In Case of Emergency

by Courtney Moreno

What do you do when you can’t function? After rookie EMT Piper Gallagher responds to a call outside a Los Angeles shopping mall for a man who can only tell her, “I can’t function,” the question begins to haunt her. How will Piper continue to function despite the horror she sees working in South Central, and despite her own fractured past? And how will the woman Piper loves continue to function as she experiences the aftershocks of her time spent serving in Iraq? Piper’s experiences as a rookie break her down and open her up as her genuine urge to help patients confronts the daily realities of life in the back of an ambulance and a hospital's hallways. This vivid and visceral debut is a rich study in trauma—in its causes and effects, in its methods and disguises, in its power and its pull.

Genres: Fiction, Queer, LGBT, Mental Health, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

330 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2014

Reviews

[Downward · Rating 3 out of 5]

the palahniuking is upon us: in case of emergency gives us intense scenes of piper, an emt, dealing with the emotional complexities of her harrowing job and the fact that she's fallen deeply in love with ayla, an iraq war vet with a traumatic brain injury. it uses medical lingo and situational drama to metaphorically connect the two things, as each also literally impacts the way piper interacts with the other. good stuff here but some of the more human drama moments (especially the romance/iraq stuff) feels stiff and at times swerves toward cliche. there's also an intro with really intense imagery that at no point is followed up on. recommended read, but there's other stuff to get to first.

[Gea · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Case of Emergency is a beautifully written debut novel about rookie EMT Piper Gallagher. Somewhat lost in life and new to the job, Piper struggles to find her way in a world of bloodshed, sickness, and death. She falls for a young injured Iraq War vet and struggles to connect while learning and surviving her job as a new EMT on the streets of South Central L.A.

Moreno is a wonderful, insightful writer with a deep understanding of anatomy and human physiology. She describes the human body in a poetic, philosophical way I found fascinating and her characterizations of co-workers and patients were dead on. As a paramedic myself, I could tell that Moreno really knew what she was writing about. She was an EMT in Los Angeles and no doubt, her debut novel draws on her own experiences.

Moreno is a thoughtful, philosophical, observant writer. I too, lived in L.A. and she captures the grit and concrete all too well. (I don't miss it!) I thoroughly enjoyed this novel but she did begin to lose me a bit when Piper begins experiencing serious PTSD from the job. Whether or not Piper has what it takes to work in this field became the question for me. I'll let you read and discover the answer for yourself, but suffice it to say, Piper is a very sensitive girl. And while sensitivity may be a pre-requisite for good fiction it can definitely be a liability in EMS.

[Nette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the EMT stuff and loved the accurate details about South Central LA. (The ambulance is stationed in my next door neighbor town of Gardena, possibly the first time that interesting little city's ever been mentioned in a book.) But I was bored with the love affair with the troubled vet, which seemed really cliche to me. Will there ever be a fictional veteran who just comes home and goes back to work and family? Because I actually know a bunch of them, I'd be happy to consult.

[Nicole Tommasulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited about this book and Courtney Moreno did not disappoint. Following Piper's life as she learns the job of being an EMT in Los Angeles, this book is more than just a snapshot of the realities of being an EMS worker. I found this to be a thoughtful and engaging study of trauma and human connection.

With what contact I have with the EMS world, it was refreshing for me to read something that highlighted how experiences in the field shape your relationships outside of work. Piper's relationship with her girlfriend, a former soldier battling PTSD, is a steady contrast of coping: of how each person can deal with something differently, how similar war zones can be for a person if you just broaden your definition.


I've been searching for a book that would stay with me the way White Oleander has, and I believe I've found that in In Case of Emergency. This is a book I'll be reading over and over again.

Review originally posted at: http://nicoleatone.com/book-review-in...

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel. Moreno's prose is piercing and real. The surprise of those little snippets of prose poetry between some of the sections on specific aspects of human anatomy really added beauty and depth to her novel. Her portrayal of Piper and Ayla shows her craft as a writer, never did I feel these were just characters. These were people I got to know and lives I got to experience.

Moreno always upped the anti for her reader. I was never bored, she always gave us a new complication to work through. It's a real story about what it is to be human and that struggle to come to terms with your own demons. Don't read this expecting everything to be wrapped up beautifully in the end. You will be left wondering long after you close it, what is going to happened between them?

Pick it up and expect to want to stay seated for a few hours to finish. As a first novel I am looking forward to reading much more by Courtney Moreno.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moreno's debut novel addresses themes of connection, loss, life, death, betrayal, and love, against the backdrop of often grim EMT work in Los Angeles. I was reminded of the high attention to medical detail in Atul Gawande's New Yorker long form articles and books, and the emotional/ familial/ relational terrain of Cheryl Strayed's "Wild." Highly compelling!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prose was pretty clunky in places, which I was ok with at first because I thought this was a memoir. Turns out it's completely fictional, so I didn't really understand why so much of it reads like an EMT textbook. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published by McSweeneys so you have to know something is going to be off-kilter about it. Story about a girl who has just become an EMT in a decision making time in her life. I hated the ending.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the medical side to this and insight into being an EMT, especially in a city like Los Angeles. The author was an EMT and drew from her own experiences, which was really reflected well. Piper was an interesting and relatable character to me, especially when it came to the way she deals with her family and processing hurt/learning to trust again.

I loved the romance, as messy as it was, and Ayla was a complex and valuable character. I would highly recommend this book for a fun read that still packs an emotional punch, even though the book just ended without any conclusion.

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this novel with 0 expectations and was thoroughly surprised! The story was emotional and interesting. The writing did jump around a little and at times didn't make sense. The story would be talking about one thing and then suddenly jump to another random subject.

But this story really pulled at a place in my heart and I've been thinking about each character and their struggles. I really did love this book.

[Mary Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I really liked the beginning of the book, and i was hooked from that. Also I liked how the medical and physiological terminology matched up to what was happening in the plot, but the last section of the book was so boring. The ending kind of just flopped.

[Cheri Flake · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t believe I finished this book. The writing, the character development, the research and the set up for an amazing story is right here...but absolutely nothing happens. No conflict. No hero. Nothing to root for so nobody wins.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

TW: homophobia, infidelity, war, death, fatphobia, PTSD, ableism, talk of bi erasure

This had really good moments talking about disability and bi erasure, but it took so long to get started and then sadly stopped mid plot.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it? I think?

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, great story, structure.

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't seem to finish this book. The medical aspects and Piper learning the ropes as a rookie EMT is fascinating, but the relationships feel unconvincing and tedious. I found it hard to care. It's just not for me.

[Russell Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lead character is a bisexual female emergency medical technician or EMT. The book is split about 60-40 with her relationship with a lesbian being the 60 and her adventures (and misadventures) taking ambulance calls the 40.

I really liked the 40%. The dark humor, inside jargon, and debunking of TV medical crap all were terrific. I learned that PFO means Pissed and Fell Over, CATS means Cut all to Shit, and a Badge Bunny is a female EMT trying to land a firefighter or cop.

I'm probably being unfair, but I didn't like the 60%. The author writes well, but I ended up skimming or even skipping most of it. So sue me. I'm a heterosexual male and just can't relate to a love affair between two badly screwed-up females. Why are romances in novels almost always dysfunctional, populated by people with horrible relationship histories? I guess it sells, but it turns me off.

I think the author and publisher were really going for a romance with this one, not a medical thriller. Only one of the 29 Goodreads reviews is written by a male, although two or three others are not identifiable. Maybe they're bi, too. That's usually a sign of a chick lit piece. The nice thing about the way it's written, though, is that the medical part and romance part are nicely separated by chapter, so it's easy to cherry-pick what you want to read.

[Elise C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I read the advanced uncorrected proof of In Case of Emergency. Final text likely differs to the copy I read.

In Case of Emergency follows Piper Gallagher as she starts her job as an EMT and navigates the daily challenges of ambulance calls. Piper also embarks on a new relationship with Ayla, a former soldier who left Iraq after a severe injury.

The novel is sharp and fast-paced, alternating between scenes of ambulance-related drama (ranging from the inane to the horrific), Piper's developing relationship and strained family relations, and intense, second-person descriptions of the human body and its functions. Piper is an interesting protagonist; it is refreshing to see a smart, flawed, compassionate and openly bisexual woman having her story told with care.

However I struggled to relate to the characters, and believe that some of the secondary characters in particular could have been better developed. The story's structure was very repetitive for the bulk of the novel - as noted by a friend, it felt like the first few episodes of a TV medical drama rather than a novel. I also felt that the novel's handling of PTSD could have been improved.

Nevertheless, In Case of Emergency is an impressive debut read. Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even force myself to finish this book. For two weeks I muddled along, but life is just too short.

Zero emotional connection to any of these characters. Nothing about the romance felt real. The writing (in particular the dialog) seemed forced and unrealistic. Example:

I think before answering. "No, I do. I thought I remembered everything - getting on the plane with Ryan and Dad, how we sat in the same aisle and didn't talk. The silver matchboxes in a glass bowl at the hotel. I carried the urn filled with her ashes in my lap, all the way to the canyon. But I don't remember her funeral. And I definitely don't remember calling you."

Real people don't talk like that. This is the sort of thing that crawls under my skin and makes me hate a book.

The EMT parts were kind of interesting, though. I learned some stuff.

Anyway, I made it to page 179 before I couldn't take it anymore. Nothing was happening. If this first-time author writes something else I doubt I'll give it a chance.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moreno's knowledge and experience informed the best parts of this novel. She was able to expertly craft the story of Piper Gallagher, and portray different forms of mental illness in a way that could bring a reader to tears. Piper, as a depressed and agitated figure, simultaneously has the audience rooting for and yelling at her. Ayla, a woman suffering from PTSD and a deplorable self-esteem, is also a sympathetic character in this novel, and the two of them together creates an atmosphere unlike one I've found in a novel before. The open ending of this book infuriated and intrigued me; I desperately need a sequel, although artistically the work itself doesn't need it. I would recommend to anyone, especially someone in need of a story about two queer women struggling with issues of perception, isolation, and affection.

[E.M.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy biographies, lesbians, or the medical field in general, this might be the book for you. It was for me, and I became an EMT after reading it. After a recent reread, I've concluded that it withstands the test of reality: this book reflects the experiences of an EMT adjusting to work in a busy system well. The story flow feels like life, to me.

Despite being fictional, feels very biography-ish, and I would bet the author used experiences from her own life when it came to developing these characters. In some ways, the book is unfulfilling in the way that reality often is-- so be warned, this is not the book for you if you want a neat and tidy tale of discharged Chekhov's guns and Prince Charming happily-ever-afters.

[Shellee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was terrible. Her relationship...really all of her relationships were never fully developed. I wish the author would've included less random medical background about the human body and focused more on developing the characters and their relationships with each other. Ideally, I wish she would've included more details and stories about the main character's work as an EMT. The relationship she had with her girlfriend was not interesting. I understand the main character and her girlfriend went through quite a bit of trauma, but they came across as annoying and slightly whiny instead of relatable and intriguing.

[Nancyann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An impressive short first novel that was really a story about nothing. The main character, Piper, is a new EMT so the book is heavy on the medical jargon, interesting if you are into that stuff. Piper is bisexual, just broke up with a boyfriend, and now sets her sights on a female grocery store employee who happens to be an Iraqi war vet. Nothing much happens as we follow Piper through her training days and early romantic relationship but as in life, aren't most of our days filled with a whole lot of nothing events? Ms. Morena did a fine job conveying the highs and lows of Piper's life in LA. Worth the read.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I pulled this book off the discharges, because it said "emergency" in the title and "emt" on the back. But I wasn't expecting the added bonus of the ex-military, ptsd-suffering girlfriend. Interesting.
I don't read new fiction. This was a two-week loan, quite new. Debut novel. And at first, I thought it read like a debut novel. But I got sucked in around halfway. Lot of really great little lines. My main critique would pertain to vocal inconsistency. But I did enjoy it. A tale of stress disorders/reactions. A theme I don't come across often, but an important one.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted SO badly to like this book. The main character is bi, which is the first I've come across in recent (non fantasy/Sci Fi or YA) fiction. I was also intrigued to learn about life as an EMT, and the complications that come with it. I struggled through over half of the book before finally giving up. For a book about someone in a fast paced and generally gory job, this book was boring. Character descriptions were lacking, and Piper herself seemed fairly two dimensional.
Overall: Cool concept, but DOA.

[Lynsey S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Gives an insight to PTSD with a twist. There's definitely not a lot of humour in this book, it's not a light beach read, but it didn't feel heavy or opressive or intimidating. It was nice to read about people fall in love and have doubts or still be dealing with other things in their lives, it felt very real that way.

And also if you ever want to become an EMT I commend you. Before I read this book I knew that I could not and after finishing I know that is definitely not the life for me.

[Lizy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know the saying is don't judge a book by it's cover. But a lot of work goes into those covers and sometimes damnit I do exactly that. In this case I am so glad I did. I loved this book. I loved the realism and the imperfections of her characters and how honestly the work and the life of her main character was portrayed. I am very grateful that I ignored the voice of my companion telling me I had enough books from the library and stopped to pick this book up because it was a joy to read and I am hoping to read more books by the author.

[Laural · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my issue is I prefer plot-driven books rather than character-driven ones. I want things to be moving in a direction toward something. Slow, fast, conclusion or not, I like a starting and finishing point. This just wasn't my cup of tea.

I certainly enjoyed the EMT interactions, even the narrator's breakdown, but the medical "poetry" I found to be too long and the relationships (girlfriend, brother, father) a tad uninteresting.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very compelling writing, this was hard to put down and some of the essay-like bits about the human body were just great. It moved fast but then ended just when everything was up in the air. The unresolved feeling fits so well with the story, it would be an A+ if I were a writing teacher but as a reader I'm a bit frustrated. Wanted to get to know the minor characters better and see how some of the events played out after the immediate story.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book mostly because it was set in Los Angeles, a city I recently moved to and am trying to get the feel of. Maybe it was just the right book at the right time, but I thought it was excellent. It was thoughtful without pretension, while also being funny and charming. A great debut novel.