I Kill Me: Tales Of A Jilted Hypochondriac (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
Synopsis:Christine Bacon had plenty to worry about in her everyday, run-of-the-mill type of life. With her job as a teacher, her insurance selling husband and two girls, there was plenty to worry about - and then some since she's also a hypochondriac. Every little bump, bruise, mole, cough - it all is a small piece of a much larger, more terrifying puzzle that will ultimately lead to her death. Or so she believes.Stepping out of her comfort zone in order to keep her world together, Christine decides to give into one of her husband's fantasies. Unfortunately, it all goes horribly wrong and she winds up on the receiving end of a divorce petition. While navigating her increasing number of symptoms to a myriad of diseases, fighting the good fight with both preteen and teenage angst, and learning to love herself completely, Christine must find a way to take back her identity or risk losing everything all at once.Review:This book is definitely written for a mature audience for its adult themes and language. Right from the start, we're thrown into the middle of Christine and Richard's marriage as it falls apart. They were living the all-American dream complete with the dog, house and two kids. Life was going well, or so Christine thought. As we ride along with Christine, we can see that she loves her husband enough to force herself from her comfort zone and battle the inner diagnostician as they arrive at the hotel for the encounter guaranteed to spice up their love life.It all goes downhill from there for the characters. Each of them must deal with the fallout from the infidelity, divorce and moving on in their new roles. The honest way in which the author portrays the characters helps to keep the story moving at a steady pace as well as provides the emotional punches to which many can relate. Though divorce may be common in this country, the road labelled "moving on" isn't always an easy on to take. Both Christine's and Richard's journeys reflect that in the book.All in all, I loved how honest the main character's reactions were. She clearly had issues stemming from childhood that no one really wanted to take time to address. Again, that's something many could relate to. The author is able to draw you in and make you care about the characters, leaving you with tears of both sadness and happiness by the time the end of the book comes along. This book is definitely a great story if you're looking for a guilty pleasure and want to root for the underdog! Christine Bacon has a fatal attraction. To all things fatal. A veteran hypochondriac, her near-death experiences are exacerbated when her husband proposes they have a threesome with Eleanor, his busty British massage therapist, to "shake things up." Christine reluctantly agrees (although she is more wholesome than threesome), never expecting just how much she'd be rattled. As her marriage to Richard, a/k/a "Dick," falls apart, so, too, does Christine, whose fear of her own demise causes her to research every freckle, blemish, cough, bump, lump, tingle and hiccup. She isn't a doctor, but she plays one on the internet. There is solace for Christine: in raising daughters Lily and Carli, leaning on her friends, and wearing out the shower massager. In order to heal, she struggles to become her own person and to view her symptoms (and ex-husband) as less malignant, while searching for that special someone who will love her- despite her grave condition.My Thoughts:Tracy H. Tucker's I Kill Me: Tales of a Jilted Hypochondriac had me in stitches (pun intended) from the beginning until the end. Christine is a forty-something year old high school English teacher with what seems to be a great life. She believes she is happily married, has two great daughters, close friends, and lives in a nice home. Chris has always been a tad quirky, believing the worst of her slightest aliment, however as her stress level is down so is her belief that she is dying. Chris' life is turned upside down and inside out when her husband pressures her into a threesome with his young, blonde, and foreign massage therapist. Believing that he is going through a mid-life crisis and this is a one time thing, she finally agrees to give it a try. However, once the designated day arrives Chris realizes that there is no way she can go through with it. As a result, her husband bluntly tells her that he no longer wants to be with her. Chris finds herself in a life that she never pictured, raising her two girls alone and being pestered by her mother to no end. As Chris tries to stay somewhat sane and rebuild her life, her hypochondria rears it's ugly head. I Kill Me: Tales of a Jilted Hypochondriac is a hilarious read that also pulls at your heart strings. I'm not for sure if I should admit this, but I really found myself relating to the character of Chris. I myself am somewhat of a hypochondriac. To me, Google is both the devil and yet addicting like the worst kind of drug. When sickness hits, I know I shouldn't type my symptoms in, but there is such a draw to the computer that I find myself researching every illness. I've always laughed it off, but after reading Tucker's book it opened my eyes to just what I am doing. I would laugh at Chris thinking she has Parkinson's because of a new shake in her arm, and then instantly get embarrassed because I had looked up the disease on Mayo Clinic when I was in my twenties due to muscle twitches. Chris' hypochondria is like a full time job. Every little thing is blown into a huge issue. It wasn't until Chris started dating Gavin that she began to look into why she thought she was always going to get sick and how to stop thinking that way. At one point Gavin said, " 'When you hear the sound of hooves in the distance, assume it's a herd of horses.' Every time you get some symptoms, you always think in terms of an exotic cause, like it's a herd of zebras. It's not likely that it's zebra's, Chris." (Tucker, pg 238) This is SO true and really is a great way to explain Chris' way of thinking. I really enjoyed reading about Chris' relationship with her daughters, Carli and Lily. Tucker did a good job of showing how the children were affected by their parents divorce. The girls are angry at their father for leaving and at their mother for letting him and then feeling sorry for herself. As Chris worked to discover just who she was as a woman her relationship with her daughters improved. I also loved Chris' best friend, Hank, who just happened to be a Doctor. He had a great way of calming Chris down and giving her advice about life. Tracy H. Tucker's I Kill Me: Tales of a Jilted Hypochondriac is a witty novel I definitely recommend. It deals with many issues such as cheating, the affects of divorce on everyone involved, reentering the dating scene, and finding your true happiness. Give it a try, you may find yourself addicted! I received this book for the purpose of review.
What do You think about I Kill Me: Tales Of A Jilted Hypochondriac (2012)?
Solid book with good humor. Main character is easy to relate too.
—rachelbraund
