Brittle Joints
| Brittle Joints | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2024 |
| Publisher | Street Noise |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Maria Sweeney |
| Artist | Maria Sweeney |
| ISBN | 9781951491260 |
Brittle Joints is a 2024 graphic novel memoir by Maria Sweeney, covering her life with Bruck syndrome.
Background
Sweeney was born in 1994 with Bruck syndrome, a rare and progressive disability. Due to her disability, Sweeney has chronic pain and is an ambulatory wheelchair user.[1][2] She has cited a desire to "clear the road for other disabled people" as a motivation for the work.[3]
Reception
Brittle Joints received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly[2] and Foreword Reviews.[4] Publishers Weekly described it as a "a candid portrait of life with a disability, drawn in delicate brushstrokes and natural colors" and compared it to Ellen Forney’s Marbles.[2]
The book was included on the 2024 New York Public Library Best Books for Adults list[5] and was in the Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table's 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List Top Ten.[6]
It was nominated for the 2025 Ringo Award for Best Non-fiction Comic Work[7] and the Eisner Award for Best Painter/Digital Artist.[8]
References
- ↑ Puc, Samantha (2024-07-30). "Interview: Maria Sweeney's BRITTLE JOINTS is "an exposed nerve," but still "rewarding"". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "Brittle Joints by Maria Sweeney". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
- ↑ Holland |, Ash. "A Resilient Life: PW Talks with Maria Sweeney". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "Review of Brittle Joints". www.forewordreviews.com. 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
- ↑ "Best Books for Adults 2024". www.nypl.org. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "2024 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List | Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ MacDonald, Heidi (2025-08-20). "2025 Ringo Awards nominations announced". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ Zalben, Alex (2025-07-26). "Eisner Awards 2025: See The Full Winners List". Comic Book Club. Retrieved 2026-07-30.