Radio Silence
Author Alice Oseman
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Story
Frances Janvier has worked herself into the ground studying for years and years, all to have the best grades, so she can go to university as is expected of her. That's 'School Frances'. 'Real Frances' is a total nerd and adores a podcast called Universe City about an agender student detective called Radio Silence stuck in a place called Universe City and trying to escape. When she's contacted by the creator of Universe City and asked if she would produce art for the podcast, she agrees and is excited until she bumps into her neighbour, Aled Last (the twin brother of her ex-best friend, Carys, who ran away years ago), on a drunken night out.and accidently discovers that he is the creator of the podcast. What begins as a series of awkward interactions, leads to the two of them becoming best friends. However, soon Aled has to move away for uni and everything changes, relationships and friendships are tested, Aled's biggest secret is threatened, and Frances is forced to confront the truth about things that happened years ago with Carys.
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Why we chose it
Alice Oseman just 'gets' her characters, she writes believable teenagers and young adults and focuses her books on the issues and anxieties that feel most relevant to them. Radio Silence explores identity and friendship, the pressure to succeed and the courage it can take to work out who you really are.
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What a young reviewer said
This book is all about diversity and change and shows how if you try you can always make things just a little bit better. (Alice, age 13)
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First published
2016, HarperCollins Children’s Books
Story Reviews
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I thought Radio Silence was a great book. The main character is Frances Janvier, who is basically a study machine who’s one asset is that she’s smart. It follows her through her tough year where she suddenly is asked by the creator of her favourite podcast Universe City to draw the art for it. Following this, she begins to get friendly with Aled Last who is the brother of the girl Frances was friends with until she ran away from home. This book is all about diversity and change and shows how if you try you can always make things just a little bit better. The characters were created really well. My favourite character was probably Raine because she stuck with Frances the whole time and she had such a bubbly personality which I loved. It swears a lot and has a lot of love and stuff in so it would be best for older readers.