In addition to Frances herself, who is bisexual and half Ethiopian, there is representation for gay, lesbian, asexual, black, and Asian characters. Radio Silence is the second book I’ve read by this author, and the one thing I’ve come to admire most about her stories is their diversity. Every one of us is different, and it’s important for those who don’t want to go down the academic route to be aware there are other paths open to them. As someone who opted not to go to university, despite achieving the necessary grades, I found Alice Oseman’s exploration of the education system incredibly refreshing. It seems to me, the society we live in encourages the belief that going to uni and getting a degree is the only way to be successful. University is an important issue addressed in this novel. Gradually, as she indulges her love for art and sheds her sensible clothes for patterned leggings, her wonderful quirkiness emerges.
For the first time in her life, Frances has someone with whom she can be herself. As the two bond over their mutual passion for Aled’s cult podcast, Universe City, a friendship that’s as poignant and beautiful as any romance develops between them. I adored Aled, not simply for his gentleness and creative flair, but due to the part he plays in drawing Frances from her shell. At the start of the novel, she has her future mapped out-head girl, top exam results, Cambridge degree, high-paid job…because that’s what you have to do, right? Yet, for all her drive and determination, Frances shows the world a mere shadow of the funny, artistic person she is inside, choosing to hide beneath a façade of quiet studiousness. It breaks my heart when characters feel unable to be true to themselves, and Frances, the story’s narrator, is a classic example of this. Radio Silence, however, illustrates powerfully how a platonic relationship can be just as intense and fraught with potential conflict as a romantic one. In a great deal of young adult fiction, friendships take a backseat to the romance. She has a talent for taking themes that have been done a thousand times before and presenting them in a way that is both current and fresh.
The more I read of Alice Oseman’s work, the further in awe of her skill as a writer I become.
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books Themes: Friendship, Fandom, Self-Discovery
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