Tissues and Resilience: A Review of What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella
BY FLORENCE WETZEL
There’s a new and important entry in the literature on glioblastoma. What Does It Feel Like? is the latest release from Sophie Kinsella, author of the wildly popular Shopaholic series and other bestsellers. The novel is a fictional account of a successful writer named Eve and her journey with aggressive brain cancer.
Sophie Kinsella herself was diagnosed with GBM at the end of 2022, immediately followed by emergency eight-hour surgery. Like anyone facing a serious illness, she needed time to process the diagnosis and decide when to share it. Her priority was giving her five children a chance to digest the news, and she also wanted space to gather her own strength. As a result, she kept the news private from the outside world and her legion of fans.
The right moment to go public arrived in April 2024, when Sophie Kinsella shared via social media that she had been living with GBM for the past two years. Her announcement led to an outpouring of love and support from her readers, as well as the GBM community. Six months later, she released the 133-page novella What Does It Feel Like?
The first part, “Before,” introduces the main character Eve, her breakthrough as a writer, and her rich family life. We also witness a bit of impulsive shopping, as one would expect from the author of the Shopaholic books!
The second section is called “After.” This section unfolds through vignettes that offer glimpses into life with GBM: waking up in the hospital after surgery, struggling with memory loss, adjusting to a caregiver at home, negotiating doctor appointments, and breaking the news to family. She captures a full range of emotions, including fear, hope, sorrow, guilt, rage, and above all, love.
In her Shopaholic books, Sophie Kinsella displays a gift for crafting highly readable prose. She has now applied her skill to this story about GBM, striking a remarkable balance of honesty and lightheartedness, sorrow and joy. Flashes of her trademark humor are woven throughout the vignettes, making the book a pleasure to read, even with the serious subject matter. She’s also known for providing happy endings, and this book is no exception. But it’s a realistic happy ending, within the boundaries of a GBM diagnosis.
I admire Sophie Kinsella for offering her journey to the world via the character of Eve. It surely wasn’t easy for her to write this book, physically or emotionally. As noted in a recent New York Times article (link below), she wrote the book from a prone position, unlike her previous books which she wrote sitting at a desk. Due to ongoing memory issues, she decided not to write a memoir but rather to use fiction. This decision proved wise, as fiction allowed her to express her story with greater freedom.
What Does It Feel Like? renders a great service to the GBM community. For patients and caregivers, this book offers a gentle yet realistic introduction to life with GBM. For Sophie Kinsella’s devoted readers, Eve’s story is likely their first encounter with GBM, making the novel an important tool for raising awareness. Best of all, writing this book seems to have been a great help to the author herself.
The New York Times article states, “There were tissues. But there was also resilience.” These two ingredients perfectly capture the GBM journey and the spirit of this moving novel. May What Does It Feel Like? find a wide audience, and may it reach the people who need it most.
The book:
The article:
She Was Diagnosed With Brain Cancer, Then Wrote a Rom-Com About It - The New York Times
Florence Wetzel is the author of Sara My Sara: A Memoir of Friendship and Loss, about her dear friend Sara’s struggle with GBM. Amazon.com: Sara My Sara: A Memoir of Friendship and Loss eBook : Wetzel, Florence: Kindle Store
