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In This Altered Body: A Survivor’s Story of Resilience and Love
Charlene Pell wears her scars like badges of honor—she has never hidden them.
Thirty years ago, on a sunny afternoon, Charlene was on a private flight to Cat Island, Bahamas, when the unthinkable happened: the plane, piloted by her fiancé, experienced a mechanical problem and crashed in a fiery inferno. When Charlene awoke, she discovered that 64 percent of her body had been burned, and her fiancé had died.
In This Altered Body is the compelling story of Charlene’s physical and emotional odyssey to reclaim her life and identity after surviving a tragedy that left her facially disfigured and grieving. As Charlene begins the long, painful process of recovery, she fears she will never be loved again, because her outward beauty has been destroyed and our society, obsessed with flawless skin and superficial beauty, stigmatizes disfigurement. But through dogged determination, Charlene overcomes difficult obstacles both physical and emotional—and learns from the experiences of other burn survivors to never write off her dreams and to be open to possibilities . . . including love. Brimming with insight from a life of perseverance, In This Altered Body is a piercing memoir about tragic loss and the resilience of the human spirit.
Thirty years ago, on a sunny afternoon, Charlene was on a private flight to Cat Island, Bahamas, when the unthinkable happened: the plane, piloted by her fiancé, experienced a mechanical problem and crashed in a fiery inferno. When Charlene awoke, she discovered that 64 percent of her body had been burned, and her fiancé had died.
In This Altered Body is the compelling story of Charlene’s physical and emotional odyssey to reclaim her life and identity after surviving a tragedy that left her facially disfigured and grieving. As Charlene begins the long, painful process of recovery, she fears she will never be loved again, because her outward beauty has been destroyed and our society, obsessed with flawless skin and superficial beauty, stigmatizes disfigurement. But through dogged determination, Charlene overcomes difficult obstacles both physical and emotional—and learns from the experiences of other burn survivors to never write off her dreams and to be open to possibilities . . . including love. Brimming with insight from a life of perseverance, In This Altered Body is a piercing memoir about tragic loss and the resilience of the human spirit.
- GenresMemoir
223 pages, Paperback
Published June 11, 2024
40 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 30, 2024
"The Best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time."
Abraham Lincoln
As a result of a private plane crash in 1994, 64 percent of the author's body, including her face, was burned. What she experienced, just from the time of the crash to finally getting to Florida for treatment, was riveting and heart-wrenching. And that was only the beginning.
There was so much in In this Altered Body that I had never considered, such as listening to soothing music and having a lamp emitting a soft glow at night, which helped her sleep while in the hospital. (Why didn't the hospital think of that?)
The author was blessed to have such a loving and supportive family on her journey back to reality. And her willingness to accept that her life as she previously knew it had changed forever was inspiring. We ALL need to learn how to accept that what's in the past is OVER and to move on.
It's hard to know what parts of the book to touch on so I'm choosing to simply state that In this Altered Body is such an important book for everyone to read.
Many thanks to both #FacingForwardBooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of In this Altered Body, which has an expected publication date of June 11, 2024.
#BurnSurvivor
Abraham Lincoln
As a result of a private plane crash in 1994, 64 percent of the author's body, including her face, was burned. What she experienced, just from the time of the crash to finally getting to Florida for treatment, was riveting and heart-wrenching. And that was only the beginning.
There was so much in In this Altered Body that I had never considered, such as listening to soothing music and having a lamp emitting a soft glow at night, which helped her sleep while in the hospital. (Why didn't the hospital think of that?)
The author was blessed to have such a loving and supportive family on her journey back to reality. And her willingness to accept that her life as she previously knew it had changed forever was inspiring. We ALL need to learn how to accept that what's in the past is OVER and to move on.
It's hard to know what parts of the book to touch on so I'm choosing to simply state that In this Altered Body is such an important book for everyone to read.
Many thanks to both #FacingForwardBooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of In this Altered Body, which has an expected publication date of June 11, 2024.
#BurnSurvivor
July 21, 2024
Amazing story. Must read!
Christine’s story is inspirational. Tragic, hopeful, inspiring. As many helped her, she has helped many. I couldn’t put it down. I recommend to Diane Birt.
Christine’s story is inspirational. Tragic, hopeful, inspiring. As many helped her, she has helped many. I couldn’t put it down. I recommend to Diane Birt.
March 22, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC. This was a great read and Charlene’s story and resilience is incredible. It is amazing how much she has supported burn survivors in the years after her injury.
May 14, 2024
The first major statement this book makes is the cover. You don’t even need to read the title. If you are the sort of person who needs content warnings and somehow managed to obtain a copy without a cover, ask yourself whether you can keep reading after the sentence “I was unaware that my facial features had melted and my hair has burned.”
So many memoirs open with the Big Tension Scene, then move back to “when I was six, I called my doll Barbara and we had tea parties.” Not this. The book is really short – excluding the front matter, there are 224 pages including lengthy Acknowledgments section. Which is worth reading, too, those are not your regular acknowledgments. Except for a word in the first chapter’s title, nothing about Pell’s book is ‘normal’ – a word I loathe (it’s not EVEN a setting on my washing machine). This memoir is a blade. A very sharp blade.
“I’d gone from being vice president of communications at the top design center in America to someone who didn’t even have the vocabulary to understand her current situation.” It’s such a cliche – an accident can alter your life. Well, in this case, the accident alters everything about the author’s everything. And she doesn’t shy away from telling it all – the accident itself, what followed immediately afterwards, progressing with time; there are 61 days of medically induced coma, and then there are weeks, months, years. (As Charlene Pell says in the acknowledgments section, this memoir has taken her 20 years to write.)
While shocking for someone who’s never been in a similar situation, it was all-too-familiar for me to read about a gathering of burn specialists who neither welcomed, nor wished to have any actual burn victims present, and the lack of realisation (in 1996, luckily, not recently) that the mind and the body are actually connected. The author worked hard, once she has sufficiently recovered, to change this state of affairs. This is what I mean by ‘blade’ – the combination of her ‘old’ persona of vice-president of communication and her new person created someone who might be either invisible or too visible for a lot of people who like their women pretty, glossy, and ideally either printed or on a screen.
Towards the end, the author states: “Some people treat me as if I’m invisible. This behaviour is the most painful reaction because, as a total lack of acknowledgment, it disavows me as a human being. […] A less painful form of invisibility happens when people avoid me altogether by looking away or down. […] I refuse to allow the spontaneous reactions of strangers to have any control over my well-being. I have become ‘staring-resistant’.” Way more than that. She has become an inspiration (not in trauma-porn way, there’s a specific quote I have in mind) for other burn victims; an aspiration, possibly. She has survived the plane accident, losing the man she loved, losing the job she loved, not knowing for many years whether she’d ever be able to recover the physical abilities she used to take for granted. And the one thing that’s clear at the end is that this blade is not about to become blunt or rest somewhere as a souvenir.
A legacy (“traditional”) publishing contract has fallen apart, as the author mentions in the Acknowledgments section. I have a feeling that a ‘real’ publisher might have found this book to be too much. There’s the ‘raw and honest’ to be praised and then there’s a real person who does not hide anything not to make the reader uncomfortable. Yes, a burn victim can crave sex and intimacy (if I were a betting person…) and share how her new body and mind experiences both.
Who would I recommend this book to? Myself, for starters. My disabilities are invisible, wounds still hidden (or rather still trying to heal – my memoir might also take 20 years to write). And to people who are ashamed of who they are or have become, in the society’s eyes, but also their own; who believe they can only become ‘staring-resistant’ by making themselves invisible. This is not a book of platitudes, a gratitude diary, or even a “if I can do it, you can too.” It’s an exceptional person sharing her exceptional self.
This was a painful, difficult, incredible read. Those 224 pages took me two weeks to complete. And yet, I can see myself returning to the book – once I grow enough to understand it better.
I have received a free copy of In This Altered Body via NetGalley. This did not influence my review.
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it, so I don't give 2* ratings
1* = actively hostile towards the reader*
So many memoirs open with the Big Tension Scene, then move back to “when I was six, I called my doll Barbara and we had tea parties.” Not this. The book is really short – excluding the front matter, there are 224 pages including lengthy Acknowledgments section. Which is worth reading, too, those are not your regular acknowledgments. Except for a word in the first chapter’s title, nothing about Pell’s book is ‘normal’ – a word I loathe (it’s not EVEN a setting on my washing machine). This memoir is a blade. A very sharp blade.
“I’d gone from being vice president of communications at the top design center in America to someone who didn’t even have the vocabulary to understand her current situation.” It’s such a cliche – an accident can alter your life. Well, in this case, the accident alters everything about the author’s everything. And she doesn’t shy away from telling it all – the accident itself, what followed immediately afterwards, progressing with time; there are 61 days of medically induced coma, and then there are weeks, months, years. (As Charlene Pell says in the acknowledgments section, this memoir has taken her 20 years to write.)
While shocking for someone who’s never been in a similar situation, it was all-too-familiar for me to read about a gathering of burn specialists who neither welcomed, nor wished to have any actual burn victims present, and the lack of realisation (in 1996, luckily, not recently) that the mind and the body are actually connected. The author worked hard, once she has sufficiently recovered, to change this state of affairs. This is what I mean by ‘blade’ – the combination of her ‘old’ persona of vice-president of communication and her new person created someone who might be either invisible or too visible for a lot of people who like their women pretty, glossy, and ideally either printed or on a screen.
Towards the end, the author states: “Some people treat me as if I’m invisible. This behaviour is the most painful reaction because, as a total lack of acknowledgment, it disavows me as a human being. […] A less painful form of invisibility happens when people avoid me altogether by looking away or down. […] I refuse to allow the spontaneous reactions of strangers to have any control over my well-being. I have become ‘staring-resistant’.” Way more than that. She has become an inspiration (not in trauma-porn way, there’s a specific quote I have in mind) for other burn victims; an aspiration, possibly. She has survived the plane accident, losing the man she loved, losing the job she loved, not knowing for many years whether she’d ever be able to recover the physical abilities she used to take for granted. And the one thing that’s clear at the end is that this blade is not about to become blunt or rest somewhere as a souvenir.
A legacy (“traditional”) publishing contract has fallen apart, as the author mentions in the Acknowledgments section. I have a feeling that a ‘real’ publisher might have found this book to be too much. There’s the ‘raw and honest’ to be praised and then there’s a real person who does not hide anything not to make the reader uncomfortable. Yes, a burn victim can crave sex and intimacy (if I were a betting person…) and share how her new body and mind experiences both.
Who would I recommend this book to? Myself, for starters. My disabilities are invisible, wounds still hidden (or rather still trying to heal – my memoir might also take 20 years to write). And to people who are ashamed of who they are or have become, in the society’s eyes, but also their own; who believe they can only become ‘staring-resistant’ by making themselves invisible. This is not a book of platitudes, a gratitude diary, or even a “if I can do it, you can too.” It’s an exceptional person sharing her exceptional self.
This was a painful, difficult, incredible read. Those 224 pages took me two weeks to complete. And yet, I can see myself returning to the book – once I grow enough to understand it better.
I have received a free copy of In This Altered Body via NetGalley. This did not influence my review.
My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it, so I don't give 2* ratings
1* = actively hostile towards the reader*
July 18, 2024
Triumphant
This book captivated me pretty much from the beginning. My stepfather, Ted was burned in an accident and still carries the physical scars and I imagine, some emotional ones too. He has only been my stepfather for about 26 yrs and we live in different cities so we weren't very close. Aside from that he doesn't easily open up about his feelings and isn't overly talkative. So I wondered from time to time what life was like for him when he was burned many years ago as a much younger man. Especially given that treatment for burns and surgical procedures likely weren't as advanced as they are now.
Charlene Pell's horrific airplane accident with her fiance Roger piloting the small plane and the ensuing rescue is described in detail but not in such a way as to be sensationalistic or obscenely graphic for the reader. Yet I'm sure it was obscene in other ways for the victims and immediate rescuers and observers. There must have been such a shock reaction, not only due to the tremendous pain but to be flying off after a busy work week heading to this idyllic setting of Cat Island in the Bahamas for some leisurely weekend away in your gorgeously situated place there only to crash land due to malfunctioning landing gear is almost incomprehensible! And then to have to WAIT for help to be summoned and transported to Florida by boat? The physical pain AND the very real risk of death for Charlene added to the trauma.
Without going into too much detail, Charlene, a successful, confident and attractive woman prior to the accident retains that determination as she fights to return to rebuild her life, overcome the stares and questions from strangers and in the process support other burn victims and their families! This lady is resilient!
The story flows in such a way that it is easily read and understood and makes the reader want to know what happens next. Recommended!
This book captivated me pretty much from the beginning. My stepfather, Ted was burned in an accident and still carries the physical scars and I imagine, some emotional ones too. He has only been my stepfather for about 26 yrs and we live in different cities so we weren't very close. Aside from that he doesn't easily open up about his feelings and isn't overly talkative. So I wondered from time to time what life was like for him when he was burned many years ago as a much younger man. Especially given that treatment for burns and surgical procedures likely weren't as advanced as they are now.
Charlene Pell's horrific airplane accident with her fiance Roger piloting the small plane and the ensuing rescue is described in detail but not in such a way as to be sensationalistic or obscenely graphic for the reader. Yet I'm sure it was obscene in other ways for the victims and immediate rescuers and observers. There must have been such a shock reaction, not only due to the tremendous pain but to be flying off after a busy work week heading to this idyllic setting of Cat Island in the Bahamas for some leisurely weekend away in your gorgeously situated place there only to crash land due to malfunctioning landing gear is almost incomprehensible! And then to have to WAIT for help to be summoned and transported to Florida by boat? The physical pain AND the very real risk of death for Charlene added to the trauma.
Without going into too much detail, Charlene, a successful, confident and attractive woman prior to the accident retains that determination as she fights to return to rebuild her life, overcome the stares and questions from strangers and in the process support other burn victims and their families! This lady is resilient!
The story flows in such a way that it is easily read and understood and makes the reader want to know what happens next. Recommended!
June 10, 2024
In This Altered Body by Charlene Pell is a true survival story of tragedy, resilience, faith, loss and overcoming almost insurmountable mental and physical barriers after an unimaginable plane accident.
Thirty years ago, Charlene and her pilot fiancé Roger were involved in a horrendous plane crash fire and were rescued by a close friend. However, Roger did not survive which shattered Charlene who had been told the news after being in a coma for nearly two months. Her anguish and agonies are described in vivid detail which is important and heart crushingly personal. Not only did she endure excruciating procedures and countless surgeries but also humiliation, morphine hallucinations, being stared at, pity and grief of missing Roger and what she used to have. Additionally, she went through the stress of a wreck investigation. But she chose to push for life and became a burn survivor advocate, implementing practical solutions to regain independence and dignity.
Charlene credits God with saving her and enabling her to help others through her experiences. Those close to her were and are invaluable to her healing. She determined to find the good in her pain and created Facing Forward which focuses on inner beauty and strength.
This book should be required reading for everyone regardless of life journeys as it contains relatable emotions at some level to every human. Charlene Pell is a true heroine and I have tremendous respect and admiration for her. Even on her darkest days she did not give up or indulge in self pity. Talk about beautiful inspiration!
My sincere thank you to Girl Friday Productions and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this phenomenal book. Kudos to Charlene for your advocacy, empathy and telling your story to benefit others.
Thirty years ago, Charlene and her pilot fiancé Roger were involved in a horrendous plane crash fire and were rescued by a close friend. However, Roger did not survive which shattered Charlene who had been told the news after being in a coma for nearly two months. Her anguish and agonies are described in vivid detail which is important and heart crushingly personal. Not only did she endure excruciating procedures and countless surgeries but also humiliation, morphine hallucinations, being stared at, pity and grief of missing Roger and what she used to have. Additionally, she went through the stress of a wreck investigation. But she chose to push for life and became a burn survivor advocate, implementing practical solutions to regain independence and dignity.
Charlene credits God with saving her and enabling her to help others through her experiences. Those close to her were and are invaluable to her healing. She determined to find the good in her pain and created Facing Forward which focuses on inner beauty and strength.
This book should be required reading for everyone regardless of life journeys as it contains relatable emotions at some level to every human. Charlene Pell is a true heroine and I have tremendous respect and admiration for her. Even on her darkest days she did not give up or indulge in self pity. Talk about beautiful inspiration!
My sincere thank you to Girl Friday Productions and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this phenomenal book. Kudos to Charlene for your advocacy, empathy and telling your story to benefit others.
April 29, 2024
Charlene Pell is a remarkable and resilient woman with an indomitable spirit. She is a great role model to those suffering from facial deformities or debilitating injuries.
Charlene survived a fiery plane crash in 1994 and this is the story of her miraculous recovery from the burns that affected over 60% of her body, including her face. Thanks to her loving family, her attentive medical team and her resolve to live as normal a life as possible, she achieves that goal and also becomes a great advocate to burn victims.
This book is about so much more than survival after tragedy. Pell teaches us how to move on and accept what has happened, accept your disabilities and your disfigurement and live your life.
In This Altered Body is a great teaching tool on how to accept what is given to us. 5/5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for the ARC.
Charlene survived a fiery plane crash in 1994 and this is the story of her miraculous recovery from the burns that affected over 60% of her body, including her face. Thanks to her loving family, her attentive medical team and her resolve to live as normal a life as possible, she achieves that goal and also becomes a great advocate to burn victims.
This book is about so much more than survival after tragedy. Pell teaches us how to move on and accept what has happened, accept your disabilities and your disfigurement and live your life.
In This Altered Body is a great teaching tool on how to accept what is given to us. 5/5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for the ARC.
April 16, 2024
Charlene's story is so powerful. After surviving a plane crash and subsequent fire she was left with burns that covered 64 % of her body. The fact that she survived is a feat in and of itself. Pell takes us with her as she recounts the events of the crash and her hospitalization and rehabilitation. I wanted to read this book to help understand more of what burn survivors go through but this is much more than just a story of surviving. Pell brought me to tears of sorrow and joy. This book is an experience. Pell is open and honest about her struggles and her recovery. She is also honest about her faith during her journey. She was and is resilient. I thank her for sharing her story with the world.
Thank you to NetGalley. These opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley. These opinions are my own.
Currently reading
October 7, 2024In this heart grabbing book, the author tells the story of living through a plane crash and explotion to find herself horrifically burned and in excruciating pain. She carefully takes the reader through her burn unit treatment (frightening,) and her recovery through the unbearable indifference of others. Her use of language is so artful as to assist the reader in sharing her emotional roller coaster of fear, hope and eventual "recovery," to build a new life and to find happiness. As a lawyer who has represented burn survivors for over 45 years, I have never read a more compelling story. Reading it will help anyone facing impossible odds believe in the possible.
Richard L. Halpert
Richard L. Halpert
April 16, 2024
Upon reading my ARC copy, I couldn’t put this book down. A compelling story written by a remarkable woman. You will be moved by Ms. Pell’s story of her unthinkable journey and the fortitude and tenacity to not only survive but thrive. Courageously overcoming each and every obstacle in her path she has created a place and space of strength to carry on in her Altered State. Ms Pell is a beacon of love and hope to inspire all.
October 1, 2025
Very inspirational
This is a compelling, well-written first-person account that speaks to a woman's courage when she is faced with many setbacks just as she is getting ready to settle into comfortable middle age. Charlene is a very inspiring person and has made the world a better place by sharing her story and by dedicating so much of her life to helping people realize that we're so much more than our physical selves.
This is a compelling, well-written first-person account that speaks to a woman's courage when she is faced with many setbacks just as she is getting ready to settle into comfortable middle age. Charlene is a very inspiring person and has made the world a better place by sharing her story and by dedicating so much of her life to helping people realize that we're so much more than our physical selves.
April 22, 2025
Excellent book to read. Someday I would love to hear Charlene Pell speak and talk about her courage to live. People need to understand starring at others is not acceptable but looking into their eyes and realize a tragedy they have endured and the courage it takes to be out in public to do ordinary everyday tasks!
October 7, 2025
We proudly announce that IN THIS ALTERED BODY: A Survivor's Story of Resilience and Love by Charlene Pell has been honored with the B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers’ Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG. This award is a testament to this book's quality and its impact on readers.
September 18, 2024
What a story! Charlene has such resilience and determination. This is a great book that illustrates the human capacity for survival, and for being able to make your way no matter your physical abilities, disabilities, or appearance or what life throws at you.
March 27, 2025
What a wonderful book from an author who has experienced unbelievable trauma. The author shares everything from her tragedy from the front cover with her photo to the painful details. Her tragedy can help others who might be coping with something similar. Kudos to her for sharing.
July 17, 2024
Interesting
December 29, 2024
wow- inspiring.
I rarely leave comments. But this book is so good-/ I can’t just move on. It’s scary, heartbreaking, and yet…. Moving and romantic. Just read it.
I rarely leave comments. But this book is so good-/ I can’t just move on. It’s scary, heartbreaking, and yet…. Moving and romantic. Just read it.
February 3, 2025
Treat as you wish to be treated.
I glad I chose to read this book. It provides me with more insight that will help me when I encounter others who require understanding compassion.
I glad I chose to read this book. It provides me with more insight that will help me when I encounter others who require understanding compassion.
April 20, 2025
A must read for every adult. A true story of human survival and surviving a horrific accident. A beautiful person, outside & in.
June 21, 2024
resilience and love
I could hardly wait to read this book.
We’ve known Charlene for 60 years and will never forget the night we got the call telling us about the accident.
My husband and I, like Melissa, knew she would pull through.
Charlene, Melissa and DP came to our home and broke bread with us in December, 9 months after the accident. She clearly stated, “God let me survive and I’m going to find out why” and boy did she!
The strides she has made in the world of burn survivors are phenomenal. She has changed so many lives and given so many people hope and a will to live.
She is and always was, a truly remarkable woman. Even at her worst, she would ask caring questions about others and offer her support in any way.
The eloquence with which she wrote this book speaks volumes for how she has lived her life.
CH is truly her Prince Charming. Their love for each other is like a fairy tale.
And the dreams that we dare to dream really do come true ♥️
I could hardly wait to read this book.
We’ve known Charlene for 60 years and will never forget the night we got the call telling us about the accident.
My husband and I, like Melissa, knew she would pull through.
Charlene, Melissa and DP came to our home and broke bread with us in December, 9 months after the accident. She clearly stated, “God let me survive and I’m going to find out why” and boy did she!
The strides she has made in the world of burn survivors are phenomenal. She has changed so many lives and given so many people hope and a will to live.
She is and always was, a truly remarkable woman. Even at her worst, she would ask caring questions about others and offer her support in any way.
The eloquence with which she wrote this book speaks volumes for how she has lived her life.
CH is truly her Prince Charming. Their love for each other is like a fairy tale.
And the dreams that we dare to dream really do come true ♥️
July 9, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Facing Forward Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 6/11/24!
This book is an incredible story of the sheer willpower and perseverance of its author. Both inspiring and educational, this book will definitely be sticking with me for some time to come. Immediately after reading the book, I am in awe of the author’s determination amongst the setbacks that she has faced. The author retells some of her most difficult moments in a raw and unflinching way, and as someone who does not have any experience or prior knowledge of these types of medical issues, the author’s words were eye-opening. Highly recommend giving this one a read if you enjoy memoirs!
This book is an incredible story of the sheer willpower and perseverance of its author. Both inspiring and educational, this book will definitely be sticking with me for some time to come. Immediately after reading the book, I am in awe of the author’s determination amongst the setbacks that she has faced. The author retells some of her most difficult moments in a raw and unflinching way, and as someone who does not have any experience or prior knowledge of these types of medical issues, the author’s words were eye-opening. Highly recommend giving this one a read if you enjoy memoirs!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews