How Frida Kahlo and Sylvia Plath inspired a novel about chronic pain

Bookends with Mattea Roach

Have you ever met someone who felt like a mirror of you? In Katherine Brabon’s new novel, Body Friend, the protagonist meets two women named Frida and Sylvia. All three are living with chronic illness and they’re in profound pain. But when it comes to dealing with that pain, Frida and Sylvia are polar opposites — and our protagonist is caught in the middle. Katherine knows these difficulties firsthand. She joins Mattea Roach to talk about living with and writing about chronic pain.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:

• Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical trauma
• Sarah Leavitt: Illustrating grief too wide for words