To Feel Stuff: A Haunting Medical Mystery and Ghost Story – Wry Romance

by Andrea Seigel

Meet Elodie Harrington, college student and medical anomaly. From chicken pox to tuberculosis, Elodie suffers such a frequent barrage of illnesses that she moves into the Brown University infirmary. When charismatic Chess Hunter enters the infirmary with two smashed knees, he and Elodie begin an intense affair, but Chess is only a visitor to Elodie’s perpetual state of medical siege. As he heals, he moves back to his former life. Elodie heads in the other direction and begins to see a ghost. When Professor Mark Kirschling, M.D., gets wind of Elodie, he’s convinced he can make his professional mark by cracking her case but he'’ entirely unprepared for what he’s about to encounter.

Andrea Seigel has found a wry, ingenious way to explore the contrast between the first frisson of mortality and a life lived in defiance of it.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Adult, Female Authors, Speculative Fiction

269 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

ANDREA SEIGEL is the author of two novels for adults, Like the Red Panda and To Feel Stuff, as well as the YA novel, The Kid Table, and the forthcoming YA novel, Everybody Knows Your Name, co-written with Brent Bradshaw. In September 2014 A24 will release the film Laggies, written by Seigel, directed by Lynn Shelton, and starring Keira Knightley, Chloe Moretz, and Sam Rockwell.

Reviews

[Allie]

I wonder if this book is getting a popularity bump because of episode 2 of Mystery Show...

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice hidden gem. Hidden to me, anyway. Not sure how well-received it was on publication.
'To Feel Stuff' focuses on college student Elodie, a woman who lives in the on-campus infirmary because she mysteriously suffers from an unending succession of illnesses. When fellow student Chess is admitted to the infirmary after a vicious attack, the two develop a relationship while a doctor (who eventually becomes something of an armchair parapsychologist) takes a personal interest in Elodie's case and tries to help her get to the bottom of it.
It's a romance, even a whirlwind one in its own way, but it doesn't seem forced or false. Elodie and Chess are opposite in many ways. Bluntness is one thing they have in common, though, and they're not afraid to call each other out on their faults. It's kind of messy, kind of quirky, kind of 'oh my god we're leaping away from safe ground into maybe a different but nerve-wracking sort of safety'.
The medical mystery takes a backseat for much of the book, while still making the story propulsive. It's more about Elodie's family history, where she came from, where she seems to be headed, what's her place in the (relatively small) world she inhabits. It's about finding a place somewhere between a past that's seemingly set in stone and a future that's so uncertain.
There's a ghost story in there too, the conclusion of which was unexpected but worked perfectly. It's a tough book to describe without giving too much away. It's a brisk read anyway, and well worth picking up if you're into any of the genres it encompasses.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that so bad, yet you just can't stop reading it? This is that book. A huge disappointment, since I adored Seigel's previous book, Like the Red Panda. The main problem with the book is the main character's Mary Sue-ness. Most of the book is listening to people talk about how much they adore Elodie, how great and unique she is blah blah blah.

The problem is that none of these great qualities are actually written into the character - she's rather bland and boring. The structure is quite bad, too, told from wildly varying points of view, and giving away most of the plot before it's actually gotten to. The point-of-view switches between three characters, two of whom write in letters, and the third, a doctor, who writes in a Journal of Parapsychology, in a way no doctor who has ever lived would write a journal article, ever. Ever. Horribly informal and busy listing the wonderful personality qualities of the heroine instead of, I don't know, discussing the case.

Yet somehow I feel the need to finish the book, even though the entire plot has been given away and I can't stand any of the characters. It's a like a car wreck. I can't look away. Need to see how bad it can get.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a unique little book this is! I bought the paperback about four years ago, and it has undeservedly sat in abandonment amidst my other books up until this week. If you've ever run across this book in real life, you may have noticed its exquisite cover – the electric blue hands against the off-black background. I'm so glad this book was more than just a pretty face. Bret Easton Ellis perfectly nails the essence of To Feel Stuff as "a satire, ghost story, college romance, and medical drama – all crisply presented in a series of simple and beautifully direct scenes." Some readers won't get past "ghost story," while others won't get past the word "simple." If you're still intrigued by the novel's premise, I can tell you that Seigel's straightforward, somewhat simple writing is more than made up for by how uniquely she presents this story. On the surface, yes, it's about Elodie, a sickly college girl who can't shake her various symptoms long enough to be a regular college kid. So, she moves into the Brown University infirmary, where she later meets two other major players in this novel, Chess (a new infirmary "resident") and a professor, Dr. Kirschling, whose goal is to find out why Elodie's health continues to be affected by everything from chicken pox to tuberculosis. I can't tell anything else without giving away too much. Most impressive is Seigel's seamless weaving together of chapters alternately told by the three characters I've just mentioned. The approach as well as the timeline is so creative that it almost makes this a five-star read. I'm holding out on that fifth star, though, simply because this isn't one of those books where I caught myself rereading sentences for the sake of their artistry.

I fear I've turned some people off by oversimplifying Seigel's writing. Though presented with simple words, To Feel Stuff had many passages which truly resonated with me, especially this one:
"Telling stories is exhausting, and sometimes I get scared that I'll be telling the same stories for the rest of my life, trying to acquaint new people with my past until I become this factory of repetition. Sometimes I think that if I have to fill in those holes one more time, I'll never say anything worthwhile again."

If you're up for a quick & utterly quirky read that's more a story about first love and the discovery of personal identity than it is any actual ghost story, I highly suggest this one. There's lots of humor packed into these 269 pages. For instance, the first time Elodie hears Chess' voice, he's below the infirmary window singing "Tarzan Boy" with his a cappella group. I laughed out loud as soon as I recognized the "Oh-ay-oh-ay-oh" in its written form. It's one of many hilarious moments in a novel I'll be sure to pass around to my friends.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not the worst book but I don’t think I’ll be taking any more book recommendations from Britney Spears any time soon

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing 2nd novel. Her first book rocked, but this was a pretentious melodrama.

[michelle]

like everyone else in the comments on this book, I read it because of that podcast episode.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

neat premise, I just didn't care for the way it was done. one of my biggest pet peeves is when a story is told from multiple pov's yet the voice is exactly the same. that was the case with Elodie & Chess. I feel it could have been better executed being written as a traditional novel vs letter/memo format. fair amount of eye-roll worthy bits, but it was a quick read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elodie is a college student whose body has been under attack by a multitude and variety of illnesses. For convenience, she's moved herself into Brown University's infirmary, where she watches wistfully the comings and goings of other patients. Into the infirmary one day comes Chess Hunter, an a cappella singer whose knees have been destroyed in a random act of violence. Instantly feeling a connection, Elodie reaches out for the first time in a long time. But something even more unusual has begun to happen to her. Can she form a bond with Chess and figure out what this new affliction is?

This book was very engaging. I have never read this author before so I can't compare to her other work (as most reviewers saw this as a let-down from her previous novel) but I thought this was a worthy novel. Elodie is a bit unbelievable as a character but still interesting. I loved the structure of the novel, the alternating viewpoints of Elodie, Chess, and Dr. Kirschling. It helped propel the story forward as well as providing respite from each character's voice. This book kept me guessing until the absolute end - literally. I had one chapter left and couldn't figure out what was going to happen! If most people believe her first book to be superior, I will definitely try to track that one down and read it as well. I really enjoyed this.

[Kierra Trivette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the idea of the central character's constant encounters with back to back illnesses interested me. I was disappointed when this was not a focus of the book but I was still entertained with the style of the book. I enjoyed the way the author wrote, the phrases she used and the imagery she created with her words. I did not care for the format of the book, as I found the dialogue a bit hard to follow with the changing of character point of view. I didn't care much for the book. I give it a 2 but I was pretty disappointed with the end. The book seemed to end quickly with all loose ends being tied together in a short space. I also found the book's subject to be a bit hard to follow. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy the rich use of words but not to one looking for a good, well developed plot.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a fast read, that was good. The characters were strange. What was up with Elodie? Was she a hypochondriac? And why didn't she just go home instead of taking up residence in the infirmary? I thought the doctor was creepy, and it seemed like he wanted the relationship to be more than Dr/patient. And Chess? He was just there for a diversion.

[Bryan Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I only read it because the book was the subject of the "Britney" episode of Mystery Show. But it definitely turned out to be worth it. It goes from a curious medical story to a young adult hospital romance to a ghost story, and feels natural throughout. Looking back on it as a whole I'm not completely sold, but while I was reading I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Hannah Talecki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't help but feel like I just didn't "get" this book. The book is supposed to be written by three different characters, but they all sound exactly the same. The writing is weird and choppy and just... off. The whole book feels like it is building to something big, but then it just kind of ends.

[Hailey (haileyhardcover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description on the back of the books says that one character is “entirely unprepared for what he’s about to encounter.” and that’s also a great way to describe any reader of this book. It’s not going to be what you think it will be. Adjust your expectations.

At no point while reading did I ever have a sense of where the story was going or how we would arrive at the end. Upon finishing the book, I let it drop from my hands and loudly asked an empty room
“WHAT… WAS THAT?!”

Britney Spears said loved this book.Do with that information what you will.

To Feel Stuff is told from three points of view - Elodie, a recently chronically-ill college student plagued by seemingly EVERY common and bizarre illness and condition known to the medical world; Chess, Elodie’s temporarily-disabled boyfriend; and Dr. Kirschling, a doctor doing a study on Elodie and her shockingly extensive recent medical history and her… new ability to communicate with ghosts? Elodie and Chess’ perspectives are written as two exceedingly long and detailed letters to each other recounting their entire relationship, while Dr. Kirschling’s contribution is meant to be a submission to a medical journal. Dr. Kirschling’s was actually my favorite and I think I would’ve much rather just read what he had to say about this incredibly unique patient rather than any of the weird romance spliced in between. I hated Chess. His presence in the story was entirely unnecessary.

I don’t know how to feel about To Feel Stuff now that I’ve read it. I can’t say that it was especially good, but I didn’t completely hate the experience of reading it either. I likely won’t be picking up anymore Andrea Siegel books, but I’m glad this one isn’t sitting at the bottom of my Amazon wishlist anymore.

[Jennifer E Reddin Cassar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stiff writing style

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50 pages in. It felt all over the place. No thanks.

[Natalie McD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, I wish I could make use of a half-star rating. I'd actually like to give this book 3.5 stars, but I'm going with three, instead.

This book was an interesting read, blending sickness, love, and the absence of normalcy with the paranormal, of all things. With such a deviance from the norm, cheesiness or unbelievability is a high probability. I'm happy to report that Seigel steers quite clear of both of these, though. I suspect she does so with the clinical nature the doctor's passages take throughout the book. He, in his sometimes skepticism, makes it easier to believe.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was wrought with some beautifully crafted passages:

"Dear Elodie,
This is a love note, although for awhile, it may seem more like a deposition. I'm trying, El, and what more can a person ever do? Maybe I don't know what kind of words should go in this type of letter, so maybe I should just be as obvious as I can. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love.
There.
Okay?
Of course it's not.
You have no idea who I was before I met you. Because when I did finally meet you, it was almost instantaneous, that change in me, so you never understood where I pushed off from."

This passage is startling in its simplicity, yet it also contains a particular sort of elegance. Or, perhaps it just speaks to me because I sometimes consider myself a romantic. At least, some days I see myself that way. Anyway, I digress. What this passage also speaks to is something that is often very difficult, but which Seigel pulls off rather well: the use of the second person. Granted, perhaps she 'cheats' a bit, since the second person is achieved via 'letters' (or excerpts from letters) from two of the characters. But, still. It works.

I did, however, find the book--at times-- rather surface representation of the characters. Perhaps that again comes from the structure (as the book is composed of letters and an article from a journal). At other times, I found the writing profound (as in the above instance), particularly in its simplicity. It's as though Seigel walks a tightrope through the entirety of the work-- on one side lies the surface elements (the pitfalls of the elementary, surface exploration of the characters), and on the other lies a true understanding of human nature, love, and what is beyond and encompassed in both of those. She falls off the rope several times throughout the text, landing on one side or the other, before she precariously balances herself upon it again.

My favorite moments, of course, were those that took place on the latter side of the proverbial tightrope. And I think the work would have been much bolder if she had fallen there more often.

Who is Elodie beyond her sickness and the people she loves? I'm not sure. I feel like I want to know--but, maybe these things are what defines us. Answering that question, though, might have made Elodie less bland, which is another pitfall of this novel, though its not wholly detrimental.

Anyway, overall a good read-- and, rather unlike anything I've read to date. Not sure if I'll be inspired to read her other book (Like the Red Panda), but I'd likely pick it up if I saw it at the dollar bookstore (where I found this book).

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a strange and wonderful story. A different narrator for random chapters…a bit confusing at first, but you catch on. The main character, Elodie Harrington, is a student at Brown University who lives in the college infirmary. She suffers from a variety of unrelated illnesses "piggybacked one upon another," so that she never fully recovers. Her story is told from three points of view—Dr. Mark Kirschling's who is chronicling her symptoms in the Journal of Parapsychology and letters between Elodie and Chester Hunter III, a fellow student she meets in the infirmary. As Chester mends and Elodie get sicker, it becomes clear that their blossoming love is threatened by the idea of his health (which is almost the enemy in this book). And then there is the infirmary’s ghost. Who is this ghost? What does he want? What is his connection to/with Elodie? The answer is very surprising but fits in VERY well with the strangeness of this book. The feeling of comfortable isolation is very nice and a feeling I revel in. Very good read. Book #50 of my 2006 Book List, finished reading it on 10-14-06.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good follow up to "Like the Red Panda". Andrea Seigal definetely has a distincitive voice and a way to keep things very interesting and different. I like how she uses three very different characters to tell the same story. Each person tells their version of a piece and the next person picks up where the other left off. It is def not like anything I've read before. And just when you think you are going to find out just whats going on and think you've figured it out for yourself....she completely surprises you.

[Megan Crusante · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, because there were several points where I felt sure I was going to hate it. At one point I thought (incorrectly) it was going to be some pretentious bs about lending Meaning to your life (with the capitalization that I detest). But 3 stars does not seem fair enough for how good it was, so it shall receive 4 from me. A quality coming of age story told in a super interesting way- one which cannot be described without spoilers. I liked it a lot and I recommend it! Very interesting and very true.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book was thoroughly strange. For a time, I couldn't tell if the melodrama was intentional and was satirizing how seriously college kids take themselves, or if it was totally serious to begin with. Either way, the book was a bit overwritten and meandering. The plot doesn't seem to go anywhere, and then the novel ends abruptly. Vaguely entertaining, but not super substantial or moving. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters, and I think that was this author's biggest failing with this book.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a haunting little backwards tale that you really don't want to like when you are reading it but are drawn in to Elodies world and end up loving the book.
Elodie is sick living at the infirmary at college. She meets different people coming in and out of the health center and this is the tale of some of those people. Its a medical story a love story a ghost story all rolled into an unforgettable story. I have actually read the book twice. Once in 2)07/2008 and then again now.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First love, medical complications, resistance to becoming one's parents, finding oneself, and a dash of the supernatural for good measure. About what you'd expect from a 26-year-old author in terms of the romance and college-student fears (particularly the becoming-one's-mother sort of thing), and the ending lacks the emotional punch of Like the Red Panda. Not great, not terrible.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

E is a young girl who suffers from a continuous cycle of diseases and lives in a college infirmary. M is a professor who sees E as a ticket to a ground-breaking study. C is a senior who falls in love with E after he ends up in the infirmary with two busted knee caps. Each character narates his feelings and thoughts.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather bizarre read - about a young woman who basically has moved into the infirmary of her college (I want to say Brown, but I can't recall, and don't have the book in front of me). Not much to say about it, really. It's a little bit of a ghost story, I suppose. I read Seigel's first novel and finished it feeling every bit as unsettled.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book! My mom liked it, but it took me forever to get through because I never wanted to read it. If you like stories that involve the supernatural, then check it out. Otherwise, forget it.

[Offbalance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kind of read like Copeland-lite, but as a sucker for epistolary novels, I found myself fully engaged in this story of a raging hypochondriac and the people she crosses paths with. Though the story is a bit thin, the characters and vivid descriptions made for an easy read.

[Amber Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. It was very slow and you really don't know completely what it's about until maybe a third through it. at least I didn't. When I started reading it I thought it was something totally different than it turned out to be. I really liked it though.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! I loved the narration of the three characters - two were writing letters toe ach other and the Doctor was writing for a jounral. THe story was very unique and intriguing. I absolutely loved the main girl! My only complain was the end, which was a bit confusing!

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this book because Britney Spears did. It is not good. The story has potential but it just never gets there. The writing is terrible. Again, it has potential, and she has good ideas, but it doesn't work.