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shmoo_13's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jaz_loves_books's review against another edition
5.0
FINISHED TWO BOOKS IN 1 WEEK? It's like I'm in high school again.
Not surprised that I adored another one of Alice's books!! I read most of it cosy on my grandma's recliner on Thanksgiving haha!
What an interesting character analysis on the 2 sides of a parasocial relationship - Angel with her passionate heart and need to feel like a part of something bigger, and Jimmy, with his anxiety about having to fake a persona for his fans all the time. I loved reading from both POVs and found all the characters so deeply human. I just wanted to protect these precious beans and felt so much joy from being enveloped in their friendships.
I think Angel and Jimmy both had satisfying character arcs. It was so interesting to see their worlds collide and how they helped each other and figured out how to help themselves as well. :)
I thought it was cool to see the portrayal of religion in this book and how it helped the main characters, since I feel like I don't often see that as part of many protagonists that I read about. Angel is Muslim and Jimmy is Christian, and I liked seeing how that affected their lives.
One thing I do wish I got to see more of was the Ark's lyrics! Hearing how much Angel and the fandom loved this band made me really curious to read what kind of songs they make. I think song lyrics were really well utilized in Daisy Jones and the Six. But this ask is more of a nice-to-have. The book didn't feel incomplete without song lyrics at all. :)
I will ask - why does Alice love ending so many of her novels with one of the characters going missing and it being a whole dramatic thing LOL. I love her, but it's just a thing I noticed. Can't say I don't love the INTRIGUE of it all though.
Definitely recommend this one! I'll read anything Alice writes :)
Not surprised that I adored another one of Alice's books!! I read most of it cosy on my grandma's recliner on Thanksgiving haha!
What an interesting character analysis on the 2 sides of a parasocial relationship - Angel with her passionate heart and need to feel like a part of something bigger, and Jimmy, with his anxiety about having to fake a persona for his fans all the time. I loved reading from both POVs and found all the characters so deeply human. I just wanted to protect these precious beans and felt so much joy from being enveloped in their friendships.
I think Angel and Jimmy both had satisfying character arcs. It was so interesting to see their worlds collide and how they helped each other and figured out how to help themselves as well. :)
I thought it was cool to see the portrayal of religion in this book and how it helped the main characters, since I feel like I don't often see that as part of many protagonists that I read about. Angel is Muslim and Jimmy is Christian, and I liked seeing how that affected their lives.
One thing I do wish I got to see more of was the Ark's lyrics! Hearing how much Angel and the fandom loved this band made me really curious to read what kind of songs they make. I think song lyrics were really well utilized in Daisy Jones and the Six. But this ask is more of a nice-to-have. The book didn't feel incomplete without song lyrics at all. :)
I will ask - why does Alice love ending so many of her novels with one of the characters going missing and it being a whole dramatic thing LOL. I love her, but it's just a thing I noticed. Can't say I don't love the INTRIGUE of it all though.
Definitely recommend this one! I'll read anything Alice writes :)
rylieh13's review against another edition
5.0
wow wow wow wow I was not expecting to love this so much... alice oseman did a fantastic job unpacking fandom culture and fame in a way that made me both cry and laugh
cellular_cosmogony's review against another edition
5.0
I was Born for This wasn’t what I expected – knowing only the base premise (that it follows a fangirl for a popular boy band and a member of the band) that it would be similar to Radio Silence. But it is very different, especially in terms of tone.
The story can get a bit dark at times, so I’m adding a list of all content warnings I can think of, if I missed any, feel free to contact me so I can add them.
CW: panic attacks and paranoia, transphobia, biphobia, racism, discussions of sexual assault , depression, suicidal ideation*, obsession and stalking, surgery (some of the topics were discussed only briefly, contact me if you need to know more about one in particular), alchohol abuse,
***
Every book I read by Alice Oseman makes her more and more one of my absolute favorites. She has the talent to write books that are extremely diverse and intersectional, but not in the "let’s make everyone but the main characters diverse while giving them little to no personality aside from stereotypes" way.
I loved all characters, even the side cast who had little to do with the overall plot seem fleshed out. I’ll give you a list of all characters and their representation. I usually make a list with the rep without attaching it to a character name, but I just want to show off how intersectional the identities presented are.
Fereshteh "Angel" Rahimi: Iranian Brit, hijabi Muslim
Jimmy Kaga-Ricci: of mixed Italian and Indian heritage, transgender, gay, anxiety/panic disorder, paranoia
Rowan Omondi: black, unspecified mental illnesses
Lister Bird: bisexual, depression, alcoholism
Bliss Lai: bisexual, mixed race (Chinese and I believe white)
***
Of course, the availability of representation doesn’t mean that a book is good – only that the book includes characters from certain minorities. So here I will discuss all the aspects of the book that I loved. The following section discusses minor plot elements and themes, so I will spoiler tag it. Any details that are major spoilers will have aditional spoiler tags.
We know that Angel loves the Ark, but we also know that, especially in the beginning, this isn’t a love for them as individuals, but love for them as a band, a phenomenon. She loves the music, the insane theories, the fanfics, meeting other fans, following their socials, watching the interviews and lives. This love she often uses as a coping mechanism for her internalized feelings relating to her academic achievements, but it is never shown as lesser but rather as a genuine feeling.
My favorite character is probably Lister – I didn’t really expect to see alcoholism portrayed in a teen novel. He wasn’t the most explored character but he felt real. There was something really human in his behavior, in the mostly one sided love he has for Jimmy , his depression and drinking. It was quite sad seeing that his friends didn’t pick on the signs early enough, assuming that he is simply partying too hard. I also appreciated that he called out Jimmy and Rowan on assuming he slept around only because he partied a lot and was bi.
On a different topic I loved how unapologetic Alice was about her represetation. On a few occasions she even ridiculed the anti-diversity crowd by the irrational opposition the Ark got only for being a diverse band, especially when describing the irrational fears that they are "too diverse" that come after Jimmy had to come out as trans.
Obviously, as this is an Alice Oseman story, it was very British (a breath of fresh air, I’ve been reading a lot of American books lately). She has a way to write novels that are both very realistic and yet have something magical and soft to them. She just knows how to write a great and consistent atmosphere. Also the voices of her characters are always very distinctive and strong. I just loved Angel freaking out and fangirling. On top of that reading from the prospective of a religious girl who is extroverted and obsesses over typical teen girl stuff was so good – she really didn’t fit stereotypes for religious women, and Muslim women in particular.
***
There are a lot of other things I can and want to touch on, but I think I am going to bore you to death if I do. In conclusion I want to say one thing: what I feel for I was Born for This and Alice’s other works is much close to what these fangirls feel towards the Ark, and managing to make her readers feel that is the most beautiful thing about her writing.
The story can get a bit dark at times, so I’m adding a list of all content warnings I can think of, if I missed any, feel free to contact me so I can add them.
CW: panic attacks and paranoia, transphobia, biphobia, racism, discussions of sexual assault
Spoiler
(a character discusses losing their virginity as a 16-year-old to a 30-something)***
Every book I read by Alice Oseman makes her more and more one of my absolute favorites. She has the talent to write books that are extremely diverse and intersectional, but not in the "let’s make everyone but the main characters diverse while giving them little to no personality aside from stereotypes" way.
I loved all characters, even the side cast who had little to do with the overall plot seem fleshed out. I’ll give you a list of all characters and their representation. I usually make a list with the rep without attaching it to a character name, but I just want to show off how intersectional the identities presented are.
Fereshteh "Angel" Rahimi: Iranian Brit, hijabi Muslim
Jimmy Kaga-Ricci: of mixed Italian and Indian heritage, transgender, gay, anxiety/panic disorder, paranoia
Rowan Omondi: black, unspecified mental illnesses
Lister Bird: bisexual, depression, alcoholism
Bliss Lai: bisexual, mixed race (Chinese and I believe white)
***
Of course, the availability of representation doesn’t mean that a book is good – only that the book includes characters from certain minorities. So here I will discuss all the aspects of the book that I loved. The following section discusses minor plot elements and themes, so I will spoiler tag it. Any details that are major spoilers will have aditional spoiler tags.
Spoiler
Firstly, speaking of love, it is one of the core themes of the novel. The Ark are a successful bands and on numerous occasions their fans tell them that they love them. The Ark members also often say they love their fans, even though most of the times they don’t believe it. Alice Oseman takes a layered approach to this topic. Girls who are in fandoms ae often the subject of ridicule and condescension, and I was Born for This makes sure to show how the community, the weird fanfics and the obsession can turn into a power for good. However that is done without shying away from the extremities that some few of them take.We know that Angel loves the Ark, but we also know that, especially in the beginning, this isn’t a love for them as individuals, but love for them as a band, a phenomenon. She loves the music, the insane theories, the fanfics, meeting other fans, following their socials, watching the interviews and lives. This love she often uses as a coping mechanism for her internalized feelings relating to her academic achievements, but it is never shown as lesser but rather as a genuine feeling.
My favorite character is probably Lister – I didn’t really expect to see alcoholism portrayed in a teen novel. He wasn’t the most explored character but he felt real. There was something really human in his behavior, in the mostly one sided love he has for Jimmy
Spoiler
(though its implied that it will blossom in the future, I honestly appreciate that Alice didn’t go on the romance path here, it wouldn’t fit at all)On a different topic I loved how unapologetic Alice was about her represetation. On a few occasions she even ridiculed the anti-diversity crowd by the irrational opposition the Ark got only for being a diverse band, especially when describing the irrational fears that they are "too diverse" that come after Jimmy had to come out as trans.
Obviously, as this is an Alice Oseman story, it was very British (a breath of fresh air, I’ve been reading a lot of American books lately). She has a way to write novels that are both very realistic and yet have something magical and soft to them. She just knows how to write a great and consistent atmosphere. Also the voices of her characters are always very distinctive and strong. I just loved Angel freaking out and fangirling. On top of that reading from the prospective of a religious girl who is extroverted and obsesses over typical teen girl stuff was so good – she really didn’t fit stereotypes for religious women, and Muslim women in particular.
***
There are a lot of other things I can and want to touch on, but I think I am going to bore you to death if I do. In conclusion I want to say one thing: what I feel for I was Born for This and Alice’s other works is much close to what these fangirls feel towards the Ark, and managing to make her readers feel that is the most beautiful thing about her writing.
circesh's review against another edition
3.0
2.5
Well that’s a disappointment, I was so certain I would love this book that I’m mad I didn’t. I didn’t get attached to the characters and the ending is honestly just as it’s said in the book “a really bad fanfiction”
Well that’s a disappointment, I was so certain I would love this book that I’m mad I didn’t. I didn’t get attached to the characters and the ending is honestly just as it’s said in the book “a really bad fanfiction”
ancymon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
idk how Alice Osman does that but she captures teenage emotions and experiences in such a real way. I feel like she entered my brain, pulled out every thought and feeling and put it into words. Even tho every character is different form each other i could relate every one of them at some level. I looove every single character she writes but Angel and Lister stole my heart. Alice could literally write a whole book about someone lying in bed and just thinking all day and i would devour it. i hope she writes more in the future 😭😭😭🫶🫶
kaasje02's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
novellenovels's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
luluwoohoo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman
☀️☀️☀️⛅
A YA story that explores identity, friendship and mental health through the lens of fandom.
The plot was simple to follow and kept interesting across the dual POV structure. At times it became exaggerated or unrealistic but ultimately it never felt out of control in the context of the world that Oseman set up. I really enjoyed the focus on fandom: how multifaceted that world can be, how all consuming it often becomes, and how life changing it is for many people.
The two main characters were both written with clear and distinctive voices that felt authentically dramatic and age appropriate. Both of them feel like their lives are crumbling for different reasons and don't always respond in the most appropriate way, but being a teenager is messy and complicated and I think Oseman did a brilliant job of capturing this essence across the whole cast of characters. The emphasis on the power of friendship love vs romantic love was really excellent and elevated this story to another level.
There was a lot of great representation across the board in this book. Having main characters who are a Muslim and a biracial gay trans man respectively gave interesting depth to an otherwise simple setup, but their identities didn't define them within the plot.
This is a really enjoyable YA novel that tackles tough concepts in an easy to digest manor.
☀️☀️☀️⛅
A YA story that explores identity, friendship and mental health through the lens of fandom.
The plot was simple to follow and kept interesting across the dual POV structure. At times it became exaggerated or unrealistic but ultimately it never felt out of control in the context of the world that Oseman set up. I really enjoyed the focus on fandom: how multifaceted that world can be, how all consuming it often becomes, and how life changing it is for many people.
The two main characters were both written with clear and distinctive voices that felt authentically dramatic and age appropriate. Both of them feel like their lives are crumbling for different reasons and don't always respond in the most appropriate way, but being a teenager is messy and complicated and I think Oseman did a brilliant job of capturing this essence across the whole cast of characters. The emphasis on the power of friendship love vs romantic love was really excellent and elevated this story to another level.
There was a lot of great representation across the board in this book. Having main characters who are a Muslim and a biracial gay trans man respectively gave interesting depth to an otherwise simple setup, but their identities didn't define them within the plot.
This is a really enjoyable YA novel that tackles tough concepts in an easy to digest manor.
"I think the truth is that everyone in the entire world is confused and nobody understands much of anything at all."