Having never read an Alice Oseman novel before and basing my first choice of book in a really trivial manner (I wanted to read a book with an orange cover) I was more than pleasantly surprised with just how amazing I Was Born for This is.
The dual-perspective novel is told from the points of view of Angel – a diehard fan of music group The Ark and The Arks frontman Jimmy. We see the daily workings of life in a famous band and just how the lack of ordinariness can impact on your mental health. Furthermore, we see it from the more common perspective of just what it is like to be a fan.
It is at this point that I really need to extend my gratitude to Alice Oseman. You see, I was that fan. There is a line in a movie called Almost Famous and a girl who happens to be known as a “band aid” someone who is in the music set but not a musician say something along the lines of “to love a silly little piece of music so much” – I have been there. My band weren’t seen as particularly cool and were often mocked for what others perceived as fake rock but by god – nearly 15 years on since that band broke up I can still remember those feelings. What Oseman didn’t do – even though she could easily have taken this route – is that she didn’t patronise the fan. Yes, it must be overwhelming and at times frightening for the famous person who cannot see what it is that makes them so special but for a fan it is the feeling of belonging. Belonging to a culture, a group of fans or just even belonging to the band. I thank Alice Oseman for not belittling feelings that I once had – and to some extent still have.
Besides all of this, there are layers of plot that are explored sensitively but have a verisimilitude such as LGBT issues, transgenderism, religion, parental relations.
Overall, I Was Born for This is a book about growing up. It is a coming of age story and those are my favourite kind. Couple this with the music element and I was one happy bunny.
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From the Publisher
Discover the stunning collection of YA novels from Alice Oseman, creator of the Netflix sensation, Heartstopper
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SolitaireTori Spring isn't sure how to be happy again. Then she meets Michael Holden, and they try to unmask the mysterious Solitaire (and survive A-Levels) in Alice Oseman's stunning, unflinching honest debut novel, which first introduced her fan-favourite Heartstopper characters Nick and Charlie. |
Radio SilenceFrances is on the path to Cambridge, even though she's not quite sure why she's so determined to get there. But when she meets the creator of her favourite podcast, a whole new world opens up - and studying may not be a part of it. |
I Was Born For ThisAngel Rahimi is the world's biggest fan of boyband The Ark. Lead singer Jimmy Kaga-Ricci isn't sure how he ended up in this surreal celebrity life. And when the two collide, they'll both come crashing down to the real world... |
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LovelessGeorgia loves romance stories, but she's never been fallen in love. And she's not sure she ever wants to. A thoughtful and heartrending exploration of asexuality, aromanticism and the meaning of true love. |
Nick and CharlieThe beloved Heartstopper characters Nick and Charlie find themselves at a crossroads when Nick heads off to university. Can this first love survive the distance, or are they just delaying the inevitable? |
This WinterReuniting Solitaire's Tori Spring, her little brother Charlie, and Charlie's boyfriend Nick, this novella sees the Spring siblings brave a particularly difficult festive season. |
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| Loveless | I Was Born For This | Radio Silence | Solitaire | Nick and Charlie | This Winter | |
| Characters you'll fall in love with | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Heartbreaking and heartwarming stories | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Relationships that will captivate you | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| LGBTQ+ representation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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