Sometimes the hardest reviews to write are about the books that you loved... But here I go:
Alice Oseman perfectly captures the conflicting emotions, thoughts and beliefs most people feel when growing up. (They don't call them 'growing pains' for nothing!) The main character comes in the form of Tori Spring - a cynical teenager who likes nothing more than to waste hours on end on Tumblr and sleep.
Tori is quite content plodding through her teenage years and is perfectly comfortable in her contradictions. For example, she hates reading by studies English Literature and she silently judges the vast majority of her "friends". Enter Solitaire, an anonymous group of internet pranksters that force Tori to face her problems head on.
Alice Oseman is a very talented young writer - all of the characters felt real and psychologically whole. Honest is the best word to describe this book. Influences from Catcher and the Rye drip from it and honestly, who best to write about being a teenager than a teenager?!
I adored this book. Seriously, read it.
Oh, and just one last thing: This is NOT a love story!
I read Solitaire a while ago, and I have to say I was unimpressed. I'd expected quite a lot from it, and for me it just didn't deliver. I leant it to my 17 year old sister too, and she wasn't that keen either, so I guess it's a Marmite book - you either love it or hate it!
ReplyDeleteBeth x