Pain and Pandemics

Infected and Excluded Bodies in Young Adult Fantasy Literature

Abstract

Illnesses can highlight inequalities in young adult fantasy literature as characters undergo exclusion and self-empowerment tied to diseases, disabled bodies, and death. In recent fictions by Marissa Meyer, Marie Lu, and Margaret Owen, heroines navigate epidemics and pandemics inciting either mistrust or mutual aid. In Cinder (2012), the protagonist experiences bodily vulnerabilities via her cyborg prosthetics and a worldwide plague. The Young Elites (2014) shows survivors of a fever facing ostracism, while The Merciful Crow (2019) depicts immunity as a boon and a burden. These books on the interpersonal impact of sickness can resonate intimately with readers today due to COVID-19.