Review: Gut Feelings by C. G. Moore

Chris is not a typical eleven year-old. But from the moment he is diagnosed with FAP — Familial adenomatous polyposis, a rare genetic illness that causes cancerous polyps in the colon — Chris is trapped in a cycle of hospital appointments, fasting and enemas. Perhaps the only thing worse than waiting for an invasive surgery is the painful recovery and life-style adjustments that follow. Or perhaps it’s knowing that another, even more extreme, operation might be hanging over your future self like a spectre.

This remarkable coming of age story, based on the author’s own experience, is told through free verse. The writing is bold and honest, both in its portrayal of chronic illness and its examination of Chris’s hopes and fears. An account of being tricked by a modeling scam is both self-aware and heartbreaking. Complex relationships with family —particularly his mother — are beautifully captured, and the way that the poems are laid out on the page is endlessly inventive and immersive.

We follow Chris through secondary school and college life at UCD. Through painful struggles with scarring and body image. Through distressing crushes on boys, coming out, self doubt, and ultimately, embracing himself as a gay man who deserves passion and love. There is a choppy quality to the way time moves between poems that helps to convey the confusion of Chris’s experiences with health and wellness, and of adolescence more generally. Highly recommended for fans of Dean Atta and Meg Grehan.

Rachel Sneyd