Radio Silence – by Alice Oseman

Oh yes, yet another of the books belonging to the wonderful Osemanverse has been quickly devoured – and this time it was Radio Silence

Blurb: What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong?

Frances has always been a study machine with one goal, elite university. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside.

But when Frances meets Aled, the shy genius behind her favourite podcast, she discovers a new freedom. He unlocks the door to Real Frances and for the first time she experiences true friendship, unafraid to be herself. Then the podcast goes viral and the fragile trust between them is broken.

Caught between who she was and who she longs to be, Frances’ dreams come crashing down. Suffocating with guilt, she knows that she has to confront her past…
She has to confess why Carys disappeared…

Meanwhile at uni, Aled is alone, fighting even darker secrets.

It’s only by facing up to your fears that you can overcome them. And it’s only by being your true self that you can find happiness.

Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has.

A YA coming of age read that tackles issues of identity, the pressure to succeed, diversity and freedom to choose, Radio Silence is a tour de force by the most exciting writer of her generation.

Rating: 5/5

My thoughts: This is a wonderful tale about friendships, understanding, and being true to yourself. Frances’ entire life is centred around her education – getting into the right university is the ONLY thing that matters and she is risking working herself into the ground to achieve it. Yes she has some friends, but she is never fully comfortable in their presence, they don’t quite fit, or maybe she doesn’t quite fit with them.

And then there is Aled (a supporting character in Heartstopper – the books, not the show). Frances has always known Aled, but it was his sister who she really had the friendship with. When a chance meeting brings Frances and Aled together they being the sort of friendship that they both need, a friendship with someone who truly understands them, a friendship in which they can finally be themselves. A friendship – not a romance!

When Frances discovers they also share a passion for her one, non-educational, hobby – a youtube series called Universe City – their friendship grows even stronger. But it could also risk ripping them apart for good. When Aled goes silent and no one can contact him Frances knows she has to risk everything to find him, to save him.

A great read, loved it

If you don’t like it – don’t do it

I feel like I really want to say some deep and meaningful shit… but I don’t know if I really have the words (hmm yeah not a great claim from someone who occasionally identifies as a writer!).

But seriously – WTF is going on with the world these days?? We are meant to be moving into the future but instead it’s like we’re slowly slipping back into the dark ages – yes America I AM looking at you!

Who the hell has the right to tell ANYONE what they can do with their own bodies? How dare you claim to care about life when the only life you actually care about is before it’s even begun? How is the life of basically a few cells more important than the life of an actual grown woman, or, sadly on too many occasions, a young girl?

I know that your religion might say something is “wrong” – the book you like to read may suggest that being gay is somehow evil…. Well you know what? I’ve read a good few books where describes it with a more honest and real representation of what that is – an expression of love.

Yes I know I am jumping about between different topics but, let’s face it…. denying human rights to one group of people is only ever the first step… who’s next?

And the thing I don’t understand, hand on heart really DO NOT understand… How does what someone else does impact on your life AT ALL? If two men, or two women, are in love – what does that take away from your life? If someone chooses to be called they/them – how does that hurt you? If someone is so unhappy in their own body/gender that they need (need not choose) to change it – how does that impact on your day?

FFS people – just live your own life and let other people live theirs… how much happier would we all be??

So, sorry for the ramble to anyone who actually read it…

Loveless by Alice Oseman – Review

After discovering, and loving, the world of Heartstopper I had to follow on by reading Alice Oseman’s non-Nick and Charlie books… so I started with Loveless

Blurb: WINNER OF THE YA BOOK PRIZE 2021

The fourth novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman, author of Solitaire and the graphic novel series Heartstopper – now a major Netflix series.

It was all sinking in. I’d never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I had ever met. What did that mean?
 
Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush –  but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.
 
As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.
 
But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic –  Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.
 
Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?
 
This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance.

‘A joyous, disarmingly honest book that seems to leap right inside the mind of a teenage girl’ Independent [now iNews]

‘Loveless is an ode to friendship and platonic soulmates; this cosy blanket of a novel understandably won the YA Book Prize 2021’ Irish Times

‘A joyful tale of self-discovery” The Bookseller

My rating: 5/5

My thoughts: Georgia has never been in a relationship, never had a crush, never had a kiss… but that would change when she left for Uni, she was determined that it would. After all finding the right person and falling in love is what life is all about. But what if it isn’t?

A lovely story as we follow Georgia’s efforts to find some level of attraction to another person, and her final realisation, and acceptance, that she was actually asexual. But this is not just a story about potential sexual relationships and in fact the most important relationships in this book prove to the friendships which shine through.

A story filled with highs and lows, and ending with hope and an enviable friendship group. A great read.

Heartstopper – Pillow Talk

Okay, so I may just have developed myself a slight Heartstopper addition. Seriously, if you haven’t see the Netflix show/read the graphic novels, you are missing out BIG TIME.

And yes, I know – being a middle aged (ouch), straight woman, I am hardly the target audience, but that is partly the beauty of it. It really can appeal to anyone – such a beautiful and uplifting love story – with a cast I just want to put in a bubble and keep safe forever!

Anyway, it’s been a while since this has happened, but I got this little future scene starting to run around in my head, and I know from past experience that the only way to silence it would be to write it down. So I did. I really wish I could draw so I could have presented this as a little comic strip, but such a talent eludes me so instead here it is in a kind of dialogue block. I hope someone likes it, but if not, oh well… I enjoyed writing it down 🙂

Heartstopper – Pillow Talk

10 years in the future – Nick is 26 and Charlie 25.

Nick and Charlie are lying in bed, it’s getting late.

Nick is on his back, one hand on his chest, his eyes closed. Charlie is on his side facing Nick, one hand under his head, his eyes are open.

Charlie: Nick?

Nick: Hmm?

Charlie: Do you ever…

Nick opens his eyes and turns to face Charlie: What?

Charlie: Doesn’t matter.

In the subdued light of the bedroom Nick can see Charlie’s brow furrowed in thought.

Nick: No, go on, what?

Charlie: Well, I just… do you ever regret us getting together so young?

Nick turns to lie on his side facing Charlie: What? No… why would you think that?

Charlie: It’s just… I dunno… you never got to like… sleep with a woman or anything.

Nick smiles: Nor did you!

Charlie: But I never wanted to.

Nick’s smile widens: Nor did I!

Charlie pauses in thought before speaking again: But you do, I mean, you like women? You still fancy them and that?

Nick: Yeah, and you fancy other men sometimes, I mean, I’ve seen your face when that fit postman brings a parcel round.

Charlie: Hey, that’s not just me. You think he’s hot too.

Nick: Exactly. But neither of us want to do anything about it, do we.

Charlie: No, I guess not.

Nick: Besides, I only ever wanted to sleep with someone I was in love with.

Charlie: But you’ve only ever slept with…. oh!

Nick: Actually…

Nick pauses to kiss Charlie’s forehead: Actually, I’m glad we got together when we did.

Charlie: You are?

Nick: Yeah, I mean imagine all that drama of dating loads of people trying to find “the one”… and my “One” just came and sat down next to me in form room and said “hi”.

Charlie: That feels like a lifetime ago.

Nick: It was.

Nick returns to lying on his back.

Charlie: Nick?

Nick: Charlie, seriously, we need to get some sleep, we’ve got an early start in the morning.

Charlie: I know, just one more thing…

Nick turns his face to look back at Charlie again: Go on.

Charlie: I’m glad we got together when we did too. I don’t think I would have got through all that stuff back then without you.

Nick holds out his arm and Charlie snuggles into his chest: Yeah you would. You were always far stronger than you thought. But I was glad I was there to help.

Charlie turns his face to Nick and they share a soft kiss.

Charlie closes his eyes, knowing that he will never feel more loved, or more safe, than he does in the protection of Nick’s arms.