Title: Conditions of a Heart
Author: Bethany Mangle
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: February 20, 2024
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Summary
Brynn Kwan is used to pretending. After all, she has crafted the perfect high school persona: head of the yearbook committee and a favorite for prom queen. That Brynn doesn’t have to deal with chronic pain, isn’t being worn down by a disease she can’t control. Her friends don’t know about her condition, and neither does her ex-boyfriend, who she dumped rather than tell him the truth about her surgery over the summer.
However, after a fight breaks out at a pep rally, Brynn is blamed. Now, she finds herself suspended for a week and isn’t allowed to participate in any senior year activities. During her suspension, she has to decide: does she have the courage to just be herself?
Review: Conditions of a Heart
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle to review! I feel like we are slowly getting more chronic illness rep in YA, and this is a great addition to that. Especially since it is based on Mangle’s own experiences with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Despite the overall subject of the book being somewhat serious, Mangle does inject a lot of humor into her writing. So often, books about chronic illness are serious all the time, but Brynn’s inner monologue adds a little light to her situation. Brynn essentially doesn’t want people to see her as breakable, and her character is so well developed.
In addition to Brynn, we have a great cast of side characters as well. Brynn’s family and friends just want to be there for her, and the book is about her learning to be vulnerable with them. To tell them what she wants. And to allow herself grace because she is so tired of pretending all the time.
Though there are romance elements to this book, it’s definitely more focused on Brynn’s identity journey and learning how to let people in again. Despite the focus being on chronic illness, any teen reading this book could find something to relate to in Brynn’s story.
Definitely check it out when it comes out next February!
4/5 stars