Hello Stranger: A Novel

Content Warning: This guide section references medical conditions and surgery, the loss of a parent, and mental health conditions.

When Sadie loses the ability to recognize faces due to prosopagnosia, the diagnosis precipitates a series of emotional, personal, and professional setbacks. However, this season isn't the first time Sadie has experienced hardship. After her mother’s death and her father’s abrupt remarriage, Sadie’s stepsister bullied her, eventually leading to her temporary removal from the household when she was sent away to boarding school. As a result, adult Sadie still struggles with her identity and proving her worth to her family and friends. Portrait painting relies on capturing the unique details of a person’s face, and Sadie’s prosopagnosia makes this impossible. Facing the loss of her identity and purpose, as her art is not just a job but an extension of who she is, Sadie is pushed to her limits emotionally and physically and wonders if she’ll ever experience joy again.

Aside from fearing the loss of her passion, Sadie fears being seen as weak or incapable. However, through wrestling with this fear and doubt, Sadie slowly develops a new sense of tenacity. Instead of giving up, she confronts the reality of her condition and finds new ways to exist in the world, learning to see beyond faces and embrace other forms of creative expression.