Review: Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes
The description for this book uses the phrase “brilliant but autistic” to describe its main character, and that’s where our conflicted feelings about Viral Nation start.
Author Corinne Duyvis
Author bio
Corinne Duyvis
Donate to this contributor
Corinne Duyvis is the critically acclaimed author of the YA sci-fi/fantasy novels Otherbound, which Kirkus called “a stunning debut;” On the Edge of Gone, which Publishers Weekly called “a riveting apocalyptic thriller with substantial depth;” and The Art of Saving the World, which Kirkus called “impossible to put down.” She is also the author of the original Marvel prose novel Guardians of the Galaxy: Collect Them All. Corinne hails from the Netherlands. She’s a co-founder and editor of Disability in Kidlit as well as the originator of the #ownvoices hashtag.
Their posts
Discussion: Disability tropes
Which are our contributors’ least favorite disability tropes?
Review: The Gone series by Michael Grant
Pete’s autism is portrayed over and over again as being non-stop pain and suffering. That got incredibly hard to read; do people really think this is what autism is like?
Discussion: Tips for Research & Respectful Writing
What kind of tips do our contributors have for authors seeking to respectfully write disabled characters?
Review: You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle
While Rory’s portrayal isn’t flawless, it’s well researched, and a significant step in the right direction of treating autistic characters as regular teenagers and integral parts of the cast.
Discussion: Inspiration Porn
How do our contributors define the dreaded concept of “inspiration porn,” and how do they feel about it?