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Not recommended
Content we'd steer families away from.
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- Ages
- 18–18
AI summary
A non-fiction memoir based on the real-life diaries of a former junior doctor in the UK's National Health Service. The book covers the grueling hours, humorous mishaps, and tragic realities of working in obstetrics and gynecology.
Parent notes
Heavy profanity, graphic medical content, and same-sex themes make this unsuitable for a conservative household looking for clean or traditional content. Parent concerns: Heavy use of graphic profanity including F-words and C-words.; Explicit descriptions of medical procedures and bodily fluids (graphic medical realism).; Open discussion of the author's same-sex relationship and partner.; Descriptions of sexual health issues and clinical sexual situations.; Cynicism regarding institutional systems.; Discussion of traumatic medical outcomes and infant loss/death. Romance/sexual content: While not a romance novel, the book contains frank, clinical, and sometimes crude descriptions of sexual health, genitals, and the author's own life as a gay man. Language: The book contains frequent and heavy use of strong profanity, including the F-word and C-word, used for both comedic effect and to express stress. Violence: Graphic descriptions of surgeries, childbirth complications, and traumatic injuries inherent to medical work. Substances: Reference to doctors using alcohol to cope with stress. Worldview themes: Medical Realism, LGBTQ Identity, Skepticism of Government Systems
Why parents choose this book
What makes This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor worth choosing
An honest, parent-first look at who this book suits, what it offers, and what to know before you buy.
Best for
- Age range: 18–18.
- Reading maturity: Young adult — teen protagonists and more nuanced themes.
- Kids who tend to love it: readers ages 18–18 looking for a solid story.
- Personality fit: kids ages 18–18 who enjoy a good story.
Parents love this book because
- Written by Adam Kay, whose books parents return to for consistently thoughtful storytelling.
Your child will probably enjoy This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor if they…
- Enjoy stories written for kids around ages 18–18
This book helps develop
Vocabulary, sustained attention, and reading confidence for the 18–18 age band.
Things parents should know
- Romance: romantic subplot with kissing or teen dating.
- Violence: clear on-page conflict without lingering detail.
- Language: occasional mild words for the older end of the band.
- Sexual content: references or fade-to-black moments.
Reading commitment
Why we recommend it
We don't broadly recommend This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor for the 18–18 age band; see the notes above before choosing. Adam Kay's voice is what makes it stick: readable, respectful of kids, and easy to hand to the next child in the family.
Content ratings
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