At school there’s an elephant in every room
And I’m carrying it alone.
Alex’s uncle lives far away in Melbourne, but when Uncle Rohan falls ill, Alex finds the implications are closer to home than he could have imagined. Not only are Alex and his family facing the loss of their beloved uncle, but when they learn he has a hereditary strain of Motor Neurone Disease, they have to face the possibility that his brother, Alex’s dad, could also have the disease. And that means maybe even Alex is at risk.
One Day Soon is a heart wrenching story of the realities of MND, hereditary illnesses, grief and more. Cristy Burne is already well known as a fine writer, but here she shows her mastery, bringing together personal experience with a new to her form. – a novel in verse.
I was fortunate enough to read this story in an earlier draft but still cried reading the final version. It’s a challenging topic, but it is accessible, moving and realistic.
One Day Soon, By Cristy Burne
Fremantle Press, 2026