What do you think?
Rate this book
A Little Unwell
A compelling, candid and darkly funny novel that explores the modern realities of our dysfunctional public health system, and the fragile human beings fighting to make it work.
Night shift. Just keep them all alive until the morning they said.
No higher brain function required they said.
They were wrong.
For Amy, being a doctor was supposed to mean winning at life.
Helping people. Saving lives. Having a secure job. Earning good money. Tick, tick, tick, tick.
But now, in her second year in a city hospital the reality is a world away from Amy's med school dreams. She is finding out that people don't always want to be 'helped', the pay barely covers rent, her hours are ridiculous, her favourite patients are getting sicker, and her surgical trainee boyfriend has recently gone shy on proposing.
What Amy does have are the friendships forged by dealing with recalcitrant patients, endless nightshifts, and crying in the emergency department bathrooms. And a belief that maybe, underneath it all, it's a job that's still worth doing.
And when things begin to go wrong - horribly wrong - they're all that Amy has. Will it be enough?
A Little Unwell is a darkly funny and emotionally powerful medical drama about the life of a female junior doctor - dealing with recalcitrant patients, long hours and crying in the emergency department bathrooms - informed by the real-life experiences of the author.
Night shift. Just keep them all alive until the morning they said.
No higher brain function required they said.
They were wrong.
For Amy, being a doctor was supposed to mean winning at life.
Helping people. Saving lives. Having a secure job. Earning good money. Tick, tick, tick, tick.
But now, in her second year in a city hospital the reality is a world away from Amy's med school dreams. She is finding out that people don't always want to be 'helped', the pay barely covers rent, her hours are ridiculous, her favourite patients are getting sicker, and her surgical trainee boyfriend has recently gone shy on proposing.
What Amy does have are the friendships forged by dealing with recalcitrant patients, endless nightshifts, and crying in the emergency department bathrooms. And a belief that maybe, underneath it all, it's a job that's still worth doing.
And when things begin to go wrong - horribly wrong - they're all that Amy has. Will it be enough?
A Little Unwell is a darkly funny and emotionally powerful medical drama about the life of a female junior doctor - dealing with recalcitrant patients, long hours and crying in the emergency department bathrooms - informed by the real-life experiences of the author.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette, this is an ARC review.
If you didn’t know better, you’d be forgiven for thinking that A Little Unwell was a memoir. Riddled with the gallows humour that can only come from having worked in healthcare herself, Jewell writes about Amy, a junior doctor navigating the complexities of a hospital night shift rotation and some semblance of a personal life.
It’s rare that I ACTUALLY laugh out loud when I read but this book had me in fits of giggles from the start, before it had me bawling. The book paints a grim and unfortunately extremely realistic view of the Australian public healthcare system and some of the vast challenges our doctors are faced with every day - gruesome injuries, difficult patients, difficult colleagues, compassion fatigue, actual fatigue.
I enjoyed the tone and pace of the book and found it a very engaging novel, despite its often heavy content. I think this book will resonate deeply with anyone who has worked in frontline healthcare, and be equally valuable to those readers who haven’t. My only qualm was that I found Chris so infuriating, but I understand that this was purposeful!
TW: The novel is quite graphic in parts, uses strong language and addresses suicide. Read at your discretion.
Dark, wickedly funny, tragic and powerful - if you loved “This is Going to Hurt” then you will love A Little Unwell!
If you didn’t know better, you’d be forgiven for thinking that A Little Unwell was a memoir. Riddled with the gallows humour that can only come from having worked in healthcare herself, Jewell writes about Amy, a junior doctor navigating the complexities of a hospital night shift rotation and some semblance of a personal life.
It’s rare that I ACTUALLY laugh out loud when I read but this book had me in fits of giggles from the start, before it had me bawling. The book paints a grim and unfortunately extremely realistic view of the Australian public healthcare system and some of the vast challenges our doctors are faced with every day - gruesome injuries, difficult patients, difficult colleagues, compassion fatigue, actual fatigue.
I enjoyed the tone and pace of the book and found it a very engaging novel, despite its often heavy content. I think this book will resonate deeply with anyone who has worked in frontline healthcare, and be equally valuable to those readers who haven’t. My only qualm was that I found Chris so infuriating, but I understand that this was purposeful!
TW: The novel is quite graphic in parts, uses strong language and addresses suicide. Read at your discretion.
Dark, wickedly funny, tragic and powerful - if you loved “This is Going to Hurt” then you will love A Little Unwell!
May 26, 2026
A Little Unwell by Kerry Jewell
I chose this one for a few reasons: it's the Australian author, and this is her debut novel; I always believe the 'debut crew' hype! Additionally, it's set in the Australian medical industry, within which I work.
A Little Unwell explores the reality and complexity of our public health system and the people who work within it. Junior doctor Amy is navigating a relationship with a terrible, terrible man... I disliked him right from the start, but the fact that Amy can't see that lends to her authenticity and relatability.
Amy's friendships are forged during night shifts and while crying in the emergency department bathrooms - and much like the Menzies Mental Health series by Anne Buist (AO), Graeme Simsion, this must have drawn on real-life experiences of the author; Dr Kerry Jewell is a writer and nuclear medicine physician.
If you enjoyed the Menzies Mental Health series by Anne Buist (AO), Graeme Simsion, or This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay (either the book or the TV series), frontline healthcare/medical shows or books in general, then I think you'll also like this one.
There are some trigger warnings for this one, including suicide, medical procedures, and terrible boyfriends.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #ALittleUnwell @hachetteaus @drkerryjewell @Readings
I chose this one for a few reasons: it's the Australian author, and this is her debut novel; I always believe the 'debut crew' hype! Additionally, it's set in the Australian medical industry, within which I work.
A Little Unwell explores the reality and complexity of our public health system and the people who work within it. Junior doctor Amy is navigating a relationship with a terrible, terrible man... I disliked him right from the start, but the fact that Amy can't see that lends to her authenticity and relatability.
Amy's friendships are forged during night shifts and while crying in the emergency department bathrooms - and much like the Menzies Mental Health series by Anne Buist (AO), Graeme Simsion, this must have drawn on real-life experiences of the author; Dr Kerry Jewell is a writer and nuclear medicine physician.
If you enjoyed the Menzies Mental Health series by Anne Buist (AO), Graeme Simsion, or This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay (either the book or the TV series), frontline healthcare/medical shows or books in general, then I think you'll also like this one.
There are some trigger warnings for this one, including suicide, medical procedures, and terrible boyfriends.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #ALittleUnwell @hachetteaus @drkerryjewell @Readings
June 7, 2026
I struggled to find the right words to describe how this book made me feel, particularly as I stare down the barrel of my own upcoming junior doctor years. It perfectly captures the highs, lows, triumphs and heartbreaks of life as a junior doctor in an increasingly stretched healthcare system. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and at times it made me anxious for what lies ahead. It is a book I will be recommending to everyone, especially those outside healthcare, so they can gain a glimpse into the realities we face every day.
June 29, 2026
A great read! With a very realistic representation of being a hospital doctor in Australia and did an excellent job of shining the light on the mental health struggles many health professionals face. Wishing Kerry Jewell all the very best with her own personal cancer battle and hope to read the sequel to this one day.
June 23, 2026
A beautiful, heart wrenching book that gives such insight to both how supportive and brutal the healthcare system can be to healthcare workers, particularly junior doctors. Highly recommend reading regardless of what field you’re in, and perhaps especially if you’ve only even been on the receiving end of a stretched healthcare system.
May 8, 2026
a realistic portrayal of life as a junior doctor
no true cathartic moment for the stuff between amy and the most openly and obviously garbage boyfriend i've ever read about. girl, get up!!!!!!!!!
the ending was rushed in this regard
no true cathartic moment for the stuff between amy and the most openly and obviously garbage boyfriend i've ever read about. girl, get up!!!!!!!!!
the ending was rushed in this regard
June 9, 2026
A hilarious and heartbreaking read, that will make you want to give every healthcare worker you know a hug.
June 7, 2026
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Highly recommend
June 17, 2026
I feel a little unwell after reading that ❤️🩹
June 3, 2026
This book is something I will return to again and again. If you have even a passing interest in what goes on in hospitals, this is a book you must read!
June 27, 2026
It’s taken me some time to think about how to put into words how I feel about this book. Having been a junior doctor and come through the other side/survived to tell the tale, this is entirely accurate in so many ways. It highlights what it’s like to be a junior, to be a woman in medicine, and how the job changes us, for better or worse.
April 1, 2026
A Little Unwell makes me feel like I’ve just caught up with our FMC Amy for coffee after rain checking a dozen times and just being mind blown by everything she’s just gone through. 🤯
Of course she down plays whatever is going on but I’m humoured, saddened and my blood boils on behalf of her. Being a junior doctor is no fucking joke 😮💨
I was captivated by the fact that I felt as though I was inside Amy’s head!!! In awe of the medical field and what women put up with. Emphasis on what WOMEN PUT UP WITH! I wanted to fight for Amy, fight with Amy and fight FOR AMY. I want to hold her close and say I love you and I see you’re doing the best and it’s incredible. I want to lay her head in my lap and tell her everything will be okay because the losers don’t deserve her and that she makes a difference where it matters 😭
Please read with caution as it’s following the life of a doctor in ED and such so just be mindful of that. Honestly I’m still sobbing 😭
Thank you to @hachetteaus and @netgalley for my eARC it was just the kind of read I needed to be flooded with emotion 🫶🏻
Of course she down plays whatever is going on but I’m humoured, saddened and my blood boils on behalf of her. Being a junior doctor is no fucking joke 😮💨
I was captivated by the fact that I felt as though I was inside Amy’s head!!! In awe of the medical field and what women put up with. Emphasis on what WOMEN PUT UP WITH! I wanted to fight for Amy, fight with Amy and fight FOR AMY. I want to hold her close and say I love you and I see you’re doing the best and it’s incredible. I want to lay her head in my lap and tell her everything will be okay because the losers don’t deserve her and that she makes a difference where it matters 😭
Please read with caution as it’s following the life of a doctor in ED and such so just be mindful of that. Honestly I’m still sobbing 😭
Thank you to @hachetteaus and @netgalley for my eARC it was just the kind of read I needed to be flooded with emotion 🫶🏻
April 26, 2026
A Little Unwell read like a memoir, which isn’t surprising given the author’s experience in the medical field. Having said that, I found the medical aspects of the book to be accessible for — what I can imagine — a wide range of people. This paired seamlessly with the plot and the issues that the main character, Amy, had to face.
I found myself experiencing a range of emotions while reading this book. On one hand, the humour made me laugh out loud at times — and on the other, I could relate to certain scenes that explored grief and mental health, due to my own recent experiences. Basically, my nana had a stroke last year and eventually passed away in palliative care (on her 93rd birthday — of course she had to make her exit memorable). My mum and I spent a lot of time at the hospital, so the setting in this book felt familiar to me. It made me think of all the medical staff that were there for my nana, and I appreciate them so much for taking the time to get to know who my nana was before the stroke — I know how under resourced and understaffed they are.
This book also made me think about the importance we put on work, and how in many industries, stress and burnout is normalised as just a part of the job. In my opinion, work should not take precedence of one’s mental health and their right to enjoy their own life. Even if you don’t work in the medical field, I think most people will be able to relate to this aspect in this book. I also appreciated that the author highlighted the sexism and double standards women have to face in the workplace.
Overall, I had a great experience with this one. It made me reflect on my own life.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for sending me an ARC! 💚
I found myself experiencing a range of emotions while reading this book. On one hand, the humour made me laugh out loud at times — and on the other, I could relate to certain scenes that explored grief and mental health, due to my own recent experiences. Basically, my nana had a stroke last year and eventually passed away in palliative care (on her 93rd birthday — of course she had to make her exit memorable). My mum and I spent a lot of time at the hospital, so the setting in this book felt familiar to me. It made me think of all the medical staff that were there for my nana, and I appreciate them so much for taking the time to get to know who my nana was before the stroke — I know how under resourced and understaffed they are.
This book also made me think about the importance we put on work, and how in many industries, stress and burnout is normalised as just a part of the job. In my opinion, work should not take precedence of one’s mental health and their right to enjoy their own life. Even if you don’t work in the medical field, I think most people will be able to relate to this aspect in this book. I also appreciated that the author highlighted the sexism and double standards women have to face in the workplace.
Overall, I had a great experience with this one. It made me reflect on my own life.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for sending me an ARC! 💚
June 21, 2026
There is a particular kind of recognition that comes from reading a book set in the world you actually work in, and *A Little Unwell* delivers that in spades. Set in the Australian public health system, following junior doctor Amy through the relentless grind of hospital life, this debut feels genuinely lived-in — because, as a nuclear medicine physician herself, Jewell knows exactly what she's writing about.
As a nurse rather than a doctor, I came at this from a slightly different angle to Amy, but so much of it still landed, the exhaustion, the bureaucratic nonsense, the dark humour that becomes the only way to survive a shift, the quiet toll of caring for people in a system that often doesn't care for its workers. Jewell writes it all with a sharp, candid honesty that never feels exploitative.
What really elevated this book for me was how unflinchingly it tackled self-care (or the complete lack of it), the sexism still baked into medicine, and the weight of mental health and suicide within the profession. These are topics that need to be written about more, and Jewell handles them with both humour and genuine respect for how heavy they are.
Dark, funny, and devastating in turns and so important for anyone who has worked frontline healthcare, or anyone who simply wants to understand what it costs the people who do.
As a nurse rather than a doctor, I came at this from a slightly different angle to Amy, but so much of it still landed, the exhaustion, the bureaucratic nonsense, the dark humour that becomes the only way to survive a shift, the quiet toll of caring for people in a system that often doesn't care for its workers. Jewell writes it all with a sharp, candid honesty that never feels exploitative.
What really elevated this book for me was how unflinchingly it tackled self-care (or the complete lack of it), the sexism still baked into medicine, and the weight of mental health and suicide within the profession. These are topics that need to be written about more, and Jewell handles them with both humour and genuine respect for how heavy they are.
Dark, funny, and devastating in turns and so important for anyone who has worked frontline healthcare, or anyone who simply wants to understand what it costs the people who do.
May 25, 2026
Funny, honest, and a bit close to the bone for a ‘meddie’! Really enjoyed this coming of age story that has already provoked debate both inside and outside the medical community, for its commentary on how junior/resident doctors ‘survive’ their early training years in a system designed to fail them.
June 23, 2026
Nice read !! Easy to parse and gives a nice glimpse into the reality of the Australian healthcare system, some parts were a little hard to piece together, particularly near the end, but overall a nice plane read!
June 29, 2026
Got more engrossed in this book as it went on. Ending with me bingeing it until past midnight and absolutely sobbing. I don’t know why we think it ok for junior doctors to go through this experience as if it is a normal rite of passage.
May 26, 2026
What a great surprise read! Then I notice at the end the author had Hannah Richell as a mentor… another great author.
Thanks for another great Aussie book!
Thanks for another great Aussie book!
June 19, 2026
This was a fabulous debut! Clever, funny, heart wrenching and life affirming. I couldn’t put it down!
May 17, 2026
I loved loved loved this book. As someone who has worked in healthcare, the author nails the unrelenting pressure of juggling patients, life and the sheer exhaustion of it all. Beautifully written with pathos and empathy, and you'll cheer for Amy all the way. And yes, her boyfriend is a loser and she's too forgiving .
May 29, 2026
I give this book 4.5 stars, I poved the final few chapters and the author paints a picture of negative emotions really well, I love how real the character is even if you feel like you need to jump into the book and tell her what needs to happen. Page 300 and 301 were incredible. It made me reflect on how I would handle her situation and it was really good. Not five stars because some bits dragged for me personally and it took me quite a while to finish it for that reason.
May 22, 2026
I don’t know if I’m insanely proud of Amy or completely triggered. Reinforced my career choices & am now contemplating a minibar in my consult room.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2026
I almost finished it, but just couldn't even finish the last little bit. I thought id try it because I love medical and I understand the woes that go with it, but there was nothing to this book.
March 29, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette for the opportunity to provide an honest ARC review.
This one sits in that uncomfortable space between ambition and cost, and it doesn’t soften either side of it.
Amy’s story feels painfully recognisable. Small town girl, big goals, and the quiet understanding that to make it in medicine you don’t just work hard, you give everything. Not metaphorically. Literally. Time, relationships, stability, parts of yourself you don’t realise you’re trading away until they’re gone.
What landed for me was how internal it all feels. The pressure isn’t just coming from the system, though that’s brutal enough. It’s coming from her. The need to be capable, to not disappoint, to keep everyone around her steady while she’s slowly coming undone. That constant emotional negotiation is written with real clarity. It never feels exaggerated, just exhausting in a way that rings true.
The supporting characters are doing quiet, important work. They’re not there to rescue her, which I appreciated. They question her, they nudge, they hold up mirrors she doesn’t always want to look into. It gives the story some balance against the intensity of her internal spiral.
There’s also a thread here about what it costs to choose a career that demands more than is reasonable. The missed relationships, the fractured connections, the way your world narrows without you meaning it to. It’s not dramatic for the sake of it. It’s just honest about the trade-offs.
I also liked that it didn’t ignore the gendered layer of it all. The expectation to prove yourself, to not accept second place, to push harder just to stand level. Amy’s decisions around that felt earned, not symbolic.
Pacing-wise, it holds steady. It’s heavy, but it doesn’t drag. I kept reading because I wanted to see where she’d land, and whether she’d actually allow herself something different.
This will hit hardest for anyone who’s worked in or around healthcare. You’ll recognise the weight of it. But even outside that world, it’s a story about ambition, identity, and the moment where pushing forward stops being sustainable.
- Wickedly observant and deeply human, this is healthcare without the filter. -
This one sits in that uncomfortable space between ambition and cost, and it doesn’t soften either side of it.
Amy’s story feels painfully recognisable. Small town girl, big goals, and the quiet understanding that to make it in medicine you don’t just work hard, you give everything. Not metaphorically. Literally. Time, relationships, stability, parts of yourself you don’t realise you’re trading away until they’re gone.
What landed for me was how internal it all feels. The pressure isn’t just coming from the system, though that’s brutal enough. It’s coming from her. The need to be capable, to not disappoint, to keep everyone around her steady while she’s slowly coming undone. That constant emotional negotiation is written with real clarity. It never feels exaggerated, just exhausting in a way that rings true.
The supporting characters are doing quiet, important work. They’re not there to rescue her, which I appreciated. They question her, they nudge, they hold up mirrors she doesn’t always want to look into. It gives the story some balance against the intensity of her internal spiral.
There’s also a thread here about what it costs to choose a career that demands more than is reasonable. The missed relationships, the fractured connections, the way your world narrows without you meaning it to. It’s not dramatic for the sake of it. It’s just honest about the trade-offs.
I also liked that it didn’t ignore the gendered layer of it all. The expectation to prove yourself, to not accept second place, to push harder just to stand level. Amy’s decisions around that felt earned, not symbolic.
Pacing-wise, it holds steady. It’s heavy, but it doesn’t drag. I kept reading because I wanted to see where she’d land, and whether she’d actually allow herself something different.
This will hit hardest for anyone who’s worked in or around healthcare. You’ll recognise the weight of it. But even outside that world, it’s a story about ambition, identity, and the moment where pushing forward stops being sustainable.
- Wickedly observant and deeply human, this is healthcare without the filter. -
June 4, 2026
This is the book I needed as a medical student!
May 19, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ nurse friends I think you’ll like this one
April 28, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley & Hachette for providing an ARC.
Wow - I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did! I enjoyed the humour, tone, pace and insight this book gave into the Australian Healthcare system. Do I think it’d be as enjoyable to someone who doesn’t work in healthcare and can’t relate to the patient interactions and systemic frustrations as much? I’m not sure. But as someone who does work in public healthcare I LOVED it. This books deals with some grim topics so definitely check trigger warnings if you’re sensitive to some topics - but I loved this and think it’s a great debut novel.
Wow - I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did! I enjoyed the humour, tone, pace and insight this book gave into the Australian Healthcare system. Do I think it’d be as enjoyable to someone who doesn’t work in healthcare and can’t relate to the patient interactions and systemic frustrations as much? I’m not sure. But as someone who does work in public healthcare I LOVED it. This books deals with some grim topics so definitely check trigger warnings if you’re sensitive to some topics - but I loved this and think it’s a great debut novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Australia & New Zealand & Kerry Jewell for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 stars.
Genre(s): medical fiction.
Date read: 22/01/2026-17/02/2026.
Overall impression: as a junior doctor, I was really excited to pick up A Little Unwell and see how it relates to my experiences. Whilst a lot of the topics and patient interactions were relevant and universally experienced by many doctors going through training, it was definitely dramatised to appeal to the general public. I didn't really like the relationship between Amy and her partner - who was very clearly toxic/misogynistic from the start of the book. It dominated the story more than I would have liked and made it tricky for me to want to continue. The plot twists/reveals with him towards the end of the book were predictable and overdue. I didn't finish the book feeling satisfied because Amy was the punching bag for the entire book and there was no sense of justice.
Tropes:
➵ Junior doctor experience
➵ Difficult cases
➵ Not everyone wants to be saved
➵ Heartwarming patient interactions
➵ High school sweethearts
➵ Unfaithful spouse
➵ Imposter syndrome
➵ Mental illness rep
➵ Trying to survive night shift
➵ Mentee-mentor relationships
➵ Happy-for-now
⤷ Plot:
The story featured a mixture of patient cases - both difficult patient interactions and heartwarming moments that make the job worth the overtime, stress and fatigue. Amy made a lot of assumptions about patients and was quite blunt, which might appeal to people that enjoyed This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor or You Went to Emergency for What?. The cases were often factually correct but didn't contain too much detail that they would be overwhelming for most readers to understand. They were my favourite part of the book and I liked being able to draw parallels between the story and what I've seen while working.
The rest of the plot focused on Amy and her relationships. The drama was unnecessary and made the story a lot less enjoyable for me. I was tempted to DNF 50% in because I couldn't stand reading about her boyfriend any longer. But I'm glad I persisted because the other friendships were worth it.
⤷ Characters:
Amy didn't feel very relatable to me. Whilst a lot of junior doctors are perfectionists, people pleasers and overly apologetic in the workplace, she took on that personality in every domain of her life. Her boyfriend completely walked all over her and she tolerated his abuse, brushing bizarre behaviour (like pissing on the inside wall of their house, tipping over a bottle on the carpet and leaving it for hours so she could clean it up, etc.) off as normal.
I think my main issue was that Amy and her partner just didn't feel very real to me. They were extremely immature and a lot of the drama felt like it belonged in high school. I didn't really like either of them, which made it hard to feel compelled to read the book.
⤷ World-building:
I had a few issues with the world-building and introduction to terminology at the start. Whilst it was supposed to be set in Melbourne, Australia, there were parts of the book that were Americanised. For example, medical students go to university - not college; and medical students/doctors don't wear white coats. It also made no sense to me that the author would state that postgraduate medical students were those that weren't smart enough to get into medical school from high school. Most universities in Australia don't even accept high school graduates - they only accept postgraduate students. And many doctors pursue other career paths before deciding they want to try medicine.
These are fairly minor points but they jarred me out of the story at times.
⤷ Writing:
I enjoyed the writing style and found it easily digestible.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
Rating: 2.5 stars.
Genre(s): medical fiction.
Date read: 22/01/2026-17/02/2026.
Overall impression: as a junior doctor, I was really excited to pick up A Little Unwell and see how it relates to my experiences. Whilst a lot of the topics and patient interactions were relevant and universally experienced by many doctors going through training, it was definitely dramatised to appeal to the general public. I didn't really like the relationship between Amy and her partner - who was very clearly toxic/misogynistic from the start of the book. It dominated the story more than I would have liked and made it tricky for me to want to continue. The plot twists/reveals with him towards the end of the book were predictable and overdue. I didn't finish the book feeling satisfied because Amy was the punching bag for the entire book and there was no sense of justice.
Tropes:
➵ Junior doctor experience
➵ Difficult cases
➵ Not everyone wants to be saved
➵ Heartwarming patient interactions
➵ High school sweethearts
➵ Unfaithful spouse
➵ Imposter syndrome
➵ Mental illness rep
➵ Trying to survive night shift
➵ Mentee-mentor relationships
➵ Happy-for-now
⤷ Plot:
The story featured a mixture of patient cases - both difficult patient interactions and heartwarming moments that make the job worth the overtime, stress and fatigue. Amy made a lot of assumptions about patients and was quite blunt, which might appeal to people that enjoyed This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor or You Went to Emergency for What?. The cases were often factually correct but didn't contain too much detail that they would be overwhelming for most readers to understand. They were my favourite part of the book and I liked being able to draw parallels between the story and what I've seen while working.
The rest of the plot focused on Amy and her relationships. The drama was unnecessary and made the story a lot less enjoyable for me. I was tempted to DNF 50% in because I couldn't stand reading about her boyfriend any longer. But I'm glad I persisted because the other friendships were worth it.
⤷ Characters:
Amy didn't feel very relatable to me. Whilst a lot of junior doctors are perfectionists, people pleasers and overly apologetic in the workplace, she took on that personality in every domain of her life. Her boyfriend completely walked all over her and she tolerated his abuse, brushing bizarre behaviour (like pissing on the inside wall of their house, tipping over a bottle on the carpet and leaving it for hours so she could clean it up, etc.) off as normal.
I think my main issue was that Amy and her partner just didn't feel very real to me. They were extremely immature and a lot of the drama felt like it belonged in high school. I didn't really like either of them, which made it hard to feel compelled to read the book.
⤷ World-building:
I had a few issues with the world-building and introduction to terminology at the start. Whilst it was supposed to be set in Melbourne, Australia, there were parts of the book that were Americanised. For example, medical students go to university - not college; and medical students/doctors don't wear white coats. It also made no sense to me that the author would state that postgraduate medical students were those that weren't smart enough to get into medical school from high school. Most universities in Australia don't even accept high school graduates - they only accept postgraduate students. And many doctors pursue other career paths before deciding they want to try medicine.
These are fairly minor points but they jarred me out of the story at times.
⤷ Writing:
I enjoyed the writing style and found it easily digestible.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A Little Unwell is a no holds barred look at the life of a junior doctor in Australia. Overworked, a bit lost and compromising in family and relationships, Amy is doing her best just to make it through each shift. Sometimes sad and sometimes funny, it’s an insight into how hospitals and their staff function.
Amy is a second year doctor at an unnamed Melbourne public hospital. She’s not sure what she wants to specialise in as it’s taking all her focus just to get through each day – not just the patients, but teaching students, dealing with workplace drama and bureaucracy. Out of work, she lives with her doctor partner Chris, who is aiming to become a surgeon but failing to study for his exams. All Amy’s friends are doctors or hospital colleagues, and when they get together it’s mainly about drinking and hospital gossip. The story follows Amy through three of her rotations – rehabilitation medicine, night cover for the general medicine and the emergency department. ‘Frequent flyer’ and ‘platinum status’ patients pass through often – to the point where Amy gets to know some of them quite well, including their backgrounds. The story also follows Amy and Chris’ relationship, and how fatigue and stress affect all the group, sometimes with tragic consequences.
I really liked this novel and that it kept things honest in the under resourced system where staff are doing their utmost to keep the wheels turning. Stress, burnout, unpaid overtime…it’s all here, as well as excessive drinking, extreme fatigues and use of other substances. Amy is a likeable and friendly character throughout, guiding the reader through the ‘back end’ of the hospital system. She’s honest in that she doesn’t have her medical life planned for the next twenty years and her fierce loyalty to her family is something to admire. As for side characters…Chris becomes increasingly unlikeable over the course of the novel, as it becomes more obvious that he’s got multiple issues. I do wonder how much of that is pressure from his family as well as being unsure as to whether surgery or medicine in general as for him. Liv, the medical registrar, is forthright with some good advice for Amy about not taking the issues of the system onboard and Katie, Amy’s friend and fellow junior doctor, demonstrates that sexism is still rife. Their other friend, Wilbur, who is highly intelligent and vulnerable, shows that even the most talented can break when given months of nights, trauma and little support.
The humour is dark, so it some will find it hilarious at points (like me, my level is emergency department/The Pitt black) but some might find it callous. Sometimes, that humour is the only way to cope and I’m glad that Jewell kept it in the story. Some of the subplot about Amy’s grandmother/family dramas felt a little forced, but I think the overall point of that plot to show some of the dangers of overwork was well done. Jewell writes with a friendly tone that is easy to follow, yet shows the reader the less glamourous parts of medical life. It’s a great debut and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work, particularly some of the medical jokes (such as where Amy gets it wrong between nuclear medicine and radiology – Jewell is herself a nuclear medicine physician).
Thank you to Hachette for the ARC of this novel. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Amy is a second year doctor at an unnamed Melbourne public hospital. She’s not sure what she wants to specialise in as it’s taking all her focus just to get through each day – not just the patients, but teaching students, dealing with workplace drama and bureaucracy. Out of work, she lives with her doctor partner Chris, who is aiming to become a surgeon but failing to study for his exams. All Amy’s friends are doctors or hospital colleagues, and when they get together it’s mainly about drinking and hospital gossip. The story follows Amy through three of her rotations – rehabilitation medicine, night cover for the general medicine and the emergency department. ‘Frequent flyer’ and ‘platinum status’ patients pass through often – to the point where Amy gets to know some of them quite well, including their backgrounds. The story also follows Amy and Chris’ relationship, and how fatigue and stress affect all the group, sometimes with tragic consequences.
I really liked this novel and that it kept things honest in the under resourced system where staff are doing their utmost to keep the wheels turning. Stress, burnout, unpaid overtime…it’s all here, as well as excessive drinking, extreme fatigues and use of other substances. Amy is a likeable and friendly character throughout, guiding the reader through the ‘back end’ of the hospital system. She’s honest in that she doesn’t have her medical life planned for the next twenty years and her fierce loyalty to her family is something to admire. As for side characters…Chris becomes increasingly unlikeable over the course of the novel, as it becomes more obvious that he’s got multiple issues. I do wonder how much of that is pressure from his family as well as being unsure as to whether surgery or medicine in general as for him. Liv, the medical registrar, is forthright with some good advice for Amy about not taking the issues of the system onboard and Katie, Amy’s friend and fellow junior doctor, demonstrates that sexism is still rife. Their other friend, Wilbur, who is highly intelligent and vulnerable, shows that even the most talented can break when given months of nights, trauma and little support.
The humour is dark, so it some will find it hilarious at points (like me, my level is emergency department/The Pitt black) but some might find it callous. Sometimes, that humour is the only way to cope and I’m glad that Jewell kept it in the story. Some of the subplot about Amy’s grandmother/family dramas felt a little forced, but I think the overall point of that plot to show some of the dangers of overwork was well done. Jewell writes with a friendly tone that is easy to follow, yet shows the reader the less glamourous parts of medical life. It’s a great debut and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work, particularly some of the medical jokes (such as where Amy gets it wrong between nuclear medicine and radiology – Jewell is herself a nuclear medicine physician).
Thank you to Hachette for the ARC of this novel. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Little Unwell Well by Kerry Jewellfollows Amy, a junior doctor navigating the relentless demands of hospital life (i.e., long shifts, emotional exhaustion, complicated relationships and the often unseen toll of caring for others). As Doctor Amy moves through her rotations, the novel pulls back the curtain on the realities of the medical field which exposes both the systemic pressures and the human moments that define it.
I really appreciate what this novel is trying to do. It shines a light on the lived reality of junior doctors (the exhaustion, the pressure, the systemic issues, etc.). As someone who isn’t in medicine but has family members who are (doctors and nurses alike) this book felt like a meaningful peek into a world I’ve never fully understood. TBH if this is even close to what it’s like (especially thinking about places like the Philippines, where conditions can be even more challenging), I’m incredibly impressed. This book made me reflect on just how much we rely on the medical community and how little we sometimes consider their wellbeing in return.
That said, while I connected with the message, I did struggle with the reading experience at times. The cast of characters is quite large (Amy, her colleagues, nurses, patients, family members). I found myself flipping back to earlier chapters trying to remember who was who, which pulled me out of the story. It wasn’t until about the halfway mark that I felt more grounded and able to follow everything smoothly. I do understand that this wide cast reflects the reality of Amy’s world but I personally wished for a tighter focus so I could really connect more deeply with a few key characters.
I’ve also seen some early reviews describe this as darkly funny but I didn’t really experience it that way. Maybe it’s because I’m not in the medical field, but I didn’t find myself laughing. I could see the attempt to inject lightness into heavy situations though and I appreciated that effort.
Overall, this is a solid read for me. The sentiment and what I learned from it ultimately carried the book. It’s one of those reads that may not fully land emotionally or structurally but still leaves you thinking and definitely makes you appreciate the people who take care of us every single day.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia for giving me access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really appreciate what this novel is trying to do. It shines a light on the lived reality of junior doctors (the exhaustion, the pressure, the systemic issues, etc.). As someone who isn’t in medicine but has family members who are (doctors and nurses alike) this book felt like a meaningful peek into a world I’ve never fully understood. TBH if this is even close to what it’s like (especially thinking about places like the Philippines, where conditions can be even more challenging), I’m incredibly impressed. This book made me reflect on just how much we rely on the medical community and how little we sometimes consider their wellbeing in return.
That said, while I connected with the message, I did struggle with the reading experience at times. The cast of characters is quite large (Amy, her colleagues, nurses, patients, family members). I found myself flipping back to earlier chapters trying to remember who was who, which pulled me out of the story. It wasn’t until about the halfway mark that I felt more grounded and able to follow everything smoothly. I do understand that this wide cast reflects the reality of Amy’s world but I personally wished for a tighter focus so I could really connect more deeply with a few key characters.
I’ve also seen some early reviews describe this as darkly funny but I didn’t really experience it that way. Maybe it’s because I’m not in the medical field, but I didn’t find myself laughing. I could see the attempt to inject lightness into heavy situations though and I appreciated that effort.
Overall, this is a solid read for me. The sentiment and what I learned from it ultimately carried the book. It’s one of those reads that may not fully land emotionally or structurally but still leaves you thinking and definitely makes you appreciate the people who take care of us every single day.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia for giving me access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews