Conditions of a Heart

Ever since she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, 16-year-old Brynn Kwan has been determined to keep her condition a secret from friends and classmates. She doesn’t want to let her diagnosis define her or risk being seen as the “Disabled Girl,” going so far as to push away the boy she loves. Instead, she throws herself into activities such as yearbook and student council. But when she’s accidentally punched by a privileged bully who then claims self-defense, the school administration blames Brynn and suspends her from senior activities for the rest of the year. Now, with too much free time, Brynn is forced to reevaluate her life, including her relationship with her family and her feelings for her ex-boyfriend. In this emotionally rich story drawn from personal experience, as discussed in an author’s note, Mangle (All the Right Reasons) explores lingering trauma of early pandemic lockdowns and institutionalized privilege alongside myriad intersections of illness and self-image. Brynn is a complex and sympathetic protagonist whose journey of self-discovery proves both frustrating and fulfilling as she comes to terms with her limits and goals. Brynn’s father is Korean American and her mother is white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennifer Wills, Seymour Agency. (Feb.)