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The Moth Girl
Flying doesn’t always mean freedom. Anna is a regular teenaged girl. She runs track with her best friend, gets good grades, and sometimes drinks beer at parties. But one day at track practice, Anna falls unconscious . . . but instead of falling down, she falls up, defying gravity in the disturbing first symptom of a mysterious disease. This begins a series of trips to the hospital that soon become Anna’s norm. She’s diagnosed with a rare illness that causes symptoms reminiscent of floating, attraction to light, a craving for sugar, and for an unlucky few, more dangerous physical manifestations. Anna’s world is turned upside down, and as she learns to cope with her illness, she finds herself drifting further and further away from her former life. Her friends don’t seem to understand, running track is out of the question, and the other kids at the disease clinic she attends once a week are a cruel reminder that things will never be the same. From debut author Heather Kamins comes a beautiful and evocative story about one girl’s journey of choosing who she wants to be--in a life she never planned for.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2022
14 people are currently reading
2660 people want to read
About the author
Heather Kamins
4 books39 followersHeather Kamins is the author of The Moth Girl (Putnam/Penguin Teen, 2022). Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Guernica and various other journals, and her poetry chapbook, Blueshifting, was published by Upper Rubber Boot Books (2011). She is the recipient of an Artist Fellowship in fiction from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and a Donald Axinn Returning Contributor Award in fiction from Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She enjoys creating characters and worlds that explore the strange and unusual, and believes that sometimes the strangest world of all is this one.
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May 20, 2021we're all thinking the same thing about who her father might be . . .
April 6, 2022
This book didn't cause me to almost die, but neither did it invite me to burn it to the pits of Tartaurs.
It was a solid 'okay' book.
It was a solid 'okay' book.
January 20, 2022
The Moth Girl by Heather Kamins is about Anna, a regular girl who all of a sudden gets a chronic illness and sees her world turned upside down. Quite literally in fact. And it is one of the best fiction novels about chronic illness I’ve read in a long time and I’m gonna tell you why.
First, the basics. Anna all of a sudden gets weird symptoms, which she can ignore, up until the point that she”s actually floating. Yes, this illness isn’t one we know in this world, and while that seemed a bit weird at the start, in hindsight this is genius. She is diagnosed with lepidopsy, basically she gets some characteristics of moths like flying/floating, fluttering of her bones, fascination with the moon and sugar/soda, skin that gets hardened etc. The floating bit is quite terrifying, as you can’t come down, gravity is upside down, so in bad cases you can fly away indefinitely. But most cases are mild. After diagnosis which involved scary tests, she finds her entire world upside down too, as she experiences trouble with friends and family, people acting weird, accepting her illness and adjusting her world view.
Despite this being a fictional illness, it feels very real. The symptoms are quite universal, most chronic illness patients will be able to relate to this illness as it deals with pain, fatigue, brain fog, weird new symptoms and side effects from meds. I think the fact that her world literally turning upside down is a big and accurate metaphor of what it feels like to suddenly get disabled. The experiences are so realistic, from friends who do not understand and will either ignore you, or make you feel guilty for not trying hard enough. The feeling you always need to be positive. How your life is suddenly very different and no one understands. The endless doctor visits, and how maybe after a while, you find friendship and understanding with fellow patients.
I cried a lot actually, as it did bring back some memories from when I first was diagnosed, there was so much recognition! And it’s not just about illness, it’s a coming of age story about friendship and finding yourself. The pacing was dome very well, and the themes are epic. I agree with the author that by making a non existing illness, it really captures the feeling that you have mo idea what’s going on and it makes it more unpredictable for chronically ill readers. It’s a somewhat universal experience now and that’s amazing. And thank goodness no one gets healed or used as “inspiration”.
I love this book and I recommend it to everyone, to learn more about the disabled experience in a profound, beautiful book that doesn’t get boring or preachy.
I received a free e-arc of this book but it hasn’t influenced my opinion.
First, the basics. Anna all of a sudden gets weird symptoms, which she can ignore, up until the point that she”s actually floating. Yes, this illness isn’t one we know in this world, and while that seemed a bit weird at the start, in hindsight this is genius. She is diagnosed with lepidopsy, basically she gets some characteristics of moths like flying/floating, fluttering of her bones, fascination with the moon and sugar/soda, skin that gets hardened etc. The floating bit is quite terrifying, as you can’t come down, gravity is upside down, so in bad cases you can fly away indefinitely. But most cases are mild. After diagnosis which involved scary tests, she finds her entire world upside down too, as she experiences trouble with friends and family, people acting weird, accepting her illness and adjusting her world view.
Despite this being a fictional illness, it feels very real. The symptoms are quite universal, most chronic illness patients will be able to relate to this illness as it deals with pain, fatigue, brain fog, weird new symptoms and side effects from meds. I think the fact that her world literally turning upside down is a big and accurate metaphor of what it feels like to suddenly get disabled. The experiences are so realistic, from friends who do not understand and will either ignore you, or make you feel guilty for not trying hard enough. The feeling you always need to be positive. How your life is suddenly very different and no one understands. The endless doctor visits, and how maybe after a while, you find friendship and understanding with fellow patients.
I cried a lot actually, as it did bring back some memories from when I first was diagnosed, there was so much recognition! And it’s not just about illness, it’s a coming of age story about friendship and finding yourself. The pacing was dome very well, and the themes are epic. I agree with the author that by making a non existing illness, it really captures the feeling that you have mo idea what’s going on and it makes it more unpredictable for chronically ill readers. It’s a somewhat universal experience now and that’s amazing. And thank goodness no one gets healed or used as “inspiration”.
I love this book and I recommend it to everyone, to learn more about the disabled experience in a profound, beautiful book that doesn’t get boring or preachy.
I received a free e-arc of this book but it hasn’t influenced my opinion.
July 5, 2023
Let's start this review in good ole Ebony and Ivory fashion by saying OMG THAT COVER IS JUST SO PRETTY! 🤩
ANYWAY on to my reasons for rating this two measly stars...
When I picked up this book I didn't actually know what it was about. It was available at my ebook library and I had remembered clicking want to read on my GR. (Plus, the cover... Who couldn't?)
I just started reading it because I didn't know what else to read at the time. Right from the get-go this book kinda weirded me out. There's a weird vibe from this book I can't even place what but I just don't get a regular feeling from this?
If you know my reviews, you know I'm not one for explaining the story (leaves too much room for spoilers and I would hate doing that to you guys. If you want to know what it's about just read the synopsis) so I'll just go directly into what I didn't like:
1) (yes we're making a list as there is a lot) Something that just stood out to me and GRATED all 266 pages was this girl's stupid monosyllable answers. "Maybe" is said WAY TOO MUCH OMG. "I'm fine", "I don't know", "okay". Gosh, is she capable of eloquence? Even her arguments SUCK. That said, it was strange because everyone else was fine at talking so it's not really a general lack on the author's part.
2) This girl's general character irritated the crap outta me because she's so a) boring b) whiny c) not understanding. She just assumes everyone hates her because she's stuck in self pity the whole dang time (her friends weren't handling it perfectly either but I don't really blame them. She was worse).
3) That aforementioned self pity the whole time was stupid
4) The vibe (as previously said) was just off for me
5) Also, the illness weirded me out a little too. I do like how the author made it realistic, but it was just creepy to be honest. And manifestology? (That's not a thing, I checked lol)
Okay now for my excusing me:
I'll admit that after reading the Author's Note I was feeling a little guilty about rating this 2 stars due to the fact that this lady wanted to see more books about dealing with chronic illness (having a chronic illness of her own) and having a character get through the changes they were undergoing and all that. (Run-on sentence, I know) But I just can't get myself to rate this any higher due to the many problems and annoyances in this book. HOWEVER, I have realized that though I generally love all genres I come across I just don't like magical realism (the genre that this book is). I love fantasy and read contemporary. Don't have problems with either (except for the contemporary-ness of contemporary sometimes) but for some reason I get really annoyed when you put magical aspects into a completely contemporary setting (I'm not saying alternate worlds fantasy, that's fine). There's just something really weird about it and I think that's a main factor in why I didn't enjoy this book. That said, I don't think this book really worked for me. If you want to read it, go ahead! Just not really my type of book.
2.5 stars
(If you made it this far congrats because I just went on a rant)
ANYWAY on to my reasons for rating this two measly stars...
When I picked up this book I didn't actually know what it was about. It was available at my ebook library and I had remembered clicking want to read on my GR. (Plus, the cover... Who couldn't?)
I just started reading it because I didn't know what else to read at the time. Right from the get-go this book kinda weirded me out. There's a weird vibe from this book I can't even place what but I just don't get a regular feeling from this?
If you know my reviews, you know I'm not one for explaining the story (leaves too much room for spoilers and I would hate doing that to you guys. If you want to know what it's about just read the synopsis) so I'll just go directly into what I didn't like:
1) (yes we're making a list as there is a lot) Something that just stood out to me and GRATED all 266 pages was this girl's stupid monosyllable answers. "Maybe" is said WAY TOO MUCH OMG. "I'm fine", "I don't know", "okay". Gosh, is she capable of eloquence? Even her arguments SUCK. That said, it was strange because everyone else was fine at talking so it's not really a general lack on the author's part.
2) This girl's general character irritated the crap outta me because she's so a) boring b) whiny c) not understanding. She just assumes everyone hates her because she's stuck in self pity the whole dang time (her friends weren't handling it perfectly either but I don't really blame them. She was worse).
3) That aforementioned self pity the whole time was stupid
4) The vibe (as previously said) was just off for me
5) Also, the illness weirded me out a little too. I do like how the author made it realistic, but it was just creepy to be honest. And manifestology? (That's not a thing, I checked lol)
Okay now for my excusing me:
I'll admit that after reading the Author's Note I was feeling a little guilty about rating this 2 stars due to the fact that this lady wanted to see more books about dealing with chronic illness (having a chronic illness of her own) and having a character get through the changes they were undergoing and all that. (Run-on sentence, I know) But I just can't get myself to rate this any higher due to the many problems and annoyances in this book. HOWEVER, I have realized that though I generally love all genres I come across I just don't like magical realism (the genre that this book is). I love fantasy and read contemporary. Don't have problems with either (except for the contemporary-ness of contemporary sometimes) but for some reason I get really annoyed when you put magical aspects into a completely contemporary setting (I'm not saying alternate worlds fantasy, that's fine). There's just something really weird about it and I think that's a main factor in why I didn't enjoy this book. That said, I don't think this book really worked for me. If you want to read it, go ahead! Just not really my type of book.
2.5 stars
(If you made it this far congrats because I just went on a rant)
March 13, 2022
The Moth Girl is a debut YA novel that deals with chronic illness.
I adore this cover. And I really like that the main character is a YA heroine with a chronic illness.
This book is listed as magical realism and fantasy. However to me the book did not really feel like magical realism. Yes the illness is fictional. But it felt like a real illness in most aspects. And I truthfully didn't like that it wasn't a real chronic condition.
The book seems to take place in the 1990s. The narrator is 15 year old Anna (1st person POV).
I think that I would have preferred if this book had been contemporary. But also if it was going to be magical realism (with a fake illness) then make that really clear right from the start.
I also think that it's wonderful to have all types of heroines. So I loved seeing Anna get a diagnosis and deal with her illness. However the entire book was about the diagnosis. And I really would have liked to see the book be about so much more.
This book is a coming of age story. And I think that it will make a lot of teens with disabilities and chronic illnesses feel heard. This is really such an important topic. So it's nice to see in YA.
Thanks to edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read this book.
I adore this cover. And I really like that the main character is a YA heroine with a chronic illness.
This book is listed as magical realism and fantasy. However to me the book did not really feel like magical realism. Yes the illness is fictional. But it felt like a real illness in most aspects. And I truthfully didn't like that it wasn't a real chronic condition.
The book seems to take place in the 1990s. The narrator is 15 year old Anna (1st person POV).
I think that I would have preferred if this book had been contemporary. But also if it was going to be magical realism (with a fake illness) then make that really clear right from the start.
I also think that it's wonderful to have all types of heroines. So I loved seeing Anna get a diagnosis and deal with her illness. However the entire book was about the diagnosis. And I really would have liked to see the book be about so much more.
This book is a coming of age story. And I think that it will make a lot of teens with disabilities and chronic illnesses feel heard. This is really such an important topic. So it's nice to see in YA.
Thanks to edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read this book.
January 14, 2025
3.5
This book explores chronic illness through a touch of magical realism, but I felt like this fictional illness was explained well and in a way that made it feel as if it could in fact be real. I actually really liked that this book focused on Anna’s experience and not on a romance; I think it’s a really important work - as the author says herself, there aren’t many books centering on chronic illness out there. At times Anna felt pretty stiff and the other characters, especially her friends at school, did blend into one, but overall I think this was pretty compelling and stands out from other YA books.
This book explores chronic illness through a touch of magical realism, but I felt like this fictional illness was explained well and in a way that made it feel as if it could in fact be real. I actually really liked that this book focused on Anna’s experience and not on a romance; I think it’s a really important work - as the author says herself, there aren’t many books centering on chronic illness out there. At times Anna felt pretty stiff and the other characters, especially her friends at school, did blend into one, but overall I think this was pretty compelling and stands out from other YA books.
Read
March 10, 2022Dnfed at page 60
I can't get into it. I kind of understand the decision of the author on creating a whole new disease, but having it be the main character being moth like it keeps reminding me of the movie THE FLY and I get thrown off the book everytime it clashes with serious things like chronical diseases symptons and hospital tests. I was afraid that would happen, but having chronical illness rep I wanted to check it out.
I can't get into it. I kind of understand the decision of the author on creating a whole new disease, but having it be the main character being moth like it keeps reminding me of the movie THE FLY and I get thrown off the book everytime it clashes with serious things like chronical diseases symptons and hospital tests. I was afraid that would happen, but having chronical illness rep I wanted to check it out.
July 16, 2024
This was basic and mediocre. The writing left much to be wanted, and the first person POV greatly restricted the range of possibility. I was bored, and found myself slogging along at times. I probably would have DNF if I didn't have a copy in my home library.
May 29, 2023
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Disability Rep: 5/5
Special thanks to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
I have mixed feelings on this book. It was good. The chronic illness representation, and the portrayal of becoming sick, getting a diagnosis, and everything that comes along with that was incredibly well done. You can tell it’s own voices. But there just wasn’t really anything outside of that.
The book is super short. Like 250 pages. But I think that’s a good thing, because it’s also very slow paced. The narration is 80-90% introspection and internal monologue. Outside of the chronic illness, there isn’t really a plot. We just kind of float along with Anna (see what I did there?) through her life. There’s no tension. There’s no true driving force. And I liked it and felt engaged with it, because I lived it and I related to it and saw myself in it, but I think it will have a very hard time keeping the attention of a non-chronically ill reader.
Some reviews seem to dislike that the illness used is fictive. I don’t have anything against that. The authors reasoning for why she did that makes a lot of sense to me. Able bodied people do not understand what it’s like to suddenly become sick and have your entire world upside down—but they think that they do. They have an idea of what it’s like, which isn’t inherently bad, but it’s usually not correct, either. There is a surrealness to becoming chronically ill that an able bodied person cannot understand, so Heather Kamins wrote about a surreal disease to try to relay that feeling, and I think that was a really interesting take.
Also, disabled authors don’t have to write about their own disabilities. Writing about her experiences while using a fictitious disease could have been healing. It could have been a way to process the trauma that comes with becoming chronically ill without having to directly face it.
Disabled people owe you nothing. Some of the reviews saying they wished she’d written about her own chronic illness just really didn’t sit right with me. There is so much trauma around becoming sick and everything that comes after. Medical trauma from doctors, sure, but it’s also so traumatizing in general to have your body turn against you. Like, you traumatize yourself, which is hard to express in a way that makes sense, but that’s how it feels. And however someone choses to relay or express that trauma is valid and acceptable and you are not entitled to more.
I highly recommend this book, whether you are abled or disabled. It may be a little slow or boring if you can’t directly relate, but it’s so important. It expresses what it is like to go through the onset of a chronic illness beautifully. And I think that’s something everybody needs to read about more.
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Disability Rep: 5/5
Special thanks to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
I have mixed feelings on this book. It was good. The chronic illness representation, and the portrayal of becoming sick, getting a diagnosis, and everything that comes along with that was incredibly well done. You can tell it’s own voices. But there just wasn’t really anything outside of that.
The book is super short. Like 250 pages. But I think that’s a good thing, because it’s also very slow paced. The narration is 80-90% introspection and internal monologue. Outside of the chronic illness, there isn’t really a plot. We just kind of float along with Anna (see what I did there?) through her life. There’s no tension. There’s no true driving force. And I liked it and felt engaged with it, because I lived it and I related to it and saw myself in it, but I think it will have a very hard time keeping the attention of a non-chronically ill reader.
Some reviews seem to dislike that the illness used is fictive. I don’t have anything against that. The authors reasoning for why she did that makes a lot of sense to me. Able bodied people do not understand what it’s like to suddenly become sick and have your entire world upside down—but they think that they do. They have an idea of what it’s like, which isn’t inherently bad, but it’s usually not correct, either. There is a surrealness to becoming chronically ill that an able bodied person cannot understand, so Heather Kamins wrote about a surreal disease to try to relay that feeling, and I think that was a really interesting take.
Also, disabled authors don’t have to write about their own disabilities. Writing about her experiences while using a fictitious disease could have been healing. It could have been a way to process the trauma that comes with becoming chronically ill without having to directly face it.
Disabled people owe you nothing. Some of the reviews saying they wished she’d written about her own chronic illness just really didn’t sit right with me. There is so much trauma around becoming sick and everything that comes after. Medical trauma from doctors, sure, but it’s also so traumatizing in general to have your body turn against you. Like, you traumatize yourself, which is hard to express in a way that makes sense, but that’s how it feels. And however someone choses to relay or express that trauma is valid and acceptable and you are not entitled to more.
I highly recommend this book, whether you are abled or disabled. It may be a little slow or boring if you can’t directly relate, but it’s so important. It expresses what it is like to go through the onset of a chronic illness beautifully. And I think that’s something everybody needs to read about more.
January 28, 2022
4 Stars
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It might appear to be a book about a girl who experiences miraculous floating as her cells refused to obey the law of gravity. And it IS a book about a girl like that, but it is also an exploration of chronic illness, of the ins and outs of diagnosis, prognosis, the shifting and changing of friends and friend groups as people get overloaded and worn-out with illness. It's poignant, it's heartfelt, and it is magical realism employed to its best effect. I highly recommend this book!
My full review will be available at Gateway Reviews on March 18, 2022.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It might appear to be a book about a girl who experiences miraculous floating as her cells refused to obey the law of gravity. And it IS a book about a girl like that, but it is also an exploration of chronic illness, of the ins and outs of diagnosis, prognosis, the shifting and changing of friends and friend groups as people get overloaded and worn-out with illness. It's poignant, it's heartfelt, and it is magical realism employed to its best effect. I highly recommend this book!
My full review will be available at Gateway Reviews on March 18, 2022.
March 12, 2023
Anna is a healthy high school student in the early 90s right at the cusp of the start of her life. She's got a group of friends and is quickly on her way to becoming a track star. She's worried about boys, and difficult classes, and new changes to her friend group. Then like a flip of a switch, she develops a rare and little known disease- lepidopsy. She starts exhibiting moth like symptoms and her entire world is shaken to its core. She doesn't know how to act, how to ask for help, how to explain to the people who care about her that how they're helping is making things worse. As she learns about her disease, and accepts her new reality, she also learns that growing up is never easy- but its made a lot more difficult with a chronic illness. And accepting it is the first step to living the best life she can.
I had some issues with this book- namely the total lack of communication between Anna and her friends, but then her expectation that they immediately understand what she was going through. As someone who's gone through this herself, I understood to a degree. But the constant frustration she felt when her friends didn't understand, and the way its framed as though she's in the right and they were being unreasonable. I didn't like that. It felt far too much like I was supposed to side with Anna, when to be fair her friends had no idea how to react, what the reality of the illness and Anna's future meant. How could they? They couldn't have googled it and found blogs and wiki articles about it. They could only react based on what little they knew about illnesses like Anna's and how Anna herself informed them. I wish there was more attention in the end to Anna trying to patch things up, or to the fact that at the end of the day Anna and the track girls weren't meant to be friends anymore- and that's okay. That happens as you age. You can't force a friendship to maintain when you start becoming who you're meant to be, and you and a childhood best friend no longer contribute to each other's growth. That's okay. But they didn't show that at all. It seemed so petty and childish and I felt like it was endorsed. Like Anna was totally in the right to treat them that way because she was sick now, and she wasn't.
I also wish there was more exploration about the new reality Anna now has. That unlike what her mom wants- to have normal high school experiences- she won't be able to. And the ones she does have are going to be heavily altered from what was expected. I wasn't in high school when I was diagnosed, I was early 20s. But that too was so heavily impacted by my diagnosis, and the way I tried to maintain reality and what I expected my 20s to look like. As a result, my 20s were wasted by exhaustion and disappointment. I would have much preferred a real look at how Anna's life, and her teenage expectations are now altered, and how that's okay. I think showcasing more of Pam could have really benefitted this.
Overall, I loved this book. I saw so much of my own experience in Anna's, and I love how the use of a magical realism world allowed even those of us with similar experiences to kind of experience that again for the first time. That total unknown of what the heck is that illness? I've never heard of it. Even people without a chronic illness are able to read this without preconceived ideas about what to expect or anything.
I think books like this are so extremely important in terms of disability rep, and I'm so glad to see it. I hope to purchase a physical copy of my own to annotate and also to have my parents read to better understand my journey.
I had some issues with this book- namely the total lack of communication between Anna and her friends, but then her expectation that they immediately understand what she was going through. As someone who's gone through this herself, I understood to a degree. But the constant frustration she felt when her friends didn't understand, and the way its framed as though she's in the right and they were being unreasonable. I didn't like that. It felt far too much like I was supposed to side with Anna, when to be fair her friends had no idea how to react, what the reality of the illness and Anna's future meant. How could they? They couldn't have googled it and found blogs and wiki articles about it. They could only react based on what little they knew about illnesses like Anna's and how Anna herself informed them. I wish there was more attention in the end to Anna trying to patch things up, or to the fact that at the end of the day Anna and the track girls weren't meant to be friends anymore- and that's okay. That happens as you age. You can't force a friendship to maintain when you start becoming who you're meant to be, and you and a childhood best friend no longer contribute to each other's growth. That's okay. But they didn't show that at all. It seemed so petty and childish and I felt like it was endorsed. Like Anna was totally in the right to treat them that way because she was sick now, and she wasn't.
I also wish there was more exploration about the new reality Anna now has. That unlike what her mom wants- to have normal high school experiences- she won't be able to. And the ones she does have are going to be heavily altered from what was expected. I wasn't in high school when I was diagnosed, I was early 20s. But that too was so heavily impacted by my diagnosis, and the way I tried to maintain reality and what I expected my 20s to look like. As a result, my 20s were wasted by exhaustion and disappointment. I would have much preferred a real look at how Anna's life, and her teenage expectations are now altered, and how that's okay. I think showcasing more of Pam could have really benefitted this.
Overall, I loved this book. I saw so much of my own experience in Anna's, and I love how the use of a magical realism world allowed even those of us with similar experiences to kind of experience that again for the first time. That total unknown of what the heck is that illness? I've never heard of it. Even people without a chronic illness are able to read this without preconceived ideas about what to expect or anything.
I think books like this are so extremely important in terms of disability rep, and I'm so glad to see it. I hope to purchase a physical copy of my own to annotate and also to have my parents read to better understand my journey.
February 26, 2023
March is just the gift that keeps giving with amazing disability reads! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for sending this book my way. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made me think deeply about chronic illness. I wonder what it would’ve been like to read this as a teen. I would have really appreciated it when I was first sick. I’m so glad that this books exists for a new generation of teens!
Anna is a regular teenaged girl who runs track and goes to parties with her best friend. But one day at track practice, Anna falls unconscious - but instead of falling down, she falls up, defying gravity. In another book, this would be the beginning of a classic superhero plot. Instead, THE MOTH GIRL follows Anna as she’s diagnosed with lepidopsy: a rare illness that causes symptoms reminiscent of moths: floating, attraction to light, a craving for sugar, and for an unlucky few, more dangerous physical manifestations.
Lepidopsy may be a magical illness, but THE MOTH GIRL is based solidly on the real experience of chronic illness (the author herself has Lupus). It shows one rather average girl’s journey through hospitals, support groups, and her own body which overnight has become unfamiliar. I think the author has managed to portray the complicated cycle of chronic illness through a unique fantasy lens.
Fantasy has been used to discuss love, war, and many more challenging subjects, but at last it’s being used as a lens to examine what it means to be sick in our society. I can’t wait to see the discussions that come out of reading this book. It made me think long and hard about my own experience with chronic illness and left me with many questions to ponder.
At times I wanted a little more detail on the magical world of THE MOTH GIRL. It feels a bit unmoored from time and place. Anna loves her Walkman and uses payphones, but at least in the advanced copy I read, all the bands she’s obsessed with are made up. I wish that the author had used real bands to give it a distinctly real setting OR leaned into the magic and expanded on the origins of lepidopsy and the other magical illnesses depicted.
THE MOTH GIRL is slow and thoughtful. It’s a story about friendship and self-discovery. There’s no romance, but Anna goes on a journey to find her voice, her identity, and what really matters to her. True friendship is revealed and tested. Overall, THE MOTH GIRL was at times maddening and beautiful. I wanted to shake Anna and I wanted to hug her for a thousand years. I treasure this book and I am so, so thankful it exists. Please don’t miss out on this book!
Anna is a regular teenaged girl who runs track and goes to parties with her best friend. But one day at track practice, Anna falls unconscious - but instead of falling down, she falls up, defying gravity. In another book, this would be the beginning of a classic superhero plot. Instead, THE MOTH GIRL follows Anna as she’s diagnosed with lepidopsy: a rare illness that causes symptoms reminiscent of moths: floating, attraction to light, a craving for sugar, and for an unlucky few, more dangerous physical manifestations.
Lepidopsy may be a magical illness, but THE MOTH GIRL is based solidly on the real experience of chronic illness (the author herself has Lupus). It shows one rather average girl’s journey through hospitals, support groups, and her own body which overnight has become unfamiliar. I think the author has managed to portray the complicated cycle of chronic illness through a unique fantasy lens.
Fantasy has been used to discuss love, war, and many more challenging subjects, but at last it’s being used as a lens to examine what it means to be sick in our society. I can’t wait to see the discussions that come out of reading this book. It made me think long and hard about my own experience with chronic illness and left me with many questions to ponder.
At times I wanted a little more detail on the magical world of THE MOTH GIRL. It feels a bit unmoored from time and place. Anna loves her Walkman and uses payphones, but at least in the advanced copy I read, all the bands she’s obsessed with are made up. I wish that the author had used real bands to give it a distinctly real setting OR leaned into the magic and expanded on the origins of lepidopsy and the other magical illnesses depicted.
THE MOTH GIRL is slow and thoughtful. It’s a story about friendship and self-discovery. There’s no romance, but Anna goes on a journey to find her voice, her identity, and what really matters to her. True friendship is revealed and tested. Overall, THE MOTH GIRL was at times maddening and beautiful. I wanted to shake Anna and I wanted to hug her for a thousand years. I treasure this book and I am so, so thankful it exists. Please don’t miss out on this book!
January 22, 2022
A wonderful and much-needed addition to YA literature with chronic illness representation, Kamins' debut may be fabulist, but the tale of the main character's journey to diagnosis and through treatment resonates with veracity.
March 22, 2022
I requested a copy of this book after hearing about it on the author's Instagram page. My niece suffers from Juvenile Arthritis (well, she's 20 now no it's probably no longer classified as juvenile) and I was immediately drawn to the premise of The Moth Girl with my niece's condition and experience in mind.
The book follows Anna from her early symptoms of illness to diagnosis, treatment, and the issues that come with those. Anna's illness doesn't begin until she is in her teens, and the story takes place in quite a short time span,. Although the speed she moves from 'healthy to chronically sick with a rapidly developing tally of symptoms and side effects seems at times too fast, the story is told in a way that this rapidity doesn't matter - it's done well and in a way that packs in a lot of information/empathy, which, I imagine, is the main mission behind the book. At first, I was unsure as to whether the magical realism aspect of the story added anything - I was at times wondering if 'keeping it to a real illness' would have been just as effective, but as I read on, I saw real sense in making Anna's illness impossible - it will allow many more readers to connect with her in terms of relating her story to their own conditions, and many of the magical parts make easy metaphors for real conditions and symptoms.
When Anna's illness causes her to float, we can relate to than feeling of 'standing out for unusual behaviour'; when she is given her bulky tether, we can relate this to the bulky equipment of other conditions: a colostomy bag; splints; a walking cane, for example. Anna's self-consciousness surrounding this equipment and her attempts to conceal it under her clothes, or desire to leave the house without it are likely to stir recognition in anyone who has an 'attachment'. Likewise, the problems she face among her friends, family, and teachers will all resonate with anyone who battles against something that makes them 'different'. My own niece has experienced many of these issues - being left out; wishing people would talk about it or not talk about, wanting sympathy while simultaneously resenting sympathy, etc. The forays into the hospital visits are also well-portrayed - I particularly noted the scenes with the Trainee doctor who made Anna feel uncomfortable, compared with other doctors whom she trusted and liked. In the hospital scenes I again felt the magical element of Anna's illness serves very well - the processes and procedures, the tests and the shuffle through different medications as the doctors try to manage the disease, combined with the patient's and parents' bewilderment, frustration, uncertainty and anger must seem as alien to any young patient as if they were an imaginable magic impossibility. Equally useful were the sections where Anna ignored her dietary advice in her desire to 'fit in'.
I would highly recommend this book for any young person newly-diagnosed with or already living with a chronic illness. Even as an adult with a chronic illness (I have coeliac disease, diagnosed late) I found much of this book very relatable to my own experience and feelings as I've had to adapt my lifestyle to my diet restriction and deal with other people's responses to my condition. I await my niece's response to it with great interest.
The book follows Anna from her early symptoms of illness to diagnosis, treatment, and the issues that come with those. Anna's illness doesn't begin until she is in her teens, and the story takes place in quite a short time span,. Although the speed she moves from 'healthy to chronically sick with a rapidly developing tally of symptoms and side effects seems at times too fast, the story is told in a way that this rapidity doesn't matter - it's done well and in a way that packs in a lot of information/empathy, which, I imagine, is the main mission behind the book. At first, I was unsure as to whether the magical realism aspect of the story added anything - I was at times wondering if 'keeping it to a real illness' would have been just as effective, but as I read on, I saw real sense in making Anna's illness impossible - it will allow many more readers to connect with her in terms of relating her story to their own conditions, and many of the magical parts make easy metaphors for real conditions and symptoms.
When Anna's illness causes her to float, we can relate to than feeling of 'standing out for unusual behaviour'; when she is given her bulky tether, we can relate this to the bulky equipment of other conditions: a colostomy bag; splints; a walking cane, for example. Anna's self-consciousness surrounding this equipment and her attempts to conceal it under her clothes, or desire to leave the house without it are likely to stir recognition in anyone who has an 'attachment'. Likewise, the problems she face among her friends, family, and teachers will all resonate with anyone who battles against something that makes them 'different'. My own niece has experienced many of these issues - being left out; wishing people would talk about it or not talk about, wanting sympathy while simultaneously resenting sympathy, etc. The forays into the hospital visits are also well-portrayed - I particularly noted the scenes with the Trainee doctor who made Anna feel uncomfortable, compared with other doctors whom she trusted and liked. In the hospital scenes I again felt the magical element of Anna's illness serves very well - the processes and procedures, the tests and the shuffle through different medications as the doctors try to manage the disease, combined with the patient's and parents' bewilderment, frustration, uncertainty and anger must seem as alien to any young patient as if they were an imaginable magic impossibility. Equally useful were the sections where Anna ignored her dietary advice in her desire to 'fit in'.
I would highly recommend this book for any young person newly-diagnosed with or already living with a chronic illness. Even as an adult with a chronic illness (I have coeliac disease, diagnosed late) I found much of this book very relatable to my own experience and feelings as I've had to adapt my lifestyle to my diet restriction and deal with other people's responses to my condition. I await my niece's response to it with great interest.
December 7, 2023
One of my first and favorite reads of the year! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The author perfectly captured the emotional and relational struggles of dealing with a newly diagnosed disability or chronic illness through magical realism.
My favorite part was the relationships the MC struggled with. Her friendships felt real with all their emotional mess. Her parents were supportive of their daughter in both her highs and lows. And while the MC didn't always make the best decisions, because of the balance of honesty and goodness I felt like I was reading about real people. I hope to add this to my personal bookshelf! ❤
The author perfectly captured the emotional and relational struggles of dealing with a newly diagnosed disability or chronic illness through magical realism.
My favorite part was the relationships the MC struggled with. Her friendships felt real with all their emotional mess. Her parents were supportive of their daughter in both her highs and lows. And while the MC didn't always make the best decisions, because of the balance of honesty and goodness I felt like I was reading about real people. I hope to add this to my personal bookshelf! ❤
April 6, 2022
okay i'm gonna need a minute to compose my thoughts but i loved the classic "coming of age" story but make it chronically ill because—holy shit. YES. the juxtaposition of the before and the after, and navigating your identity and relationships while also navigating a diagnosis? just. YES.
April 25, 2022
I didn’t really care for some of the writing style, but the subject was so interesting I finished this in 2 days! I also think that because this is the author’s first book, her writing will only improve if she chooses to write more stories.
I really liked that in the author’s notes, she mentioned not seeing a ton of chronic illness in stories, which bummed her out because she was diagnosed with Lupus as a teen. And when she did see them, they were often terminal, or unrealistically triumphed over their illness. She said “These characters usually served as objects who existed only to teach Valuable Life Lessons to the people around them.”
Even though the writing style wasn’t my favorite, I think the content and the author’s goal of showing the experience of chronic illness was really interesting and well worth the read.
I really liked that in the author’s notes, she mentioned not seeing a ton of chronic illness in stories, which bummed her out because she was diagnosed with Lupus as a teen. And when she did see them, they were often terminal, or unrealistically triumphed over their illness. She said “These characters usually served as objects who existed only to teach Valuable Life Lessons to the people around them.”
Even though the writing style wasn’t my favorite, I think the content and the author’s goal of showing the experience of chronic illness was really interesting and well worth the read.
May 21, 2022
Interesting concept, but not-so-interesting delivery.
Throughout this book I kept wondering: was I this whiny as a teenager? Anna has is all before she is diagnosed: acceptance at high school and loving parents. But she never stops complaining. Even before her diagnosis, it’s always ”oh I’m so embarrassed by my parents” or ”do my friends really care about me?".
I found her a fundamentaly unsympathetic character. Kept wanting to tell her to just grow up. This is what relationships are like. There are no perfect friendships in this world. If there is something that keeps eating away at you, you have to be the one to make the effort and fix it.
As for her diagnosis, not sure if I’m missing anything but – it doesn’t seem as dire as she makes it out to be? Anna isn’t suffering from any of the serious complications. She will very likely experience a normal life span. So, why is she freaking out?
I guess, the crux of the issue is, I don’t really relate to Anna. She has a superb support system: parents who are unconditionally there for her, friends who care about her, and yet she still feels isolated and unsupported. She keeps lashing out at them when they are only trying to look out her for her.
Not recommended.
Throughout this book I kept wondering: was I this whiny as a teenager? Anna has is all before she is diagnosed: acceptance at high school and loving parents. But she never stops complaining. Even before her diagnosis, it’s always ”oh I’m so embarrassed by my parents” or ”do my friends really care about me?".
I found her a fundamentaly unsympathetic character. Kept wanting to tell her to just grow up. This is what relationships are like. There are no perfect friendships in this world. If there is something that keeps eating away at you, you have to be the one to make the effort and fix it.
As for her diagnosis, not sure if I’m missing anything but – it doesn’t seem as dire as she makes it out to be? Anna isn’t suffering from any of the serious complications. She will very likely experience a normal life span. So, why is she freaking out?
I guess, the crux of the issue is, I don’t really relate to Anna. She has a superb support system: parents who are unconditionally there for her, friends who care about her, and yet she still feels isolated and unsupported. She keeps lashing out at them when they are only trying to look out her for her.
Not recommended.
September 10, 2021
This balances between a 3 and a 4 for me. Loved the writing and the plot line but I didn't like the characters. Many of them felt one-dimensional. I appreciate the author's use of a made up illness to prevent preconceived notions of a preexisting illness. However, I craved to hear more perspective than the main character, parents, and 2 shitty friends.
October 27, 2022
How nice to hear a story about a sick kid that is focused on, you know, her experience and not some quest for love.
The author uses her own experience with a chronic illness, diagnosed as a young teen, to create a story that effectively conveys the complexities around chronic disease: friendship, manipulation, rebellion, understanding, and re-finding oneself. 4.5 stars.
The author uses her own experience with a chronic illness, diagnosed as a young teen, to create a story that effectively conveys the complexities around chronic disease: friendship, manipulation, rebellion, understanding, and re-finding oneself. 4.5 stars.
April 10, 2022
Perfect fantasy title for anyone interesting in exploring chronic illness and teen friendships
April 30, 2023
This is both a strange and compelling book.
I finished the last page with a sense of having loved the main character and her struggles and it was heartwarming and bittersweet too.
It was a smooth read and I liked most of it. However, I felt that some aspects were repetitive (I’m not talking about the medical issues which are purposely repetitive): I wanted her inner thoughts to grow a bit more, mostly I missed a deep connection to her friendships and relationships in general. It always felt surface level. There were definitely not enough conversations with her parents. I would’ve liked a glimpse into their struggles too, going through all that is traumatic for the parents too.
Overall, it’s a (short) book worry reading ad it gives a perspective into what it means to be chronically ill and how it affects the life of the person living with it but also everyone around them.
I finished the last page with a sense of having loved the main character and her struggles and it was heartwarming and bittersweet too.
It was a smooth read and I liked most of it. However, I felt that some aspects were repetitive (I’m not talking about the medical issues which are purposely repetitive): I wanted her inner thoughts to grow a bit more, mostly I missed a deep connection to her friendships and relationships in general. It always felt surface level. There were definitely not enough conversations with her parents. I would’ve liked a glimpse into their struggles too, going through all that is traumatic for the parents too.
Overall, it’s a (short) book worry reading ad it gives a perspective into what it means to be chronically ill and how it affects the life of the person living with it but also everyone around them.
April 2, 2022
3.5 rounded up
The Moth Girl is an interesting portrayal of chronic illness, seen through the lens of magical realism. I wasn't really sure what to expect from the book (to be honest I was largely drawn in by the gorgeous cover) but I am a big fan of magical realism so I was excited for it. And I ended up really liking the way Kamins uses a fictional illness to portray the real obstacles of adjusting to a chronic illness.
Kamins mentions in an end note that she was drawing on first-hand experience with chronic illness to write the book, and that was very obvious to me while reading. Even though Anna has a fictional illness, the process of adjusting to her illness felt very real. The struggles she faced--from changing her routines to doctor visits to the loneliness of friends that do not understand--was all done very well and made the story feel more grounded (in a manner of speaking). I liked how creative the plot was, and how real the characters felt.
I will say, the writing style felt a bit younger than I was expecting. I went in assuming this would be a pretty clear YA book, but I'd say it was more on the line of middle-grade/YA. This isn't a knock against the book, of course, it just took a bit to adjust to.
Overall, The Moth Girl was an interesting and engagingly magical story of chronic illness and the process of change that comes with a diagnosis. I would definitely be interested to read more from Heather Kamins
The Moth Girl is an interesting portrayal of chronic illness, seen through the lens of magical realism. I wasn't really sure what to expect from the book (to be honest I was largely drawn in by the gorgeous cover) but I am a big fan of magical realism so I was excited for it. And I ended up really liking the way Kamins uses a fictional illness to portray the real obstacles of adjusting to a chronic illness.
Kamins mentions in an end note that she was drawing on first-hand experience with chronic illness to write the book, and that was very obvious to me while reading. Even though Anna has a fictional illness, the process of adjusting to her illness felt very real. The struggles she faced--from changing her routines to doctor visits to the loneliness of friends that do not understand--was all done very well and made the story feel more grounded (in a manner of speaking). I liked how creative the plot was, and how real the characters felt.
I will say, the writing style felt a bit younger than I was expecting. I went in assuming this would be a pretty clear YA book, but I'd say it was more on the line of middle-grade/YA. This isn't a knock against the book, of course, it just took a bit to adjust to.
Overall, The Moth Girl was an interesting and engagingly magical story of chronic illness and the process of change that comes with a diagnosis. I would definitely be interested to read more from Heather Kamins
April 11, 2023
I really enjoyed The Moth Girl. It is beautifully written about a young girl finding out she has a chronic illness. Although her illness is fictional, you almost start to believe it is real because of the wonderful job the author, Heather Kamins, did in writing this book. I didn’t want it to end.
July 30, 2022
Kamins beautifully portrays all the messy feelings that come with chronic illness diagnosis, the isolation, the anger, the distance from friends, the fear, and most of all the time it takes to find yourself anew.
October 22, 2023
It took me a little bit to get into this book hence the 4⭐️ but I’m glad I stuck it out. Even though the illness is made up, it represented the world of chronic illness nicely. My medical kiddo really loved it too.
April 26, 2022
I really didn’t know what to expect with this book, and I was pleasantly surprised! It was pretty fascinating. I felt so bad for Anna - I can’t even imagine suddenly floating out of nowhere.
The one thing I wish this book had was an epilogue - maybe like a 10 years later update on Anna, on how her life is, how the medical technology has advanced in that time period, etc. I think that would have been really cool!
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
The one thing I wish this book had was an epilogue - maybe like a 10 years later update on Anna, on how her life is, how the medical technology has advanced in that time period, etc. I think that would have been really cool!
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
April 11, 2023
the chronic illness rep was pretty good, but the writing style felt really amateur and not very well edited /:
March 25, 2024
Because it's a fictional disease, the reader is just as bewildered by the symptoms, tests and prognosis as the protagonist. Does a great job of demonstrating how scary and life-changing a diagnosis of a chronic disease can be.
March 12, 2022
The cover looked pretty, so I picked it up to find out what the book was about. A YA chronic illness fantasy, wow! I opened it, eager to find out what the author was doing with the concept. It didn't occur to me to find out if she was chronically ill herself, I was so excited. I was bummed to find out how freaking boring this book is. It's -wonderful- that it was published, and we need more chronically ill main characters that aren't sick lit, whether in YA or not. The disease the girl has turns her into part moth. She craves sugar, becomes nocturnal, floats a lot, and her bones vibrate. The ways these are approached would be interesting and well-done if the book weren't so boring. Another thing--she's so rarely called by her first name, that I legit forgot it for a good chunk of the book. I'm not indicating it needs to be on every single page, but--it felt like it was missing, as it were, and it was odd. Readers spend most of the book in Anna's head. What should be an interesting premise is just so flat. Other readers indicate the author should have used a real chronic illness to make the points she did. Read all the way through the author's note and it turns out this is indeed an #ownvoices work, as the author was diagnosed with lupus. What a missed opportunity, to educate readers about a real illness. The parallels in this book are--some of them indeed are true to real life. Others are oh no, how weird, she floats. Sigh.
Another major issue I have is how -fast- Anna felt al the symptoms and figured something was wrong. For most people and chronic illnesses, the symptoms kinda creep up on you and can easily be explained as other things. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED SO QUICKLY AND BELIEVED, AND THIS IS SOOOOO UNREALISTIC. I was indignant! Many, many of us have to go to doctor after doctor and only get a diagnosis after genuinely yelling at a medical professional. I was blocked by nurses over and over again who refused to listen to me and physically rushed me out of the room sometimes. I did see a doctor, who was shockingly rude and condescending, and I didn't see another one for five years as a result. I was too freaked out and upset. And when I refer to this around medical professionals -now-? "wHYYYYY didn't U fiLe a cOmPlaint, yoU meaN ThiS HappeneD HeRe?" Fuck you. After being essentially herded out of the room at nineteen by a nurse, that's when I physically stood up, just stood there, and raised my voice. "Fine. You won't believe me, get a doctor who does." The nurse smiled at this. She thought I was funny. I was furious and remained standing still, standing there. "Get me a doctor who believes me since you don't. You said you don't, so get me one who believes me." She glowered. I stayed standing and repeated, "Get me a doctor who believes me and I'll get out of your hair." This went on for fifteen minutes before she disappeared, then reappeared to tell me they'd made an appointment for the following Wednesday. I stared her down. "I'll be there," I said so firmly that she turned a little pale. The doctor nearly pushed me onto an operating table within thirty seconds of listening to me. Turns out I had a real condition that involves a lot of pain and needs regular surgery. We talked about my options, she explained what to expect with the condition, and I was treated like a fucking patient, not a whiny child. Anna has none of this happen to her, and I felt like that took away a lot of the realism in the story.
The plot by itself was super predictable, which I didn't like considering this is a fake disease. Have it be actual lupus, and I calm down. I did think one character would turn out one way, though, and that didn't happen. I was pleasantly surprised..
As far as a book with riveting plot, real disease, and real dynamics that do occur, with engaging characters and dynamics, I strongly recommend "A Time For Dancing," by Davida Wills Hurwin. A girl has cancer. The story is told in a dual POV with her and her best friend, and it examines a lot of themes, like how friendships with others when you're sick changes and you look at life differently.
Another major issue I have is how -fast- Anna felt al the symptoms and figured something was wrong. For most people and chronic illnesses, the symptoms kinda creep up on you and can easily be explained as other things. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED SO QUICKLY AND BELIEVED, AND THIS IS SOOOOO UNREALISTIC. I was indignant! Many, many of us have to go to doctor after doctor and only get a diagnosis after genuinely yelling at a medical professional. I was blocked by nurses over and over again who refused to listen to me and physically rushed me out of the room sometimes. I did see a doctor, who was shockingly rude and condescending, and I didn't see another one for five years as a result. I was too freaked out and upset. And when I refer to this around medical professionals -now-? "wHYYYYY didn't U fiLe a cOmPlaint, yoU meaN ThiS HappeneD HeRe?" Fuck you. After being essentially herded out of the room at nineteen by a nurse, that's when I physically stood up, just stood there, and raised my voice. "Fine. You won't believe me, get a doctor who does." The nurse smiled at this. She thought I was funny. I was furious and remained standing still, standing there. "Get me a doctor who believes me since you don't. You said you don't, so get me one who believes me." She glowered. I stayed standing and repeated, "Get me a doctor who believes me and I'll get out of your hair." This went on for fifteen minutes before she disappeared, then reappeared to tell me they'd made an appointment for the following Wednesday. I stared her down. "I'll be there," I said so firmly that she turned a little pale. The doctor nearly pushed me onto an operating table within thirty seconds of listening to me. Turns out I had a real condition that involves a lot of pain and needs regular surgery. We talked about my options, she explained what to expect with the condition, and I was treated like a fucking patient, not a whiny child. Anna has none of this happen to her, and I felt like that took away a lot of the realism in the story.
The plot by itself was super predictable, which I didn't like considering this is a fake disease. Have it be actual lupus, and I calm down. I did think one character would turn out one way, though, and that didn't happen. I was pleasantly surprised..
As far as a book with riveting plot, real disease, and real dynamics that do occur, with engaging characters and dynamics, I strongly recommend "A Time For Dancing," by Davida Wills Hurwin. A girl has cancer. The story is told in a dual POV with her and her best friend, and it examines a lot of themes, like how friendships with others when you're sick changes and you look at life differently.
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