This Might Hurt

Product Information

Being a retired physician and needing something light after finishing a heart-wrenching novel, this one caught my eye. It promised some laughs and I thought it would also be a chance to see how my brutal residency and fellowship programs in the US compared to an NHS (universal health as opposed to private) program in Great Britain. Especially the big revelation about Natalie’s part was a little bit disappointed and not so earth shatteringly surprising. The timelines and the details about Kit, young lady we don’t know her true identity who becomes fearless magician with the triggering impacts of her sadistic father and Kit’s POVs already fill your mind. You just get far away from the main story and you get tossed around the characters’ inner dilemmas, their fights with their inner demons. Their common point is both of them are emotionally disturbed characters who have different and a little delusional defense mechanisms to survive! Although this wasn’t as compelling as Darling Rose Gold, I will definitely read the author’s next release. I finished the book. It was a mostly irreverent look at the early years of being a junior doctor, then an obstetrician, until something catastrophic happens to a patient and the author turned from medicine to writing comedy. It was an excellent read, one good anecdote after another and rather than a review I'd like to summarise two. One concerns herbal medicine and the other the very serious topic of spousal abuse and how the hospital dealt with it in pregnant women. a b c Cumming, Ed (9 February 2022). "Ben Whishaw shines as spiky, golden-hearted doctor Adam Kay in This Is Going to Hurt". The Independent . Retrieved 5 March 2022.

Wrobel has honed her writing style even more sharply since her strong debut novel…and is again delivering her readers a “ripped from the headlines” story. ThisMightHurt contains moments and characters recognizable to those familiar with the NXVIM cult and its downfall, although the twists and turns are all Wrobel’s own, and will leave readers guessing until the very end.” From the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold comes a dark, thrilling novel about two sisters—one trapped in the clutches of a cult, the other in a web of her own lies. a b c d Kanter, Jake (24 June 2021). " 'This Is Going To Hurt': Harriet Walter, Alex Jennings Join BBC/AMC Series; First Look At Lead Ben Whishaw". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 24 June 2021.

Wisewood is a seemingly innocuous “retreat” on a deserted island, claiming to “completely transform” its guests after their six month stay. Upon further investigation, of course, it is quite obvious that Wisewood is a cult, with a manipulative leader and obliging followers. “This Might Hurt” not only explores the cult life, but also provides the reader with the history of Rebecca, its founder and leader, which was completely engaging for me and highly entertaining. Of course, the relationship between Kit and Natalie was dysfunctional, as a result of parental neglect and abuse, which leaves Kit wide open to be taken under Rebecca’s wing and groomed to be part of the Wisewood community.

We have three points of view: Natalie, the responsible older sibling, Kit, her younger sister who has left for a wellness retreat on a remote island for six months, and an unknown (at first) female who we are introduced to as a child being abused by her domineering father. It soon becomes apparent as to who this child is, and although those sections were the most difficult to read, they were the most compelling of the story. I found Kit and Natalie to be rather one-dimensional. There were times that Adam thought about changing career goals, especially when facing difficult life and death decisions while severely sleep deprived. The stress could be immense. But he kept going. He loved his job, though there was obviously too much of it. He discovered there is nothing better than making a difference in someone else’s life, especially if you actually save that someone’s life. I know that feeling—it’s the major thrust that keeps you going. Of note, there is minimal positive reinforcement from the system. Whatever little you get comes from the patients or their families or even just from yourself when you know you did a great job with a patient. But again, that all comes with huge sacrifices in terms of finances, personal relationships, and your own mental health. The most richly accomplished of the brothers’ pairings to date—and given Connelly’s high standards, that’s saying a lot. Think about the toll the job takes on every healthcare professional, at home and at work. Remember they do an absolutely impossible job, to the very best of their abilities. Your time in hospital may well hurt them a lot more than it hurts you."

Success!

This Might Hurt dives into the origin of our fear. It looks at what humans are afraid of and why. This book examines the human condition and boils down to the universal truth that we just want to be loved for who we are. Though this book has an undercurrent of many complex and interesting themes, it is a fun story and is fast-paced from start to finish. This Might Hurt was a mixed bag for me. Still, I give it props for some elements of originality and strong writing. From the USA Today bestselling and Edgar-nominated author of Darling Rose Gold comes a dark, thrilling novel about two sisters—one trapped in the clutches of a cult, the other in a web of her own lies. A great doctor must have a huge heart and a distended aorta through which pumps a vast lake of compassion and human kindness.”