New books about cancer are published regularly. Some take a medical approach, while others tell a deeply personal story written by someone who has been through it themselves. Who better to read and review such a book for us than one of our own customers?
This month, Lies read Relativi-tiet by Dutch author Linda Gresnigt-Van Luinen. Drawing on her own experience with cancer, Linda wrote this journal-style book filled with practical tips, imagination, a touch of positivity and, above all, plenty of perspective and "relativity" – as she puts it herself.
Meet our reader and reviewer
"My name is Lies Baarendse, I'm 44 years old. At the end of December 2025, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was caught early, but despite that, I still had to go through the full treatment journey: breast-conserving surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. At the moment, I have completed four of my six chemotherapy sessions. Radiotherapy will start in July, followed by hormone therapy.
Because I was fortunately completely unfamiliar with the world of breast cancer before my diagnosis, I take every opportunity to learn more about it. I notice that I'm more drawn to the stories of people who have been through it themselves than to medical or scientific literature. Other people's experiences help me more because they go beyond terminology, percentages and treatments. They also help me put things into perspective. That's why I was so curious about this book.
Most of all, I hoped to learn how Linda experienced her journey, both mentally – how she coped emotionally – and physically, through the practical tips she shares about what did and didn't help her feel better."
It allows you to see two sides of the story. On the one hand, you read what Linda shared with the outside world.
Diary entries and blog posts, shared without holding back
Lies: "This book is a real page-turner! I finished it in a single day. The alternation between diary entries and blog posts works really well. It allows you to see two sides of the story. On the one hand, you read what Linda shared with the outside world. On the other, you discover how she truly felt.
I regularly update friends and family about my own situation too. Even when those updates are honest, there are always things you leave out, often without even realising it. Linda does the same, and this book fills in those gaps. I really appreciated how openly she talks about intimacy, or even vaginal issues. That takes courage, and it's refreshing to read."
Every treatment journey is different
"There are also plenty of differences, and Linda acknowledges that as well: every cancer journey is unique. I am receiving a completely different chemotherapy treatment, so some parts of her story didn't feel familiar to me. The way hospitals approach treatment is different too.
The biggest difference, however, is that the book was written by a Dutch author, and I am a Belgian reader. There were quite a few expressions I didn't know and actually had to look up to understand. At the end of the book, Linda also includes a list of websites and organisations that can help people in the Netherlands. A similar overview for Flanders would have been very useful."
Her positive outlook gives me strength for the rest of my own treatment.
A healthy dose of positivity
"Linda is an incredibly positive person, and you can feel that throughout the entire book. Of course, she has difficult moments, but positivity remains the dominant tone. Personally, that helps me enormously. It gives me the energy to keep moving forward.
For that reason, I think reading this book during treatment is a good idea. I already know that my experience is different from Linda's, so her difficult moments and side effects don't frighten me. Instead, her positive outlook gives me strength for the rest of my own treatment.
At the same time, that overwhelmingly positive atmosphere makes me slightly hesitant to recommend the book to friends or family members. Because if Linda can stay so positive, shouldn't I be able to do the same? To be clear, that is absolutely not the message Linda is trying to convey. Not at all. But in my experience, reading about a difficult moment is very different from living through it yourself as a partner, friend or family member.
That's why I would rather recommend the book to loved ones afterwards, once you've had the chance to explain what was similar to your own experience and what wasn't. For people who are going through cancer themselves, however, it's an excellent book, especially if their treatment journey is closer to Linda's."
For me, it brought recognition, courage and, every now and then, even a smile on days when smiling didn't come naturally.
Honest and engaging
"Perhaps that's ultimately the greatest strength of this book: it is honest, engaging and offers a deeply personal insight into how Linda experienced her treatment journey. She shares her story openly, honestly and with great warmth. That is exactly what makes it a book that can offer support at different moments along the way. For me, it brought recognition, courage and, every now and then, even a smile on days when smiling didn't come naturally. And perhaps that's the greatest compliment you can give a book like this."
Thank you for your review, Lies. Would you like the chance to read and review a similar book for us? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and who knows, you might spot a call for reviewers soon.
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