I Was Born for This
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4.5 • 26 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
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 -- especially yourself.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this immersive, character-driven drama, Oseman (the Heartstopper series) thoughtfully highlights the cost of celebrity on one's mental health alongside the ways in which online fandoms can both build community and fan the flames of obsession and parasocial behavior. Eighteen-year-old Iranian-cued Fereshteh "Angel" Rahimi is meeting her online best friend, white-cued Juliet, for the first time IRL; they're set to spend an epic week together, culminating in a concert by mega-popular boy band The Ark. After arriving in London, however, Juliet reveals she has also invited her crush, sidelining Angel. Meanwhile, Ark's front man, Indian and Italian 19-year-old Jimmy, struggles to keep his trans identity private from fans and manage his anxiety—especially when a photo of him and Black-cued bandmate Rowan goes viral, ostensibly supporting the popular theory that they are secretly a couple. When Angel and Jimmy's lives suddenly converge, the two teens grapple with their respective internal struggles while offering mutual support. Employing even pacing, enticing alternating perspectives, and a cinematic writing style that continually builds tension, Oseman capably explores myriad facets of experience, spanning gender and sexual identity, ethnicity, and religion. Ages 14–up.
Customer Reviews
I love this book
This book is really good. It’s really funny and it is nice to see a book narrated by a trans character in a YA book. I feel like there are a lot of books that have non binary characters and stuff(at least that I’ve read) but not really many with trans protagonists narrating the story. I thought it was really funny and I liked the way that it talked about fandoms. I feel like often as fans we forget that sometimes there are real people who have to deal with it. Overall this book was really amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Beautiful 😍
I am not one of those platonic fan-persons; this is the BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ, and only book I could actually picture going on in my mind, as I have a very hyperactive mindset, and never can think of only one thing at the time. Love the book!! ❣️🏳️🌈❤️🏳️🌈❣️