I Was Born for This

Alice Oseman

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'I Was Born for This' by Alice Oseman revolves around the themes of music, fandom, friendship, and self-discovery. The story follows Angel, a British hijabi fangirl, as she navigates new real-life friendships and encounters with a British trans Christian Rock Band singer named Jimmy, who struggles with extreme anxiety. delves into the complexities of relationships, the power of platonic love, and the importance of self-acceptance. Oseman's writing style captures the diverse and rounded characters' experiences, including their passions, struggles, and everyday heroism, within the intense world of fandom and celebrity life.

The narrative explores themes of friendship, self-love, and faith, presenting characters with diverse backgrounds, orientations, and mental health challenges in a casual and central manner. The story highlights the struggles and growth of the characters, especially Angel and Jimmy, as they navigate their identities and relationships while dealing with societal pressures and personal insecurities. Oseman weaves a tale filled with realistic portrayals of fandom, friendship dynamics, and the journey towards self-acceptance, creating a compelling and emotional narrative that resonates with readers.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, diverse, and complicated, depicting a range of personal struggles and relationships.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by its emotional depth, humor, and relatability, effectively engaging readers with the characters' experiences.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative intertwines the lives of a devoted fangirl and a musician from a popular boy band, exploring themes of identity, friendship, and the complexities of fandom.

Setting:

The setting is heavily influenced by the music industry and fandom environments, showcasing a blend of online and real-world experiences.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, beginning with tension and slow moments but ultimately finding flow in character interactions as the plot progresses.

Theoretically, this shouldn’t be awkward. I have been talking to Juliet Schwartz for two years. On the internet only, yeah, but internet friendships aren’t that different to real ones nowadays, and Ju...

Notes:

The book is written by Alice Oseman, a rapidly growing favorite author among readers.

It revolves around themes of music, fandom, friendship, and self-discovery.

The main character, Angel, is a British Muslim fan of a boy band, embodying the theme of diverse backgrounds.

The other main character, Jimmy, is a transgender man and member of the boy band.

The book emphasizes the importance of friendship over romance, showcasing deep platonic relationships.

It explores issues like anxiety, mental health, and the complexity of internet relationships without vilifying them.

The writing is praised for its exquisite quality, characteristic of Alice Oseman's style.

Diversity is prominently featured; Angel is Muslim and a POC, Jimmy is trans and gay, and Bliss, another character, is bisexual.

The friendships are portrayed beautifully, with intricate dynamics that develop throughout the story.

The story captures the pressures of celebrity and fandom, depicting a realistic look at toxic fandom culture.

Characters deal with personal struggles, and the narrative touches on themes of self-love and identity.

There are moments of humor, particularly with Angel's character, described as possibly the most British character in literature.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers may include discussions of anxiety, fandom-related issues, toxic fandom behavior, fears of suicidal thoughts, and some mentions of substance use.

From The Publisher:

The third novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman – one of the most talked about YA writers in recent years.

Ratings (21)

Incredible (5)
Loved It (10)
Liked It (5)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (40):

Read It (20)
Currently Reading (3)
Want To Read (14)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (2)

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I Was Born for This?

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About the Author:

Alice Oseman was born in 1994 in Kent, England. She completed a degree in English at Durham University in 2016 and is currently a full-time writer and illustrator.

Alice can usually be found staring aimlessly at computer screens, questioning the meaninglessness of existence, or doing anything and everything to avoid getting an office job.

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