A book review about “Radio Silence” by Alice Oseman
“I am, after all, only a voice on a radio, and there may not be anyone listening. I wonder- if nobody is listening to my voice, am I making any sound at all?”
-Radio Silence, Alice Oseman, p. 1
This quote is from the first page of “Radio Silence”, and it already hit me there. It summarizes in my opinion the feeling of our whole generation, everyone aspiring to be heard in this world full of noise. Everyone lonelier than one can be, while still needing somebody to listen. The book continues portraying our generation, the ups and downs and the struggles and fear of young adults. But first a short summary:
“Radio Silence” tells the story of Frances, an ambitious student, working and studying hard to get into Harvard (haha “Harvard” basically means WORK HARD). Despite her mom, Frances has no real friends. The only thing she is looking forward to, is listening to “Universe City”, a Sci-Fi YouTube podcast show, in which a student tries to escape a futuristic university and creating Fanart for it. As she meets Aled, everything begins to change and suddenly the importance of friendship, trust and honesty becomes clear.
“Radio Silence” is one of the books that affects you for weeks after finishing it. Thinking about it now puts me right back to the mix of feelings I felt reading it, and in my opinion, this is one of the greatest gifts an author can give you as a reader. I cannot express how much I liked this book. The thoughts, doubts and fears felt very familiar and relatable, all of them concerning decisions that affect one’s life so deeply, that you can barely breathe. Personally, some parts of the books hit me hard and were emotionally so intense that I could not continue (I read it on the train- BAD IDEA).
However, it was nice to read finally something about people in my age, that struggle with the same problems and doubts as I currently am. Often in books, movies or in music, choosing what to do with your life seems so easy and simple, the protagonist always knows his/her passions, interest and strengths, whereas I think that there are so many paths and opportunities to choose from, making the decision impossible. The book also portrays the importance of social media to the youth today and how it affects many lives, positively and negatively. For Aled and Frances is the Internet a safe space, but it can quickly change to the destruction of your mental health. I don’t want to spoil the clue of “Universe City”, but I just want to acknowledge the brilliance and the emotional depth of the concept.
Furthermore, I want to worship that this book is not a romance (loved that chapter where Frances exactly points out that this is not a romance). Even though there are romantic elements, the friendship is the main focus of the story. I just love the friendship of Aled and Frances! They seem so comfortable, real and true to themselves when they are with each other, expressed for example in their outfit choices (Btw who else is jealous of their outfits?). I also love how they are the best version of themselves when in each other’s company. I mean, that’s what friendship is about, isn’t it? Not to forget the relationship between Frances and her mother. It is so genuine, loving and supportive, but still demanding. Her Mom is just so cool, sharing interests with her and supporting her without being overprotective, even though I have to admit: I did not like her in the beginning. All the characters felt real to me, they are clever, multi-layered and interesting. I would love to meet them all in real life, here on my sofa to drink tea and tell all our secrets. What will happen with Carys and Raine? What about Daniel? I just want to get to know all of them…
Concerning the writing style, it felt young, easy and real. The reading felt more like a conversation or like I am watching everything happen in real life. The language suits the characters, the story and the audience. After every chapter I had the urge to continue reading, that’s why I devoured it so quickly. At this point I have to admit that I usually skip reading chapter titles, but the chapter titles in “Radio Silence” were like little riddles, that ACTUALLY MADE FUN.
Everyone looking for a YA Novel with elements of the Digital Age, that is sometimes depressing, very thoughtful, but also portrays the friendship you always wanted: give this book a go! It is a quick and easy read, but pay attention: emotionally very intense. It is kind of funny to think about but this book is about young adults wanting to escape, and the book itself is such a good book to escape. ESCAPINCEPTION.
I really want to read it again now.
Favorite Quote: “how many miserable young people does it take to change a lightbulb. Please, I am serious, I have been sitting in the dark for two weeks” or “does anyone have any tips for avoiding sinking into the concrete?”
Favourite Moment: Huh. Hard Question. The trip to Cambridge? The learning session with Aled? His birthday? The first time they meet? So many…
Rating: 5
Have you read “Radio Silence”? What are your thoughts? And do you have something similar to recommend?
What will your Verse be? 