Brittle Joints
Brittle Joints by Maria Sweeney is a graphic memoir published by Street Noise Books in 2024, featuring 160 pages in English. This work presents an evocative exploration of the challenges faced by Sweeney as she navigates life with Bruck syndrome, a rare condition characterized by brittle bones and joint abnormalities. Through her art, Sweeney shares her experiences of living in an often-inaccessible world, highlighting both the struggles and the moments of joy that punctuate her daily life.
Readers will find a heartfelt narrative that delves into Sweeney’s lifelong journey to secure care within a complex healthcare system. The memoir captures her encounters with ordinary activities that are transformed by her condition, while also celebrating the beauty found in community, alternative therapies, and creative expression. With lush illustrations, Brittle Joints offers a nuanced perspective on living with a disability, emphasizing resilience and the importance of connection amidst adversity.
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2025 Eisner Award Nominee!
New York Public Library Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2024
American Library Associate Top 10 Best Graphic Novels for Adults of 2024
Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. “It’s a revealing visualization of a rare, ‘depersonalizing’ condition and how Sweeney finds ‘drops of disabled joy whenever I can.’ Sweeney’s subtle and elegant art reflects the nuance of her moment-to-moment struggle.”
An evocative and heartfelt graphic memoir about the challenges of living with a progressive disability.
When Maria Sweeney was young, she kept count of her broken bones. As she grew older, she stopped. Living with Bruck syndrome, a rare progressive condition that gives her very brittle bones and joint abnormalities, meant that those numbers climbed and climbed.
Today, she struggles every day, living in an often-inaccessible world. As an ambulatory wheelchair user, ordinary actions like entering a building, sitting at a café, or holding a cup of tea can be drastically different for her than for others.
With lush illustrations, Maria tells the story of her lifelong struggle to obtain care in an increasingly complicated and disinterested US healthcare system. But for every step that presents a struggle, there’s also beauty, friendship, art, and growth. She documents the relief she’s found in alternative therapies, particularly medical marijuana; in loving community and chosen family; and in nature and her creative practice. A powerfully understated critique of our modern world, Brittle Joints offers a generous, expansive look at how to live and love amidst the challenges of survival.
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