What do you think?
Rate this book
Painless
A first kiss. Falling in love. Going to prom. These are all normal things that most teenagers experience. Except for 17-year-old David Hart. His life is anything but normal and more difficult than most. Because of the disease that wracks his body, David is unable to feel pain. He has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis--or CIPA for short. One of only a handful of people in the world who suffer from CIPA, David can't do the things every teenager does. He might accidentally break a limb and not know it. If he stands too close to a campfire, he could burn his skin and never feel it. He can't tell if he has a fever and his temperature is rising. Abandoned by his parents, David now lives with his elderly grandmother who is dying. When David's legal guardian tells him that he needs to move into an assisted living facility as he cannot live alone, David is determined to prove him wrong. He creates a bucket list, meets a girl with her own wish list, and then sets out to find his parents. All David wants to do is grow old, beat the odds, find love, travel the world, and see something spectacular. And he still wants to find his parents. While he still can.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2015
22 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
February 23, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I was having such a good run with YA books . . . and then I requested an ARC of Painless . . .
You'd think having a main character with CIPA - a disease that makes it so instead of things like this happening . . .
things like this happen instead . . .
would make for a good book. Unfortunately that was not the case with Painless.
Let me start with the good stuff . . .
Oh yeah, there wasn't any.
This is a prime example of why I wish my crazy brain would allow me to quit a book. It was horrible - the writing was so amateur, the characters were undeveloped and one-dimensional, not to mention the main "issue" at hand was whether or not the MC, David, would be allowed to continue living on his own should his grandmother die or would he have to go to an assisted living facility. David was 18 and therefore legally an adult, he WAS NOT mentally handicapped in any way (although the simplistic writing style made him seem like he was about 9 years old), his life expectancy was THREE so no one really expected him to live to be old and gray, and he was wealthy. There's NO WAY anyone could make him move to a group home. The story was filled with "conflict" upon "conflict" that instead of developing into plot twists that developed and sparked my interest were instead resolved instantaneously (and generally on the same freaking page where they began).
Here are some examples so I don't get trolled by people saying all I do is "write a picture book" and don't back-up my opinions:
1. David (the MC) has a personal assistant that is supposed to do his best to keep David from croaking. Said personal assistant is in a band. David would like to be in said band. Therefore, an additional character/bandmate conveniently dies in a car accident freeing up a spot. Note: ALLLLLLL of this activity happens within two pages.
2. David's grandmother dies and her horrible sister comes toloot check on everything. She accuses David of giving his grandmother an overdose of pain medication and conducting a "mercy killing," but the grandmother's nurse finds the full pill bottle under the bed clearing his name. Again, this ALLLLLLL takes place over a couple page span.
3. A side effect of David's medical condition is he can't regulate his body temperate. He and his assistant get stranded on the side of the road on a 98 degree day. He fears his temperature is about to the point where he will seize out when a van stops and the driver just happens to have a couple of gallons of water to dump in the radiator. I mean, this is all just so ridiculously convenient and this time it ALLLLLL happens in just one page.
I could post at least a dozen more examples, but I'm bored with this review so I can only imagine how you people reading it feel.
Out of the entire book there was ONE good quote:
"God shouldn't allow a person to die until they've seen the sunrise over the ocean," Luna says. "And at least a hundred other miracles."
Oh wait, I take that back. There's another quote I liked:
"From the look on her face, you'd think she was reading the worst book ever."
But I liked that one for a different reason : )
When 1 Star reviews are posted, reviewers often get accused of being "angry." To put it bluntly, we are. I have over 600 books on my to-read list. I don't like wasting my time on something terrible. That doesn't mean I have it out for the author, though.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!
I was having such a good run with YA books . . . and then I requested an ARC of Painless . . .
You'd think having a main character with CIPA - a disease that makes it so instead of things like this happening . . .
things like this happen instead . . .
would make for a good book. Unfortunately that was not the case with Painless.
Let me start with the good stuff . . .
Oh yeah, there wasn't any.
This is a prime example of why I wish my crazy brain would allow me to quit a book. It was horrible - the writing was so amateur, the characters were undeveloped and one-dimensional, not to mention the main "issue" at hand was whether or not the MC, David, would be allowed to continue living on his own should his grandmother die or would he have to go to an assisted living facility. David was 18 and therefore legally an adult, he WAS NOT mentally handicapped in any way (although the simplistic writing style made him seem like he was about 9 years old), his life expectancy was THREE so no one really expected him to live to be old and gray, and he was wealthy. There's NO WAY anyone could make him move to a group home. The story was filled with "conflict" upon "conflict" that instead of developing into plot twists that developed and sparked my interest were instead resolved instantaneously (and generally on the same freaking page where they began).
Here are some examples so I don't get trolled by people saying all I do is "write a picture book" and don't back-up my opinions:
1. David (the MC) has a personal assistant that is supposed to do his best to keep David from croaking. Said personal assistant is in a band. David would like to be in said band. Therefore, an additional character/bandmate conveniently dies in a car accident freeing up a spot. Note: ALLLLLLL of this activity happens within two pages.
2. David's grandmother dies and her horrible sister comes to
3. A side effect of David's medical condition is he can't regulate his body temperate. He and his assistant get stranded on the side of the road on a 98 degree day. He fears his temperature is about to the point where he will seize out when a van stops and the driver just happens to have a couple of gallons of water to dump in the radiator. I mean, this is all just so ridiculously convenient and this time it ALLLLLL happens in just one page.
I could post at least a dozen more examples, but I'm bored with this review so I can only imagine how you people reading it feel.
Out of the entire book there was ONE good quote:
"God shouldn't allow a person to die until they've seen the sunrise over the ocean," Luna says. "And at least a hundred other miracles."
Oh wait, I take that back. There's another quote I liked:
"From the look on her face, you'd think she was reading the worst book ever."
But I liked that one for a different reason : )
When 1 Star reviews are posted, reviewers often get accused of being "angry." To put it bluntly, we are. I have over 600 books on my to-read list. I don't like wasting my time on something terrible. That doesn't mean I have it out for the author, though.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!
May 3, 2015
This book was simply beatiful, I can't say more.
March 1, 2015
Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This book is suppose to be YA but I don't think that people of that demographic will relate or enjoy this book all that much. It didn't seem to resonate or have any of the things that appeal to young readers. I hate to say it but it was extremely obvious that the author was pretty far removed from that age demographic.
If I could only use one word to describe this story it would be boring. David was dull and was made to seem like he had an intellectual disability along with his physical disability. It went farther than just being sheltered and naive. I found this frustrating because there was so much potential for great story telling with CIPA. Instead it fell flat. All of the challenges of living with CIPA for David were easily resolved and instead it seemed to focus on his intellectual challenges although I'm pretty certain he wasn't meant to have a developmental disability. I could be wrong but at the same time the plot moved along at a snails pace.
The characters were all a little weak and underdeveloped. The relationship between David and Luna was awkward, strained and uncomfortable to read. Their conversations were a little robotic and forced. Luna's shocking secret was not so shocking and it could be seen coming a mile away. Who the heck is Joe? I knew he was David's guardian although he felt more like his keeper. What I wanted to know was why? Where, why and how did a relationship build between him and David's grandmother that this decision was made?
I hate to write an unfavourable review but I have to be honest. This book just wasn't for me. From reading the synopsis it sounded like it had so much potential but it didn't live up to my expectations. Perhaps it is because I work in the developmental services field that I was so frustrated but I felt like it took us back at least twenty years in attitude and thinking. Where was the dignity of risk and positive supports (for either a physical or intellectual disability) that are so important to anyone living with challenges of any kind today?
I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This book is suppose to be YA but I don't think that people of that demographic will relate or enjoy this book all that much. It didn't seem to resonate or have any of the things that appeal to young readers. I hate to say it but it was extremely obvious that the author was pretty far removed from that age demographic.
If I could only use one word to describe this story it would be boring. David was dull and was made to seem like he had an intellectual disability along with his physical disability. It went farther than just being sheltered and naive. I found this frustrating because there was so much potential for great story telling with CIPA. Instead it fell flat. All of the challenges of living with CIPA for David were easily resolved and instead it seemed to focus on his intellectual challenges although I'm pretty certain he wasn't meant to have a developmental disability. I could be wrong but at the same time the plot moved along at a snails pace.
The characters were all a little weak and underdeveloped. The relationship between David and Luna was awkward, strained and uncomfortable to read. Their conversations were a little robotic and forced. Luna's shocking secret was not so shocking and it could be seen coming a mile away. Who the heck is Joe? I knew he was David's guardian although he felt more like his keeper. What I wanted to know was why? Where, why and how did a relationship build between him and David's grandmother that this decision was made?
I hate to write an unfavourable review but I have to be honest. This book just wasn't for me. From reading the synopsis it sounded like it had so much potential but it didn't live up to my expectations. Perhaps it is because I work in the developmental services field that I was so frustrated but I felt like it took us back at least twenty years in attitude and thinking. Where was the dignity of risk and positive supports (for either a physical or intellectual disability) that are so important to anyone living with challenges of any kind today?
July 8, 2015
I wanted to read Painless from the first time I saw the premise. I am drawn to books about teens with illnesses. I have never read a book about anhydrosis or CIPA, but have seen a House episode. LOL. I am diagnosed with somewhat of the opposite... a neurological condition where my body doesn't process pain signals correctly, and I feel pain more than normal, especially in the muscles. I know that CIPA is much more dangerous because you can get burned and not know it, or be sick and not really have indication.
David is an intriguing character and a walking paradox. He has learned so many tricks to keep himself from hurting himself, getting too hot, and to appear somewhat normal. But he balances these things with acts of recklessness.
It is more of an emotional story than I bargained for. I figured some because of his illness, and the hint that his parents had left him. But for me the most heartbreaking and touching part at the same time was his relationship with his grandma, Nanna. She cares so much for him, and has taken care of him. His mom left when David was a baby, and his dad, Nana's son left when he was school aged. There was a certain amount of mystery there, if they couldn't handle him, or somehow he was better off with his grandparents.
His Nana is getting old though, and as the book progresses her dementia gets worse. She still loves him fiercely though, and he does the best to make sure she is getting the best care. Their relationship made me even more emotional because of how close I was with my grandma, and how she raised me for a good part of my life. She also had dementia and it was so sad to watch the decline. Anyways, her lawyer and power of attorney as well as guardian of David as she can't make decisions has made sure that she gets medical care, but also that David has an assistant to make sure he doesn't get too hot since he can't feel it, but also can't sweat to cool down, and help him do injury checks, his bp, pulse, ears, throat, etc.
His best friend and also helper for years is graduating and going to college, so David gets Luna, a nursing assistant hoping to get her PhD. They develop the working relationship first, and then a friendship as she helps him to experience more of life than he has before, but figuring out ways to do it more safely. There is something mysterious about her and I had some theories but none were exactly right. Their relationship was in question for me a lot, but it was nice that a romance wasn't forefront.
I liked the ending in a way, but it was pretty open ended in a few areas. I liked the growth and balance that David reached.
Bottom Line: Emotional story of David learning to balance living his life and keeping himself healthy and safe. Also loved the quality of the relationships in this one.
David is an intriguing character and a walking paradox. He has learned so many tricks to keep himself from hurting himself, getting too hot, and to appear somewhat normal. But he balances these things with acts of recklessness.
It is more of an emotional story than I bargained for. I figured some because of his illness, and the hint that his parents had left him. But for me the most heartbreaking and touching part at the same time was his relationship with his grandma, Nanna. She cares so much for him, and has taken care of him. His mom left when David was a baby, and his dad, Nana's son left when he was school aged. There was a certain amount of mystery there, if they couldn't handle him, or somehow he was better off with his grandparents.
His Nana is getting old though, and as the book progresses her dementia gets worse. She still loves him fiercely though, and he does the best to make sure she is getting the best care. Their relationship made me even more emotional because of how close I was with my grandma, and how she raised me for a good part of my life. She also had dementia and it was so sad to watch the decline. Anyways, her lawyer and power of attorney as well as guardian of David as she can't make decisions has made sure that she gets medical care, but also that David has an assistant to make sure he doesn't get too hot since he can't feel it, but also can't sweat to cool down, and help him do injury checks, his bp, pulse, ears, throat, etc.
His best friend and also helper for years is graduating and going to college, so David gets Luna, a nursing assistant hoping to get her PhD. They develop the working relationship first, and then a friendship as she helps him to experience more of life than he has before, but figuring out ways to do it more safely. There is something mysterious about her and I had some theories but none were exactly right. Their relationship was in question for me a lot, but it was nice that a romance wasn't forefront.
I liked the ending in a way, but it was pretty open ended in a few areas. I liked the growth and balance that David reached.
Bottom Line: Emotional story of David learning to balance living his life and keeping himself healthy and safe. Also loved the quality of the relationships in this one.
May 1, 2015
Review originally on my blog: https://unquenchablereads.wordpress.c...
******I was got an e-arc of the book from the publisher on Netgalley. All thoughts are my own*******
Edition: e-arc, Netgalley
Pages: 272
Series or Standone: Standalone
Published: March 1th, 2015
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Goodreads Synopsis: “A first kiss. Falling in love. Going to prom. These are all normal things that most teenagers experience. Except for 17-year-old David Hart. His life is anything but normal and more difficult than most. Because of the disease that wracks his body, David is unable to feel pain. He has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis–or CIPA for short. One of only a handful of people in the world who suffer from CIPA, David can’t do the things every teenager does. He might accidentally break a limb and not know it. If he stands too close to a campfire, he could burn his skin and never feel it. He can’t tell if he has a fever and his temperature is rising. Abandoned by his parents, David now lives with his elderly grandmother who is dying. When David’s legal guardian tells him that he needs to move into an assisted living facility as he cannot live alone, David is determined to prove him wrong. He creates a bucket list, meets a girl with her own wish list, and then sets out to find his parents. All David wants to do is grow old, beat the odds, find love, travel the world, and see something spectacular. And he still wants to find his parents. While he still can.”
Plot: 4/5 Stars
I really enjoyed the plot. I had heard about this disease before in school I’m pretty sure. The plot of this book seemed really real. Just how at any moment life could change. Not everything lives up to the expectations in your head and I loved that David realized that.
Characters: 3/5 Stars
The characters were okay. We never learned too much about them or their past. The characters loved to not say the entire truth most of the time so yeah. I didn’t get too attached to the characters. Luna was probably my favorite character. I feel the author kept building Spencer up because he was David’s friend, but then dropped him almost completely.
Do I have a ship? Ummmmm not really
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
About the Author: S.A. Harazin has written stories since she was young. She now lives in Georgia with her husband and three children.
******I was got an e-arc of the book from the publisher on Netgalley. All thoughts are my own*******
Edition: e-arc, Netgalley
Pages: 272
Series or Standone: Standalone
Published: March 1th, 2015
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Goodreads Synopsis: “A first kiss. Falling in love. Going to prom. These are all normal things that most teenagers experience. Except for 17-year-old David Hart. His life is anything but normal and more difficult than most. Because of the disease that wracks his body, David is unable to feel pain. He has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis–or CIPA for short. One of only a handful of people in the world who suffer from CIPA, David can’t do the things every teenager does. He might accidentally break a limb and not know it. If he stands too close to a campfire, he could burn his skin and never feel it. He can’t tell if he has a fever and his temperature is rising. Abandoned by his parents, David now lives with his elderly grandmother who is dying. When David’s legal guardian tells him that he needs to move into an assisted living facility as he cannot live alone, David is determined to prove him wrong. He creates a bucket list, meets a girl with her own wish list, and then sets out to find his parents. All David wants to do is grow old, beat the odds, find love, travel the world, and see something spectacular. And he still wants to find his parents. While he still can.”
Plot: 4/5 Stars
I really enjoyed the plot. I had heard about this disease before in school I’m pretty sure. The plot of this book seemed really real. Just how at any moment life could change. Not everything lives up to the expectations in your head and I loved that David realized that.
Characters: 3/5 Stars
The characters were okay. We never learned too much about them or their past. The characters loved to not say the entire truth most of the time so yeah. I didn’t get too attached to the characters. Luna was probably my favorite character. I feel the author kept building Spencer up because he was David’s friend, but then dropped him almost completely.
Do I have a ship? Ummmmm not really
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
About the Author: S.A. Harazin has written stories since she was young. She now lives in Georgia with her husband and three children.
May 11, 2015
Review to come ...
May 6, 2018
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
David is 17 (almost 18) and suffers from a condition where he can't feel pain and has troubles regulating his body temperature. Which sounds like it could have been a really nice book, but somewhere it fell short.
David really acted like a child most of the time and the writing didn't help there either. He has a constant assistant, but since he didn't have any mental issues and was perfectly aware (by training) of what he could and couldn't do I didn't really understand why. Surely he was capable himself of checking his temperature (he has a watch) or taking his blood pressure. I also wasn't sure why they would be putting him in an assisted living facility, since he was perfectly fine living on his own.
One other thing that bothered me was that everything happened really fast (like on a couple of pages) and was never mentioned later. One of his friends dies in a car accident, which is never mentioned later at all. They go to the funeral and that's about it.
Not really for me.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
David is 17 (almost 18) and suffers from a condition where he can't feel pain and has troubles regulating his body temperature. Which sounds like it could have been a really nice book, but somewhere it fell short.
David really acted like a child most of the time and the writing didn't help there either. He has a constant assistant, but since he didn't have any mental issues and was perfectly aware (by training) of what he could and couldn't do I didn't really understand why. Surely he was capable himself of checking his temperature (he has a watch) or taking his blood pressure. I also wasn't sure why they would be putting him in an assisted living facility, since he was perfectly fine living on his own.
One other thing that bothered me was that everything happened really fast (like on a couple of pages) and was never mentioned later. One of his friends dies in a car accident, which is never mentioned later at all. They go to the funeral and that's about it.
Not really for me.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
December 2, 2022
Painless checklist:
Rare disease? ✔
Slow burn romance? ✔
Foreshadowing and breadcrumbs?✔
Painless is a short and unique read. This novel isn't a happy-go-lucky, everything is perfect type of story.
The characters have personalites and characteristics that are unique to each of them with relatable hobbies. David has the complex problems that define the plot but Luna is a mysterious character. She has her own life, problems and secrets. Luna deserves to have a side or sequel novel from her perspective.
You can also see how side characters like Spencer, Cameron, and others help move the story along.
From my perspective, this story felt disconnected. There was a lack of emotion. I think layering could have really made this work stand out. The plot was sporadically timed. I would have preferred the first two parts of the novel to be a journal type entry since having time stamps would give an more accurate view of the plot as a whole. The originality in this novel was great. I really liked the ideas.
If you're burnt out on star-crossed lovers with diseases, I recommend checking this one out :)
Rare disease? ✔
Slow burn romance? ✔
Foreshadowing and breadcrumbs?✔
Painless is a short and unique read. This novel isn't a happy-go-lucky, everything is perfect type of story.
The characters have personalites and characteristics that are unique to each of them with relatable hobbies. David has the complex problems that define the plot but Luna is a mysterious character. She has her own life, problems and secrets. Luna deserves to have a side or sequel novel from her perspective.
You can also see how side characters like Spencer, Cameron, and others help move the story along.
From my perspective, this story felt disconnected. There was a lack of emotion. I think layering could have really made this work stand out. The plot was sporadically timed. I would have preferred the first two parts of the novel to be a journal type entry since having time stamps would give an more accurate view of the plot as a whole. The originality in this novel was great. I really liked the ideas.
If you're burnt out on star-crossed lovers with diseases, I recommend checking this one out :)
March 15, 2015
What an odd, melancholy book this was.
David is a teenager with CIPA, a genetic condition that means that he doesn't feel pain, and he also doesn't sweat. His whole life has been a journey of having to be careful, worrying about hurting himself, and knowing that he puts those around him through difficulties due to his condition.
The book takes us on an exploration of what life is like for David - the way his social skills have suffered, his tenuous relationships with his guardian and friends, his reliance on his grandmother, who just might be the one person in the world who doesn't look at him and just see his condition.
With the threat of being put in assisted living looming over his head, David wants to live his life and accomplish all the things that normal teenagers dream - meet a girl, live on his own, swim in the ocean. The sort of bucket list that's pretty average, except that David's condition makes it anything but average.
The story is a mixture of romance, growing up, angsty road trip and self discovery, and surprisingly enough, it worked okay for me. I'm generally not a fan of road-trip books - I don't know why, but just hearing that a book has a road trip is enough to turn me off a bit. This story worked for me, though, maybe because I can identify with the kid who doesn't know why their parents didn't want them.
There were parts of the book that didn't go over so well, though. It honestly dragged in spots, and I found himself wondering where it was going, and what the point was, and when we were going to get there. The ebook copy I have is 300 pages and I feel like a good 50 should have been shaved off, or more content should have been added. It meanders and I wasn't really sure what the point was, even though I think that the author was aiming for a general story of growing up and self discovery. I shouldn't wonder that, though, the book should make it clear to me.
The ending also just left me kind of cold, to be honest... On one level, I get that it's a moment of self discovery for David, and it's about independence and self-reliance. The climax of the book actually worked for me, in that way. But then I got to the last few pages and I was just sort of left wondering what I'd just read, and was that really the ending? I don't know. It's the sort of non-ending that can be executed well, and I can see the attempt here, but it just didn't work for me.
Overall, I'd say that it was 'okay', but not really a book I would consider rereading. The meandering and the weak ending will push it down many people's lists, I think.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
David is a teenager with CIPA, a genetic condition that means that he doesn't feel pain, and he also doesn't sweat. His whole life has been a journey of having to be careful, worrying about hurting himself, and knowing that he puts those around him through difficulties due to his condition.
The book takes us on an exploration of what life is like for David - the way his social skills have suffered, his tenuous relationships with his guardian and friends, his reliance on his grandmother, who just might be the one person in the world who doesn't look at him and just see his condition.
With the threat of being put in assisted living looming over his head, David wants to live his life and accomplish all the things that normal teenagers dream - meet a girl, live on his own, swim in the ocean. The sort of bucket list that's pretty average, except that David's condition makes it anything but average.
The story is a mixture of romance, growing up, angsty road trip and self discovery, and surprisingly enough, it worked okay for me. I'm generally not a fan of road-trip books - I don't know why, but just hearing that a book has a road trip is enough to turn me off a bit. This story worked for me, though, maybe because I can identify with the kid who doesn't know why their parents didn't want them.
There were parts of the book that didn't go over so well, though. It honestly dragged in spots, and I found himself wondering where it was going, and what the point was, and when we were going to get there. The ebook copy I have is 300 pages and I feel like a good 50 should have been shaved off, or more content should have been added. It meanders and I wasn't really sure what the point was, even though I think that the author was aiming for a general story of growing up and self discovery. I shouldn't wonder that, though, the book should make it clear to me.
The ending also just left me kind of cold, to be honest... On one level, I get that it's a moment of self discovery for David, and it's about independence and self-reliance. The climax of the book actually worked for me, in that way. But then I got to the last few pages and I was just sort of left wondering what I'd just read, and was that really the ending? I don't know. It's the sort of non-ending that can be executed well, and I can see the attempt here, but it just didn't work for me.
Overall, I'd say that it was 'okay', but not really a book I would consider rereading. The meandering and the weak ending will push it down many people's lists, I think.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read
June 11, 2015Against all odds, David Hart is still alive. At age seventeen, he has lived longer than anyone ever expected. David was diagnosed with CIPA, a congenital insensitivity to pain.
David was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth, and not long after that, his father, not ready for the immense responsibility of raising a child with this unusual condition, left David with his grandparents. Growing up for David meant continuous monitoring since even a minor injury could result in a life-threatening situation. Unable to sense outside temperature variations could cause David's internal temperature to spike or plummet resulting in seizures and even death if untreated. For David breaking a bone cause absolutely no pain, so walking for days on a broken leg left David with a permanent limb and required him to walk with a cane.
Playing with other children was a challenge when bumps and bruises threatened. David also found it difficult to understand when others suffered pain. All these concerns left David living a very protected life, but he is realizing at seventeen that he wants to experience what others take for granted.
When a longtime friend and companion announces he is leaving for college, a new trainee must be hired. Meeting the new replacement, Luna, changes life for David. She is fresh and interesting and challenges him to expand his limited world. He embarks on completing a bucket list he never thought he had the courage to attempt in the past.
Author S.A. Harazin incorporates her medical knowledge as a registered nurse into David's unique story. Readers will sense the loneliness and frustration David experiences as he tries to negotiate life as a normal teenager. Each challenge and setback is filled with emotion and reveals David's ultimate determination to live life to its fullest.
David was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth, and not long after that, his father, not ready for the immense responsibility of raising a child with this unusual condition, left David with his grandparents. Growing up for David meant continuous monitoring since even a minor injury could result in a life-threatening situation. Unable to sense outside temperature variations could cause David's internal temperature to spike or plummet resulting in seizures and even death if untreated. For David breaking a bone cause absolutely no pain, so walking for days on a broken leg left David with a permanent limb and required him to walk with a cane.
Playing with other children was a challenge when bumps and bruises threatened. David also found it difficult to understand when others suffered pain. All these concerns left David living a very protected life, but he is realizing at seventeen that he wants to experience what others take for granted.
When a longtime friend and companion announces he is leaving for college, a new trainee must be hired. Meeting the new replacement, Luna, changes life for David. She is fresh and interesting and challenges him to expand his limited world. He embarks on completing a bucket list he never thought he had the courage to attempt in the past.
Author S.A. Harazin incorporates her medical knowledge as a registered nurse into David's unique story. Readers will sense the loneliness and frustration David experiences as he tries to negotiate life as a normal teenager. Each challenge and setback is filled with emotion and reveals David's ultimate determination to live life to its fullest.
December 26, 2014
A quick read with an interesting premise. David has a rare genetic condition where he cannot feel pain, not only that, but he also can't sweat or cry or know when he needs to go to the toilet. As a result he has led a very sheltered life and is pretty clueless when it comes to ...well just about anything. This book mainly focussed on a coming of age type scenario where David meets a girl and must try and work out what to do with his life.
This was not a horrible read but it also definitely wasn't an outstanding read either. I read in one sitting and it kept me engaged enough that I finished but mainly only because I was waiting for something to happen.
David as a character is not really interesting enough to carry this novel. His naivety gets a bit annoying after awhile particularly when he does some pretty stupid things. Much of the book is just mundane conversations with the small number of people he has contact with, and really not much happens. Side characters are also given other medical issues perhaps in an attempt to make them more interesting but it's all a bit glossed over and David never seems to actually have an emotional response to anything. Like somehow having not being able to feel pain makes you have no emotions either? I also found the details of his condition a bit hard to get my head around and everyone's over the top responses to it particularly once he reaches adulthood.
All in all a light quick read but not something I would rush out and recommend ?
A couple of errors spotted.
I received an advance copy from the publisher.
This was not a horrible read but it also definitely wasn't an outstanding read either. I read in one sitting and it kept me engaged enough that I finished but mainly only because I was waiting for something to happen.
David as a character is not really interesting enough to carry this novel. His naivety gets a bit annoying after awhile particularly when he does some pretty stupid things. Much of the book is just mundane conversations with the small number of people he has contact with, and really not much happens. Side characters are also given other medical issues perhaps in an attempt to make them more interesting but it's all a bit glossed over and David never seems to actually have an emotional response to anything. Like somehow having not being able to feel pain makes you have no emotions either? I also found the details of his condition a bit hard to get my head around and everyone's over the top responses to it particularly once he reaches adulthood.
All in all a light quick read but not something I would rush out and recommend ?
A couple of errors spotted.
I received an advance copy from the publisher.
March 2, 2015
“Painless” is a book about a boy, David, who suffers from a life-threatening disease called CIPA that makes it impossible for him to feel pain or changes in temperature.
The world of David is a fascinating one, with inner thoughts and situations that are not what most of us have ever been exposed to. Additionally, there is a wealth of information about CIPA and what life is like for those living with it. The plot is excellent in that it shows how David learns to come out of his shell and begin dealing with the world around him, facing his fears head-on, along with learning there are people there to help him and how to accept that help.
Unfortunately, there is almost zero resolution to the mysteries in the plot. While realistically all of life’s problems are rarely solved easily, it would have been nice for there to be some sort of closure for the reader to at least one of the threads. It made what was a good read a source of frustration, and that is what is lingering in my head as I write this review.
I cannot recommend “Painless”, nor can I say not to read it. It will depend upon the reader whether or not it is appealing.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The world of David is a fascinating one, with inner thoughts and situations that are not what most of us have ever been exposed to. Additionally, there is a wealth of information about CIPA and what life is like for those living with it. The plot is excellent in that it shows how David learns to come out of his shell and begin dealing with the world around him, facing his fears head-on, along with learning there are people there to help him and how to accept that help.
Unfortunately, there is almost zero resolution to the mysteries in the plot. While realistically all of life’s problems are rarely solved easily, it would have been nice for there to be some sort of closure for the reader to at least one of the threads. It made what was a good read a source of frustration, and that is what is lingering in my head as I write this review.
I cannot recommend “Painless”, nor can I say not to read it. It will depend upon the reader whether or not it is appealing.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2014
Writing style as always was run of the mill. Nothing overly unusual to report but nothing bad to talk about either.
The main character in this book I found to be quite bland. I can only describe it as trying to hold a conversation with someone but having them only speaking one word every five seconds. Reading David’s story was a bit like reading the stoned caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. Long and drawn out without really saying anything.
I need to love a main character, or love to hate them, and with David I just couldn’t do either.
There are plenty of other characters in this book for you to sink your teeth into but I never really feel you get a chance to know them in any real way. Even the characters who I assumed to be important didn’t hang around enough to make any impact on me.
The plot line has an interesting look on a life out of the ordinary but it just didn’t have the impact to make me enjoy.
The book reminded me of a young John Green starting out on his writing career. It had lots of potential but not quite there yet.
With this in mind though, I see no reason why Harazin won’t be an author to watch in the future.
The main character in this book I found to be quite bland. I can only describe it as trying to hold a conversation with someone but having them only speaking one word every five seconds. Reading David’s story was a bit like reading the stoned caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. Long and drawn out without really saying anything.
I need to love a main character, or love to hate them, and with David I just couldn’t do either.
There are plenty of other characters in this book for you to sink your teeth into but I never really feel you get a chance to know them in any real way. Even the characters who I assumed to be important didn’t hang around enough to make any impact on me.
The plot line has an interesting look on a life out of the ordinary but it just didn’t have the impact to make me enjoy.
The book reminded me of a young John Green starting out on his writing career. It had lots of potential but not quite there yet.
With this in mind though, I see no reason why Harazin won’t be an author to watch in the future.
March 17, 2015
I can understand why this book isn't for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. I found David's story very real and I was satisfied with how it ended.
March 22, 2021
Painless, this emotional unexpected young adult fiction book written by S. A. Harazin will send you through this roller coaster that feels as if it never stops. David was brought out to be an immature teen but in reality, he was an 18-year-old with a rare medical condition. This medical condition called CIPA caused David to not feel hot, cold, or any pain. With this, his life expectancy was very low but this young adult seemed to be a miracle. Harazin helped make this book easy to connect to with many situations and emotions David conquered.
I can say this is one of the only books I felt as if I could ever connect with. Although David had this medical condition he was determined to do the things he wanted while going through much more. Many teens and young adults struggle with much more than they show. If you were to meet David without knowing his condition or without knowing the bigger things he was facing you would see him as the most positive person that wants to live life to the fullest. I was able to connect this book to the world as well. In reality today many people put on that mask that David did to be just like others or to only let others see the good in themselves and their lives but truthfully it may be so much harder to handle.
Being able to connect with the main character which was David helped enhance the theme of not giving up and seeing more value in yourself. As a kid, David's parents left him with his grandmother for unknown reasons. With that David had to live this lifestyle of wondering why he wasn’t enough for his parents. He had many medical assistants coming and going but Luna was the first he had ever felt Love for. Luna helped David see more within his life such as even creating a bucket list. When David’s grandmother passed away he had to learn to care for himself to prove to Joe which was then the legal guardian that he did not need to be sent away to an assisted living facility. All while trying not to injure himself he fights for his love for Luna, proving Joe wrong, and finding his parents.
This book's intended audience was for young-adults because of the situations David goes through throughout the story. The struggle for love, the hopelessness of feeling less than enough, and they want to be more independent is only just a few reasons young adults can connect to this book more than others. As you begin this book it will have you wanting to constantly turn the pages to find out if David gets the girl, has to move out, finds his parents, or even survives.
I can say this is one of the only books I felt as if I could ever connect with. Although David had this medical condition he was determined to do the things he wanted while going through much more. Many teens and young adults struggle with much more than they show. If you were to meet David without knowing his condition or without knowing the bigger things he was facing you would see him as the most positive person that wants to live life to the fullest. I was able to connect this book to the world as well. In reality today many people put on that mask that David did to be just like others or to only let others see the good in themselves and their lives but truthfully it may be so much harder to handle.
Being able to connect with the main character which was David helped enhance the theme of not giving up and seeing more value in yourself. As a kid, David's parents left him with his grandmother for unknown reasons. With that David had to live this lifestyle of wondering why he wasn’t enough for his parents. He had many medical assistants coming and going but Luna was the first he had ever felt Love for. Luna helped David see more within his life such as even creating a bucket list. When David’s grandmother passed away he had to learn to care for himself to prove to Joe which was then the legal guardian that he did not need to be sent away to an assisted living facility. All while trying not to injure himself he fights for his love for Luna, proving Joe wrong, and finding his parents.
This book's intended audience was for young-adults because of the situations David goes through throughout the story. The struggle for love, the hopelessness of feeling less than enough, and they want to be more independent is only just a few reasons young adults can connect to this book more than others. As you begin this book it will have you wanting to constantly turn the pages to find out if David gets the girl, has to move out, finds his parents, or even survives.
March 29, 2018
Painless is a realistic fiction book. The theme is if you work hard for something you can achieve it. The book shows this because when the main character, David, and the girl that was taking care of him since his best friend would be at college made him write a list on his goals. He worked as much as he can to drive to get his permit. He had a schedule everyday and would get in at least 2 hours of driving. Later he got his permit and got to drive where he wanted.
Painless is about a guy who can’t feel pain. He can burn himself but he won’t be able to feel it. So he needs someone to look after him just in case something happens. He can feel pressure when someone touches him. He can’t feel hot or cold. When he hurts himself he can’t feel any bruises or cuts that he has. He doesn’t know if he has a fever or frostbite. He has become a recluse, he hides from people just in case he got hurt. He doesn’t want anyone to think that the person who’s taking care of him is abusing him.
David in the beginning of the book was shy and would only talk to his grandma and his few friends. He never went out of the house. But, when his friend went to college he found someone to make sure that David was okay everyday. She made him get out of his comfort zone and make goals for himself. He became brave by going out more. He reminds me of children because they can be shy but when you talk to them they will get out of that shy part of them and start wanting to play games with you.
Painless was an interesting book because you see his side of what he has to face everyday. This book opened my eyes and realized that there are people in the world that can’t feel pain. I never understanded how this condition worked. I can feel pain so I don’t fully understand what he’s going through but it seems a stressful life. You have to have someone looking over you all the time every single day just to make sure that you aren’t seriously injured.
Throughout this book I was mostly curious. I tried to see his perspective of his live and understand what he goes through so then I could understand the book. The girl that helped check to see if David was okay was confusing to get to know her. When they first introduced the girl, she wasn’t in the chapters enough to get to know her. Her personality still confuses me after I read the whole book. I would recommend this book to everyone because it’s a condition that is rare and everyone should know about it.
Painless is about a guy who can’t feel pain. He can burn himself but he won’t be able to feel it. So he needs someone to look after him just in case something happens. He can feel pressure when someone touches him. He can’t feel hot or cold. When he hurts himself he can’t feel any bruises or cuts that he has. He doesn’t know if he has a fever or frostbite. He has become a recluse, he hides from people just in case he got hurt. He doesn’t want anyone to think that the person who’s taking care of him is abusing him.
David in the beginning of the book was shy and would only talk to his grandma and his few friends. He never went out of the house. But, when his friend went to college he found someone to make sure that David was okay everyday. She made him get out of his comfort zone and make goals for himself. He became brave by going out more. He reminds me of children because they can be shy but when you talk to them they will get out of that shy part of them and start wanting to play games with you.
Painless was an interesting book because you see his side of what he has to face everyday. This book opened my eyes and realized that there are people in the world that can’t feel pain. I never understanded how this condition worked. I can feel pain so I don’t fully understand what he’s going through but it seems a stressful life. You have to have someone looking over you all the time every single day just to make sure that you aren’t seriously injured.
Throughout this book I was mostly curious. I tried to see his perspective of his live and understand what he goes through so then I could understand the book. The girl that helped check to see if David was okay was confusing to get to know her. When they first introduced the girl, she wasn’t in the chapters enough to get to know her. Her personality still confuses me after I read the whole book. I would recommend this book to everyone because it’s a condition that is rare and everyone should know about it.
December 8, 2023
Spoilers
David the main character has a really rare disease called Congenital insensitivity to pain and anhidrosis(CIPA). Which is a disease where you can’t feel the sensation of pain and people who have the disease don’t live long. When he was a child his parents dropped him off at his grandparents house then they disappeared. Now he is 17 and lives with his grandma who is old and dying. He has a friend named Spencer who takes care of him, but is about to move away for school. Spencer finds David a new caretaker on craigslist who thought she got pranked because she saw that David was a 17 year old. David has a bucket list of things he wants to do before he dies. The main thing he wants to do is find his parents so that they could tell him why they abandoned him at his grandparents house.
S.A. Harazin’s writing style tends to lean more towards the minimal side. She doesn’t add too much detail in her writing in regards to the characters. The way she explains David’s life at the beginning is as if everything in his life is always on a downhill spiral. Whether it was from his best friend moving away to college, to his grandmother dying, to his parents' negligence of him.
I would say that this is a decent book, with how you slowly learn about David and his problems he deals with because of his disease. The book does have its problems, like how the author doesn’t describe the scenes right so you can’t picture it. The book also majorly stays with only the sad and serious tone with very little actually exciting or happy parts. There were also some pointless to the plot moments like a car accident and a hurricane coming through.
David the main character has a really rare disease called Congenital insensitivity to pain and anhidrosis(CIPA). Which is a disease where you can’t feel the sensation of pain and people who have the disease don’t live long. When he was a child his parents dropped him off at his grandparents house then they disappeared. Now he is 17 and lives with his grandma who is old and dying. He has a friend named Spencer who takes care of him, but is about to move away for school. Spencer finds David a new caretaker on craigslist who thought she got pranked because she saw that David was a 17 year old. David has a bucket list of things he wants to do before he dies. The main thing he wants to do is find his parents so that they could tell him why they abandoned him at his grandparents house.
S.A. Harazin’s writing style tends to lean more towards the minimal side. She doesn’t add too much detail in her writing in regards to the characters. The way she explains David’s life at the beginning is as if everything in his life is always on a downhill spiral. Whether it was from his best friend moving away to college, to his grandmother dying, to his parents' negligence of him.
I would say that this is a decent book, with how you slowly learn about David and his problems he deals with because of his disease. The book does have its problems, like how the author doesn’t describe the scenes right so you can’t picture it. The book also majorly stays with only the sad and serious tone with very little actually exciting or happy parts. There were also some pointless to the plot moments like a car accident and a hurricane coming through.
December 18, 2018
The book Painless was very interesting and kept us all on our toes. At the beginning of the book, we found out about David's disease of CIPA and had found multiple pieces of background knowledge to help us have a better under standing of the story and where David came from. We, as small group readers, definitely had many questions about Luna, his family, his disease, what types of ups and down the 'couple' would experience, what routes they would take to achieve their goals and what path would they have to take to possibly find his parents.
The book was published thoroughly and was put well together. The author had a very interesting background. The background had many connections to the book. When we found out more information and background knowledge on the author, it was easier for us to see what path the book would go in terms of the characters having medical issues. She grew up in the fashion of the doctor/ medical field and it was very easy to understand why some of the characters had the traits of medical issues they did.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy the books that take many paths and routes to achieve the goal they've been striving for. We would rate this book about an 8-9 out of 10.
The book was published thoroughly and was put well together. The author had a very interesting background. The background had many connections to the book. When we found out more information and background knowledge on the author, it was easier for us to see what path the book would go in terms of the characters having medical issues. She grew up in the fashion of the doctor/ medical field and it was very easy to understand why some of the characters had the traits of medical issues they did.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy the books that take many paths and routes to achieve the goal they've been striving for. We would rate this book about an 8-9 out of 10.
September 17, 2023
Interesting book about a boy who can't feel pain. Ok, you'd think that would be amazing, but it's TERRIBLE, because pain is your warning system, otherwise you could run around with cuts and broken bones and heat stroke/frostbite without even knowing until your body stops responding the way you expect. D:
It's also a scarily real thing.
It's both sad and encouraging reading a story about someone with CIPA, although this one goes some strange places toward the end, especially by slice-of-life standards. The main part that feels discouraging is how his parents abandoned him as a child because they couldn't handle the CPS reports on them, and how one of his bucket list items is to find them and spitefully laugh in their faces that he is doing well without them. While he ends up genuinely not having any hard feelings, it's just sad that such a situation could ever conceivably exist (I know people, and I know there are enough people that it HAS to have happened, much as I'd like otherwise).
Mixed feelings about recommending to others, otherwise a good read.
It's also a scarily real thing.
It's both sad and encouraging reading a story about someone with CIPA, although this one goes some strange places toward the end, especially by slice-of-life standards. The main part that feels discouraging is how his parents abandoned him as a child because they couldn't handle the CPS reports on them, and how one of his bucket list items is to find them and spitefully laugh in their faces that he is doing well without them. While he ends up genuinely not having any hard feelings, it's just sad that such a situation could ever conceivably exist (I know people, and I know there are enough people that it HAS to have happened, much as I'd like otherwise).
Mixed feelings about recommending to others, otherwise a good read.
March 28, 2018
I liked it. What is pain? Is it truly subjective? How does one understand pain when one is physically incapable of feeling it? That's at the heart of this story. David has a rare medical condition that doesn't allow him to feel pain. Not only that, but he can't feel hot or cold so he can't regulate his body temperature. Through all of this, he has lived longer than any of his doctor's expected. He graduated high school and is eager to get out of the house to which he has been confined most of his life. He has a list of things that hurt him, only because people have told him they hurt him. He also has a list of things he wants to do before he dies, which he knows could happen at anytime. At the top of that list is to find his parents. He sets out on a road trip to Florida with a girl, Luna, who he really likes but isn't sure likes him back. They get trapped in an abandoned cabin when a hurricane hits and they have to survive the night. You don't have to physically feel pain to have emotions. Loss and heartache are all the pain one needs. "Suffering has been a good teacher."
March 16, 2016
Read more at http://rainbowreviews.wix.com/reading free or on Instagram @RainbowReviewsKC
Gut Instinct Rating - 4.5
Story Line - 4.5
Writing Style - 4
Characters - 5
Excitement Factor - 4
Believability for type and topics - 5
Similarity to other books - 5
Cover art - 4
Title Relevance - 5
David suffers from a disease called CIPA (for short). David is incapable of feeling temperature, pain, and struggles with some other things that simply complicate his life. If you've ever wanted to not feel pain, this book is a perfect list of reasons why not feeling pain is more difficult than feeling pain.
You may like this book if you like the following sub-genres:
Disabilities
Invisible Illness
Bucket List
This book took me by surprise. What I thought was entirely a work of fiction, turned out to have quite a bit of truth in it. I suffer from fibromyalgia, which means more time than not, I'm begging the body-God's and the fibro-God's to relieve me of my pain forever. I've never wanted to feel my pain (I mean, honestly, if you could go on without feeling bruises and broken bones and such, you'd probably do it, too - even if you're a normal, healthy individual). I learned about an incredibly rare disease while also exploring my own pain management, paired with a little bit of teen drama.
I would've probably titled this a 4.5 regardless of the ending, which I felt didn't really make sense, but there were too many dull moments. If I were to lok back on the summary notes from each chapter, I'd probably be able to cross most of it out because it really just was blah-blah-blah, space filler, time filler, nonsense. I think for a YA book, that's what a lot of teenagers want. They don't want the science, and they don't want these adult-like stories. They want to read what they relate to, and I get that, so I think for a YA book, it was fine. It scored really low on Goodreads, so I was a bit skeptical before I started reading, but I enjoyed it. I would've, as stated earlier, liked to see a more comprehensive ending that provided me with some closure, because it felt like it was leading into a sequel, and there isn't one been published at this time. I also really hated the choppiness of the chapters. I mentioned this in my last review as well... but I would rather have things broken up by "The next day, Luna and I..." But the author would have like two paragraphs and then transition with +++ to an entirely different setting, day, and there'd be whole new conversations taking place. It was just really abrupt, and I'll probably always complain about this type of writing style. I want to see things flow and be easier to read than have to really think about an author's poor choice of transitions.
The characters, however, were done perfectly. I could go on for days about David's CIPA, but the author really studied the disease (or has it herself), because she was very knowledgeable, the few statistics used in the book were in fact accurate (a simple google search will give you the data, so it wasn't plagued with science if that's a concern). She really got inside David's day-to-day life and made you really learn what it's like to live with someone who has CIPA. More interestingly, someone who has far-exceeded CIPA's life-expectancy, which then brings in more struggles as David is an 18-year-old young man who wants his freedoms despite how CIPA continuously impacts his life. The caregivers were well placed - I think the differences between Spencer & Luna were really important. You had a friend who was paid to watch over David, and then you had a caregiver who was paid to care for David. I didn't really care for Luna's character, however. I felt she was too wishy-washy and I would've liked the reasoning for that to be explored way earlier on in the novel, but again, this goes back to the writing style and story line and just not loving the way it was placed together. The author did a fairly good job exploring Grandma's dementia and how that also effects David's life as her primary care-taker. The secondary characters were routine, bringing a little this or that from the stereotypical teen groups. I thought the plug for a band in this book was a bit strange. I didn't really impact or hurt the story, but I didn't think it was really flowing with the story line, either. This was certainly one of those books that the characters were the story line, rather than them being a part of the story line. And that's a huge difference - and if you read a lot, you might understand the difference. But the story line was impacted by some of the secondary characters which made it a bit "meh."
I wasn't really sure why the cover-art existed as it did. I personally thought it was a girl on the cover, so when I learned that the main character, David, was a male (and identified as a male), I was a bit confused. I didn't really get the ocean reference. I mean, sure, it was discussed and it was part of a few scenes, but I didn't think it was that in-tune with the story line and the personality of the characters. I'm not sure how you illustrate CIPA, but I think there's probably a way a painter could've gotten inside the diagnosis rather than us looking at some waves. The title, which drew me into this story since I have fibromyalgia, was perfect. I mean, you could've named it CIPA, but I don't think as many people would've dove in.
I'm still not entirely sure why this book scored so low on Goodreads. Not a lot of people have read it, so I don't know if it's too advanced for younger-readers (I personally don't think it is), or if there's not been a lot of help from the publishers. I'm not entirely sure where I heard of it, but it made its way to my TBR, and I'm glad I read it.
"How come a dog understands me and people don't?" - pg. 149
Gut Instinct Rating - 4.5
Story Line - 4.5
Writing Style - 4
Characters - 5
Excitement Factor - 4
Believability for type and topics - 5
Similarity to other books - 5
Cover art - 4
Title Relevance - 5
David suffers from a disease called CIPA (for short). David is incapable of feeling temperature, pain, and struggles with some other things that simply complicate his life. If you've ever wanted to not feel pain, this book is a perfect list of reasons why not feeling pain is more difficult than feeling pain.
You may like this book if you like the following sub-genres:
Disabilities
Invisible Illness
Bucket List
This book took me by surprise. What I thought was entirely a work of fiction, turned out to have quite a bit of truth in it. I suffer from fibromyalgia, which means more time than not, I'm begging the body-God's and the fibro-God's to relieve me of my pain forever. I've never wanted to feel my pain (I mean, honestly, if you could go on without feeling bruises and broken bones and such, you'd probably do it, too - even if you're a normal, healthy individual). I learned about an incredibly rare disease while also exploring my own pain management, paired with a little bit of teen drama.
I would've probably titled this a 4.5 regardless of the ending, which I felt didn't really make sense, but there were too many dull moments. If I were to lok back on the summary notes from each chapter, I'd probably be able to cross most of it out because it really just was blah-blah-blah, space filler, time filler, nonsense. I think for a YA book, that's what a lot of teenagers want. They don't want the science, and they don't want these adult-like stories. They want to read what they relate to, and I get that, so I think for a YA book, it was fine. It scored really low on Goodreads, so I was a bit skeptical before I started reading, but I enjoyed it. I would've, as stated earlier, liked to see a more comprehensive ending that provided me with some closure, because it felt like it was leading into a sequel, and there isn't one been published at this time. I also really hated the choppiness of the chapters. I mentioned this in my last review as well... but I would rather have things broken up by "The next day, Luna and I..." But the author would have like two paragraphs and then transition with +++ to an entirely different setting, day, and there'd be whole new conversations taking place. It was just really abrupt, and I'll probably always complain about this type of writing style. I want to see things flow and be easier to read than have to really think about an author's poor choice of transitions.
The characters, however, were done perfectly. I could go on for days about David's CIPA, but the author really studied the disease (or has it herself), because she was very knowledgeable, the few statistics used in the book were in fact accurate (a simple google search will give you the data, so it wasn't plagued with science if that's a concern). She really got inside David's day-to-day life and made you really learn what it's like to live with someone who has CIPA. More interestingly, someone who has far-exceeded CIPA's life-expectancy, which then brings in more struggles as David is an 18-year-old young man who wants his freedoms despite how CIPA continuously impacts his life. The caregivers were well placed - I think the differences between Spencer & Luna were really important. You had a friend who was paid to watch over David, and then you had a caregiver who was paid to care for David. I didn't really care for Luna's character, however. I felt she was too wishy-washy and I would've liked the reasoning for that to be explored way earlier on in the novel, but again, this goes back to the writing style and story line and just not loving the way it was placed together. The author did a fairly good job exploring Grandma's dementia and how that also effects David's life as her primary care-taker. The secondary characters were routine, bringing a little this or that from the stereotypical teen groups. I thought the plug for a band in this book was a bit strange. I didn't really impact or hurt the story, but I didn't think it was really flowing with the story line, either. This was certainly one of those books that the characters were the story line, rather than them being a part of the story line. And that's a huge difference - and if you read a lot, you might understand the difference. But the story line was impacted by some of the secondary characters which made it a bit "meh."
I wasn't really sure why the cover-art existed as it did. I personally thought it was a girl on the cover, so when I learned that the main character, David, was a male (and identified as a male), I was a bit confused. I didn't really get the ocean reference. I mean, sure, it was discussed and it was part of a few scenes, but I didn't think it was that in-tune with the story line and the personality of the characters. I'm not sure how you illustrate CIPA, but I think there's probably a way a painter could've gotten inside the diagnosis rather than us looking at some waves. The title, which drew me into this story since I have fibromyalgia, was perfect. I mean, you could've named it CIPA, but I don't think as many people would've dove in.
I'm still not entirely sure why this book scored so low on Goodreads. Not a lot of people have read it, so I don't know if it's too advanced for younger-readers (I personally don't think it is), or if there's not been a lot of help from the publishers. I'm not entirely sure where I heard of it, but it made its way to my TBR, and I'm glad I read it.
"How come a dog understands me and people don't?" - pg. 149
September 14, 2018
The concept and premise of this book had great potential. The main character, David, has a rare disorder in which he can't feel pain or regulate his body temperature. I was interested to learn more about the condition, but the book fell flat for me. The characters did not seem well developed and it was difficult to guess what motivated them especially Luna. David's voice was quite flat but perhaps that was meant to be a symptom of his condition. It was very odd that early in the book a friend of David's dies and it doesn't seem to affect him or anyone else all that much. It was also strange that despite how vulnerable David was, he completely lacked any common sense.
April 9, 2024
Title - Painless x S. A. Harazin
Genre - Coming of age, YA, illness
TW - blood, death (non graphic just mentions of)
Overview - Imagine not being able to feel pain, meaning you don’t feel hunger cues, you have no idea if you have a broken bone, no idea how to regulate temperature and so much more are given a life expectancy of 3 years yet now are 18 and need to experience the world outside of the house. It definitely sparks feelings of understanding needing to know how the other lives and what their lack of knowledge on pain is like
Rating - 🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️out of 5 tornadoes
Pages - 297
Genre - Coming of age, YA, illness
TW - blood, death (non graphic just mentions of)
Overview - Imagine not being able to feel pain, meaning you don’t feel hunger cues, you have no idea if you have a broken bone, no idea how to regulate temperature and so much more are given a life expectancy of 3 years yet now are 18 and need to experience the world outside of the house. It definitely sparks feelings of understanding needing to know how the other lives and what their lack of knowledge on pain is like
Rating - 🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️out of 5 tornadoes
Pages - 297
December 26, 2018
David Hart is one of my favorite characters I've met this year. When you think of painless there are many preconceived notions. There are so many little things in this book I hadn't even thought of. I love David's internal dialogue. Spencer is a great friend, even if he was paid for it. I enjoy the ongoing quips concerning his cologne. Will recommend this book. in the search for his parents, he finds himself. This book made my heart happy.
April 13, 2022
Painless by S.A. Harazin is a romantic novel and a drama. You fall in love with a boy who has grown up with a hard life but learns to adapt and make his life better in the future. The boy falls in love with a babysitter and a best friend to him. If you do not like romantic novels this is not the book for you. Painless is mostly a romantic novel but it is a little bit of a drama.
June 23, 2017
The ramblings of a teen boy who has a rare disease where he cannot feel pain and has beat most odds by surviving childhood. Now, with the realization of his mortality and the people around him moving on with life, he has created a bucket list that he works to accomplish.
January 6, 2021
This book was different than I had anticipated, but that’s what made it enjoyable to read. It’s not your typical young adult romance novel! The protagonist’s story is a bit heartbreaking, again not what I had in mind before reading!
December 12, 2017
I was having such a good time reading this one.
review to come :)
review to come :)
May 6, 2018
I really liked the concept and promise of this book, but it never really clicked for me.....
January 25, 2019
I'm not really sure how to explain this book. To me it was all over the place . I feel like it was talking to someone who has a horrible attention span.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews