Words: Louise Elizabeth Shephard . Louise received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I absolutely adore books and I’m so incredibly grateful to be able to read a little each day despite the impact my chronic illnesses have on my cognitive abilities. So when the opportunity to read and review a Graphic Novel called Hidden Stories by Root Experience came up, I jumped at the chance. Due to my usual choice of the genre when reading, Sci-Fi, I don’t often find characters I can relate to but when I do, those books and characters become so special to me. In Hidden Stories, I found myself in almost every page turn and was feeling so comforted and less alone in a world that doesn’t cater for people deemed “not normal”. When I began to look into how the book came about, I soon realised it was no surprise it made me feel that way….
Who Are Root Experience?
Root Experience is an arts charity, which was originally founded as a theatre company by Simon Magus back in 2008. They ran events and workshops encouraging people of all ages to see the world around them in different ways through games & drama. Sadly, Root Experience closed in December 2019 but their work lives on within the pages of Hidden Stories. At the time of writing this, the website is currently still live, so if you’d like to know more, you can find the link here.
Hidden Stories ~ How it Began
The idea for the book came after Root Experience ran workshops for people with different invisible conditions. During the workshops, mainly by writing letters* to their conditions, people related their experiences and how living in a world where they’re viewed as “not normal” made them feel. It was quickly realised that awareness needed to be raised, showing what life is like living with invisible conditions and Hidden Stories does an excellent job of that. *A number of these letters have been included in the book and they add even more power to the story. They are a reminder that what the main characters are going through stems from the experience of real people with invisible conditions.
Hidden Stories ~ My Thoughts
The story is put together as “a day in the life” & is split into 3 short parts, with each part showing a different time of day. During this day, you meet 3 main characters: Anita, Karla, and Mike and follow their day in parallel to each other. To be as relatable as possible, no specific condition is named but these 3 characters highlight life with mental health problems, chronic pain and fatigue condition and being neurodivergent. {a term for numerous brain-related conditions, like Autism,} & I found myself in aspects of all three, but especially Karla.
As this is a Graphic Novel, the illustrations, created by Tinne Luyten, tell the story. Text is used mainly to introduce the characters, bring out conversations and their thoughts. The illustrations did a wonderful job of bringing the struggles of living with an invisible condition to life, showing that not only is it difficult to have the condition but also to navigate each day. I was overwhelmed with how insightful the character’s experiences are shown, especially regarding social and emotional difficulties. This is mainly shown in interactions with co-workers, family members, neighbors and the general public.
One character even shows what doctors appointments can be like for someone with an invisible condition – an experience I found rather relatable. I loved how the story challenges what normal is, mainly through Anita trying hard to “fit in” into a world that simple doesn’t cater for her “normal” and how she comes to realise that it’s okay to not “fit in”. I also liked how the stories show that it’s okay to ask for help when you’re struggling and how in some cases the person you go to, feels the same way sometimes – just as I was relating to the characters, Anita found that in someone within the story, illustrating how powerful and comforting that can be!
Overall, I found Hidden Stories to be a very unique, thought-provoking, and insightful book. It’s one that I would definitely recommend people read, whether they have an invisible condition or not. It not only sheds light on life with invisible conditions, but also shows that everyone has parts of themselves that they keep hidden. Everyone at some time in their life feels like they don’t “fit in” and has insecurities and worries about what other people think of them – no matter your age. Yet, through the pages of this book, you learn that it’s completely normal and okay to feel that way and that you’re not alone, there are people out there that completely understand what you’re going through.
Where Can I Get Hidden Stories?
So if I’ve sparked your interest and you want to give this amazing book a read, Root Experience distributed 8,000 hard copies to libraries in Southern England. So if, like myself, you prefer a “proper” book and are able to get out, you can find a list of the libraries which have the book on the website. Alternatively, you can also download the book from the website for free – it comes in two different formats; one for computer screens and one for phones and other screen readers, such as a Kindle.
If you do read Hidden Stories, I would love to know what you think.
Take care and happy reading!
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