learns about boundary setting and bodily autonomy, and it is fantastic.
I really enjoyed Sh*t Bag. I am so excited that there is a book like this out there, and I hope that many people – those with and without chronic bowel conditions – will read and learn from this. Including healthcare professionals.
Thank you to Hachette Children’s Group and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
In an emergency (which it often is), a patient comes in unconscious or semi-conscious, and we rely on the consent of their next of kin. That means we are unable to fully counsel the actual patient getting the procedure.
It is the nature of our work, the nature of major emergency surgery, and I really believe that we do try our best to do what is right for our patients. Even so, not only do we not really know what people experience afterwards, but their friends, family, and communities don’t know, either.
SO. Not long after these thoughts, Sh*t Bag by Xena Knox appeared on Netgalley, and I was beyond excited to review it. Sh*t Bag is a YA novel about Freya, a Scottish school girl with ulcerative colitis. She collapses due to a bowel perforation, and emerges post-operatively sans colon, and with an ileostomy (i.e. a bag of poop). Fun!
Freya must learn to live with, as she puts it, “a portable boo bottle on your tummy”. But it is more than the logistics of having to empty her bag in a public loo, or change a bag away from home. It is also dealing with the typical teenage bullying, which results in her nickname, “Sh*t Bag”.
Enter a camp for “ostomates” (I love me a story set at camp), friends with similar conditions, and a whole lot of character development. Freya learns about boundary setting and bodily autonomy, and it is fantastic.
I really enjoyed Sh*t Bag. I am so excited that there is a book like this out there, and I hope that many people – those with and without chronic bowel conditions – will read and learn from this. Including healthcare professionals.
Thank you to Hachette Children’s Group and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2024
Rezension
„Shit Bag – Jeder hat ein Päckchen zu tragen“, von Xena Knox, ist ein Own-Voice Roman, der mich aufgrund seiner Thematik ansprach.
Der Schreibstil im Buch war super humorvoll, knackig kurz und an einigen Stellen einfach super auf den Punkt gebracht. Das Setting war spielerisch, aufgrund der Schule und dem Feriencamp. Freya war eine super sympathische Protagonistin, die sich mit ihrer neuen Situation und vielem weiteren arrangieren musste. Xena Knox hat diese medizinischen und persönlichen Probleme sehr gut dargestellt und erklärt. Die Nebenprotagonisten in Freyas Alter waren ebenso witzig, sympathisch und gut gezeichnet. Leider waren mir die Erwachsenen hingegen etwas flach und ohne richtiger Tiefe zu ihren Verhaltensweisen. Die Story erzählt Freyas Werdegang im Umgang mit ihrer Erkrankung und sogleich auch den von einigen Nebenprotagonisten. Was ich mir nur manchmal gewünscht habe, aufgrund der für mich vielen neuen, medizinischen Begriffe und meiner nicht Bekanntheit mit dem Thema, ein kleines Glossar im Buchende. Es hätte mir viele Dinge leichter gemacht zu merken. Am Ende auch viel mehr dazu sensibilisiert.
Wovon ich nicht so der Fan war, waren wie die Konflikte Fremdgehen, Mobbing und Diskriminierung am Ende des Buches aufgelöst wurden. Ich empfand sie einmal als zu leicht abgehandelt und zum anderen auch nicht gut beleuchtet und erklärt. Sie vermittelten auch für mich, in einigen Sätzen und Szenen, ein falsches Bild vor allem für das jüngere Publikum.
Fazit. Das Buch war spritzig, witzig, brachte mir eine neue Thematik wieder, die ich so noch nicht kannte. Nur mit den Endkonflikten hatte ich so meine Probleme. Ich kann das Buch aber dennoch sehr empfehlen!
Das Buch hat von mir 3,5/5🌹bekommen.
Liebe Grüße El. Rosé🌹
„Shit Bag – Jeder hat ein Päckchen zu tragen“, von Xena Knox, ist ein Own-Voice Roman, der mich aufgrund seiner Thematik ansprach.
Der Schreibstil im Buch war super humorvoll, knackig kurz und an einigen Stellen einfach super auf den Punkt gebracht. Das Setting war spielerisch, aufgrund der Schule und dem Feriencamp. Freya war eine super sympathische Protagonistin, die sich mit ihrer neuen Situation und vielem weiteren arrangieren musste. Xena Knox hat diese medizinischen und persönlichen Probleme sehr gut dargestellt und erklärt. Die Nebenprotagonisten in Freyas Alter waren ebenso witzig, sympathisch und gut gezeichnet. Leider waren mir die Erwachsenen hingegen etwas flach und ohne richtiger Tiefe zu ihren Verhaltensweisen. Die Story erzählt Freyas Werdegang im Umgang mit ihrer Erkrankung und sogleich auch den von einigen Nebenprotagonisten. Was ich mir nur manchmal gewünscht habe, aufgrund der für mich vielen neuen, medizinischen Begriffe und meiner nicht Bekanntheit mit dem Thema, ein kleines Glossar im Buchende. Es hätte mir viele Dinge leichter gemacht zu merken. Am Ende auch viel mehr dazu sensibilisiert.
Wovon ich nicht so der Fan war, waren wie die Konflikte Fremdgehen, Mobbing und Diskriminierung am Ende des Buches aufgelöst wurden. Ich empfand sie einmal als zu leicht abgehandelt und zum anderen auch nicht gut beleuchtet und erklärt. Sie vermittelten auch für mich, in einigen Sätzen und Szenen, ein falsches Bild vor allem für das jüngere Publikum.
Fazit. Das Buch war spritzig, witzig, brachte mir eine neue Thematik wieder, die ich so noch nicht kannte. Nur mit den Endkonflikten hatte ich so meine Probleme. Ich kann das Buch aber dennoch sehr empfehlen!
Das Buch hat von mir 3,5/5🌹bekommen.
Liebe Grüße El. Rosé🌹
October 8, 2024
SH!T BAG is one of those books that won't be for everyone, yet it's also perhaps a book that should be on a must read for teenagers everywhere. It captures the gritty reality of being a disabled teenager, trying to come to terms with how your life has changed and things that were normal are now somehow far beyond reach. Yet it's also touching, funny and full of the standard teenage angst and drama about boys and school and parents.
I really resonated with this. My mother had a colostomy bag and never learned to change it until the day she died, so Freya's initial outright refusal to learn struck a chord with me. I remember the phone calls with the nursing team when they stopped attending yet didn't tell me and it had been three weeks since it had last been changed. The smell was catastrophically vile and I had flashbacks every time Freya mentioned the smell. Now admittedly, my mother was a stubborn seventy year old who was at least partially incapable, but I'd swear most of it came down to a refusal to learn. Freya is a stubborn teenager, completely capable, who is partly in denial and partly just being awkward and it felt completely realistic.
I felt this really captured both the various characters - those who aren't chronically ill and those in the camp Freya gets sent to who are living with lifelong diagnosis' and impairments. It captured the emotions and the fear and the anger at the situation they've been thrown into through no fault of their own. It also captured the ordinary teenagerness of them. But most importantly, it captures the reality of living with a life changing diagnosis and how that impacts your self esteem, aspirations and how others see you. It's accessible and easy to read, with characters you can relate to and manages to humanise having a piece of medical equipment outside your body that holds your poop.
Very well done here and worth any teenager or young adult reading.
I really resonated with this. My mother had a colostomy bag and never learned to change it until the day she died, so Freya's initial outright refusal to learn struck a chord with me. I remember the phone calls with the nursing team when they stopped attending yet didn't tell me and it had been three weeks since it had last been changed. The smell was catastrophically vile and I had flashbacks every time Freya mentioned the smell. Now admittedly, my mother was a stubborn seventy year old who was at least partially incapable, but I'd swear most of it came down to a refusal to learn. Freya is a stubborn teenager, completely capable, who is partly in denial and partly just being awkward and it felt completely realistic.
I felt this really captured both the various characters - those who aren't chronically ill and those in the camp Freya gets sent to who are living with lifelong diagnosis' and impairments. It captured the emotions and the fear and the anger at the situation they've been thrown into through no fault of their own. It also captured the ordinary teenagerness of them. But most importantly, it captures the reality of living with a life changing diagnosis and how that impacts your self esteem, aspirations and how others see you. It's accessible and easy to read, with characters you can relate to and manages to humanise having a piece of medical equipment outside your body that holds your poop.
Very well done here and worth any teenager or young adult reading.
June 18, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
The plot: Freya is a Scottish teenager with an ileostomy bag. This has led to her being given quite an unfortunate nickname by her peers: Sh!t Bag. The book sees her navigate life and love whilst having this bag, seeing her come into her own when she goes to a camp for fellow young people with ileostomy and colostomy bags.
The positives: Books about young people with medical conditions that can educate, entertain and develop empathy are always a fantastic addition to the YA literary canon and I will always welcome them. This story was definitely original, with a charismatic and feisty narrative voice that definitely feels realistic to how young people speak and the title alone could definitely result in young people picking it up. I'd pitch it at Year 9 and above as it has a lot of swearing.
Why I gave three stars: Honestly at first the book had me feeling a little squeamish as it gets quite medically descriptive so that took me by surprise. The book took me a while to finish as well, I wasn't completely engrossed that I really wanted to finish it. I found the ending a little abrupt as well.
Conclusion: Again I can definitely see this book finding an audience, as books about illnesses like The Fault In Our Stars did, this could be the less depressing and more sassy alternative maybe? Xena Knox definitely is an exciting new YA author that could be one to watch!
The plot: Freya is a Scottish teenager with an ileostomy bag. This has led to her being given quite an unfortunate nickname by her peers: Sh!t Bag. The book sees her navigate life and love whilst having this bag, seeing her come into her own when she goes to a camp for fellow young people with ileostomy and colostomy bags.
The positives: Books about young people with medical conditions that can educate, entertain and develop empathy are always a fantastic addition to the YA literary canon and I will always welcome them. This story was definitely original, with a charismatic and feisty narrative voice that definitely feels realistic to how young people speak and the title alone could definitely result in young people picking it up. I'd pitch it at Year 9 and above as it has a lot of swearing.
Why I gave three stars: Honestly at first the book had me feeling a little squeamish as it gets quite medically descriptive so that took me by surprise. The book took me a while to finish as well, I wasn't completely engrossed that I really wanted to finish it. I found the ending a little abrupt as well.
Conclusion: Again I can definitely see this book finding an audience, as books about illnesses like The Fault In Our Stars did, this could be the less depressing and more sassy alternative maybe? Xena Knox definitely is an exciting new YA author that could be one to watch!
May 24, 2023
I was sent an ARC in exchange for an honest review and wow what an amazing story, I loved this book!
This is the story of a young girl coming to terms with having a debilitating disease and after waking up in hospital with a temporary ileostomy bag, her life is changed irrevocably.
Having my own health problems that have some overlap but without the life threatening element or ileostomy bag that these kids have to deal with, i was intrigued! It was so refreshing to read a book dealing with this subject matter and in such a real way, the author didn’t hold back at all. Not only that but she also managed to make it funny and serious which is a fine line to walk but it was done so well!
I literally read this in 2 days as I was so caught up in Freya’s world that I did not want to put it down until I finished! I feel that everyone should read this book as books like these are so important, they give you a real insight into someone else’s life experience and in turn teach you to be more understanding and empathetic.
This is the story of a young girl coming to terms with having a debilitating disease and after waking up in hospital with a temporary ileostomy bag, her life is changed irrevocably.
Having my own health problems that have some overlap but without the life threatening element or ileostomy bag that these kids have to deal with, i was intrigued! It was so refreshing to read a book dealing with this subject matter and in such a real way, the author didn’t hold back at all. Not only that but she also managed to make it funny and serious which is a fine line to walk but it was done so well!
I literally read this in 2 days as I was so caught up in Freya’s world that I did not want to put it down until I finished! I feel that everyone should read this book as books like these are so important, they give you a real insight into someone else’s life experience and in turn teach you to be more understanding and empathetic.
June 4, 2023
Shit Bag is the new nickname for Freya who has had a medical problem resulting in her having an ileostomy bag fitted. Knowing absolutely nothing about conditions like this I honestly thought the story would not be for me but I enjoyed the transformation of Freya’s character and learned a lot in the process!
The themes of the book could be related to any medical condition or difference and I think it’s a great book for a secondary school library. Anyone who feels “different” should read this to get a blast of feel good and self assurance.
Loved the references to some well known shows and Freya’s sense of humour. I think everyone knows an Imogen or a Meathead which makes this so relatable for young people.
I have a new found empathy for people living with life changing conditions and my mind has been opened to the realities of a stoma.
I was gifted this book for an honest review.
The themes of the book could be related to any medical condition or difference and I think it’s a great book for a secondary school library. Anyone who feels “different” should read this to get a blast of feel good and self assurance.
Loved the references to some well known shows and Freya’s sense of humour. I think everyone knows an Imogen or a Meathead which makes this so relatable for young people.
I have a new found empathy for people living with life changing conditions and my mind has been opened to the realities of a stoma.
I was gifted this book for an honest review.
January 13, 2024
I actually loved this book! I am going through the same thing, except I have EPI not Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease.
I am still deciding if I want a stoma or not. But this book opened my eyes to everything that is expected of getting one.
I’m not sure if the author, Xena Knox has a stoma, or whatever, but she wrote this book perfectly. Especially detailing the anger, denial and depression that comes with being told you have a bowel condition especially one as rare as EPI is.
I wish EPI was mentioned. But I understand that no one knows about the disease, which I feel this book could have done. I’d have definitely told people to read it who also have EPI. But I will still tell people about this book because it helped and I am now questioning myself getting a stoma of not.
But this book is amazing. I loved every minute of it (apart from the lovey type bits) but that’s my opinion.
I am still deciding if I want a stoma or not. But this book opened my eyes to everything that is expected of getting one.
I’m not sure if the author, Xena Knox has a stoma, or whatever, but she wrote this book perfectly. Especially detailing the anger, denial and depression that comes with being told you have a bowel condition especially one as rare as EPI is.
I wish EPI was mentioned. But I understand that no one knows about the disease, which I feel this book could have done. I’d have definitely told people to read it who also have EPI. But I will still tell people about this book because it helped and I am now questioning myself getting a stoma of not.
But this book is amazing. I loved every minute of it (apart from the lovey type bits) but that’s my opinion.
June 6, 2023
CW: Graphic bodily function description, chronic illness, bullying
ShitBag follows the story of Freya - a sarcastic and quick teen, whose life turns upside down when she has to get an ostomy bag.
I knew very little about life with an ostomy bag before reading this book - and not only did I learn lots in a non-preachy/ dull way, but I was entertained. The teenagers spoke like real teenagers, and there was huge character growth. You really feel for Freya - even when she is having her angsty moments, it is totally believable. Another review describes it as "fresh, poignant and hilarious" - and I completely agree.
This is an excellent book that I would recommend to teens - perhaps Yr9+, but only because of the language ShitBag uses and the CW's mentioned. Content wise, it's closer to Yr8+, I think. I already have students in mind that I want to recommend this to.
ShitBag follows the story of Freya - a sarcastic and quick teen, whose life turns upside down when she has to get an ostomy bag.
I knew very little about life with an ostomy bag before reading this book - and not only did I learn lots in a non-preachy/ dull way, but I was entertained. The teenagers spoke like real teenagers, and there was huge character growth. You really feel for Freya - even when she is having her angsty moments, it is totally believable. Another review describes it as "fresh, poignant and hilarious" - and I completely agree.
This is an excellent book that I would recommend to teens - perhaps Yr9+, but only because of the language ShitBag uses and the CW's mentioned. Content wise, it's closer to Yr8+, I think. I already have students in mind that I want to recommend this to.
June 18, 2023
A good book dealing with some big issues with enough lightness of touch for a teenage audience.
I started off not liking the Freya, the main character, she was rude and took her mother for granted and she was a ball of anger. However the Xena Knox did an excellent job of letting us see why that was the case.
Freya has her teenage life smashed to pieces when she has to have a ileostomy bag fitted. She misses out on a trip with her friends, she loses a boyfriend and she is feeling very sorry for herself. When her parents drop her off at a camp with other teenagers all with bags of their own to contend with she has to cope for herself or go under.
I found the journey Freya went on in this book was in some ways unique, from the writers own experience, but also it had a lot in common with other people’s teenage years, full of feeling left out and never being quite good enough.
I started off not liking the Freya, the main character, she was rude and took her mother for granted and she was a ball of anger. However the Xena Knox did an excellent job of letting us see why that was the case.
Freya has her teenage life smashed to pieces when she has to have a ileostomy bag fitted. She misses out on a trip with her friends, she loses a boyfriend and she is feeling very sorry for herself. When her parents drop her off at a camp with other teenagers all with bags of their own to contend with she has to cope for herself or go under.
I found the journey Freya went on in this book was in some ways unique, from the writers own experience, but also it had a lot in common with other people’s teenage years, full of feeling left out and never being quite good enough.
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