Book Review: Demon in My Blood: My Fight with Hep C – and a Miracle Cure by Elizabeth Rains

My bookshelf contains 23 books on the subject of hepatitis C. I’ve read them all, and two of them I’ve written. When I opened up Demon in My Blood by Elizabeth Rains, I had one question on my mind. Why does the world need another book about hepatitis C? A few paragraphs into the book and I had my answer.

If I were to recommend one person’s story about hepatitis C, it would be Demon in My Blood. I would recommend it above my own two books. (I can hear my publishers squirming.) Rains weaves a tale that is personal and socially relevant. She doesn’t just tell you her story; she shows you everyone’s story.  

Rains captures the raw pain that comes with the stigma that stings so many of us who have been diagnosed with hepatitis C. Word by word, she unfolds the frustrating curiosity that many have experienced, wondering how we got hepatitis C. Rains exposes the outrageous facts about how difficult it can be to try to obtain hepatitis C treatment.

Demon in My Blood is journalism, memoir, and the stories of others all wrapped up into a riveting volume of solid information. Rains is a Canadian with a solid background in journalism. She teaches university courses in writing and editing, and her book reflects her skills.

If you were to read only one book about hepatitis C, then I’d recommend this one. Yes, I’d choose it over my own books.

Demon in My Blood is published by Greystone Books, is 240 pages, is listed for $17.85 (paperback is $11.90 at Amazon; $11.30 for Kindle). If you love fine storytelling, the book is a bargain.  Click here to order.