Disability, Literature, Genre

This groundbreaking work bridges cultural disability studies with genre fiction analysis, examining how disability is represented across science fiction, romance, fantasy, horror, and crime fiction. Cheyne's interdisciplinary approach reveals how genre conventions shape—and are shaped by—depictions of disabled characters and experiences, offering fresh perspectives on narrative structures and character development. The book moves beyond surface-level representation to explore the deeper cultural work that disability performs within popular fiction frameworks, challenging readers to reconsider familiar tropes through a disability studies lens.

What makes this analysis particularly compelling is its refusal to treat genre fiction as mere entertainment, instead demonstrating how these popular forms engage with complex questions about bodily difference, normalcy, and human variation. Readers interested in literary theory, disability representation, or genre studies will find their understanding of both fields transformed by Cheyne's insightful connections between affective power and narrative convention. The book ultimately reveals how genre fiction becomes a vital space for reimagining disability beyond stereotypical portrayals, making it essential reading for anyone concerned with inclusive storytelling.