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Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML: From the bestselling creator of HEARTSTOPPER and LOVELESS, a deeply funny and deeply moving exploration of identity, friendship, and fame. For Angel Rahimi life is about one thing: The Ark �?? a boy band that's taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark's fandom has given her everything she loves �?? her friend Juliet, her dreams, her place in the world. Her Muslim family doesn't understand the band's allure �?? but Angel feels there are things about her they'll never understand. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark. He's their frontman �?? and playing in a band with his mates is all he ever dreamed of doing, even it only amplifies his anxiety. The fans are very accepting that he's trans �?? but they also keep shipping with him with his longtime friend and bandmate, Rowan. But Jimmy and Rowan are just friends �?? and Rowan has a secret girlfriend the fans can never know about. Dreams don't always turn out the way you think and when Jimmy and Angel are unexpectedly thrust together, they find out how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be. A funny, wise, and heartbreakingly true coming of age novel. I Was Born for This is a stunning reflection of modern teenage life, and the power of believing in something �?? espe… (more)
User reviews
I was often frustrated by this uneven book: bored because it is overlong and dull at times and irritated
Strangely enough, the things I was concerned about didn't end up coming to pass. Oseman portrays fandom culture not with the scorn of someone removed from it or on the receiving end, but more so as an appreciator. The story itself definitely hit close to home for me - I was an active member of fandom as a teen/young adult - but not in the harsh way I'd feared. In fact, I wish I'd read this as a teenager in fandom; maybe things would have ended differently for me if I'd had a book like this to help guide me along the way.
The one sticking point for me was the characters. The story is told from two perspectives by two different narrators, Angel and Jimmy. Angel reminded me of the wonderful friends I made in fandom, in all the best ways, and I enjoyed her sections very much. Jimmy, on the other hand, really got on my nerves - I'm guessing it's because I too struggle with severe anxiety, and seeing myself on the page felt too bizarre to me. I didn't dislike Jimmy; I just got frustrated with him the same way I'd get frustrated with myself. That's a testament to Oseman's writing: I can't say the characters don't feel real and don't have their flaws.
I'm so glad I read this book, and I wish I hadn't put it off just because the Solitaire cast weren't featured. I should know by now to trust Oseman to provide real, solid characterization and a plot that keeps me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
Told in rotating chapters among the band members and Angel, readers are carried toward the night of the big concert that's to be preceded by a meet and greet. The closer the date becomes, the greater the tension, and the more readers learn about the backstory of each character. Add in a chance meeting between Angel and another important character, a complete freakout leading to a near tragedy in a downpour and you have a classic 'compulsively readable story.'