Alice Oseman was only 17 when she wrote her debut novel, and 19 when it was published. I’m reminded of S E Hinton, who wrote The Outsiders while at high school. I think there’s a special quality to YA books written by teens. They may not be perfect books, but they encapsulate what it’s like at that age.

In Solitaire, the protagonist is Tori (Victoria) Spring, older sister of Charlie from the later Heartstopper graphic novels. As the author explains in the material at the end of the book, she was inspired to go back to the story of Nick and Charlie. She later revisited Solitaire to make some edits for a new edition.

The novel is almost a stream of consciousness of what’s going on in Tori’s head, as she tries to navigate life. She’s drifting away from her friends, she can’t focus on anything, she worries about Charlie who has been treated for an eating disorder, she’s depressed. She can usually be found sprawled on her bed with a diet lemonade, updating her blog or half-watching a movie. The plot is about a series of escalating pranks on the school by someone called Solitaire, but this feels secondary to the development of Tori’s friendship, or possible romance, with Michael, an odd boy who skates. At times the novel is a frustrating read because it’s quite lengthy and rambling, without a sense of direction. There isn’t a clear sense of resolution. I was impressed by its realistic outlook, however. If I’d read this novel when I was the same age as Tori, I would relate to her a lot, except for when she claims to hate books! There are also a few mentions of Radiohead, which I think suggests that if you ‘get’ the music, it might be your type of read. There are other cultural references scattered throughout the book. Pride and Prejudice is a particular theme, as Tori has to study the book. The Catcher in the Rye is mentioned also – how could it be otherwise? – as the original story of an apathetic teen who thinks everything’s phony.

I think this is a very good debut, considering the author’s young age. Be warned that this novel becomes rather dark and is more suitable for the older YA reader.

First published in 2014.