Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
Published by Penguin
WHEN every-day technology becomes increasingly important in all of our lives, particularly those of the young people that have grown up with constant contact and sharing, honest and helpful discussion is vital.
The Girl Online trilogy became an instant favourite the moment I discovered it. Zoe Sugg, or as she is commonly known online, Zoella developed a massive following through her lifestyle-based YouTube videos from a young age and went on to become one of the first examples of internet fame on such a large scale.
Today, whether you have 90 followers or nine million, the feeling of performing for an audience with every post is one that most within the Gen Z or Millennial age brackets will tell you impacts them in very real ways.
Whether it’s the kind of bullying that has no name or face, falling into patterns of scrutinising your every feature in any given photo or mirror, or struggling to connect with or even like who you are in real life, it’s handled here with grace and balanced with plenty fun.
Penny Porter is a 15-year-old living in Brighton and writing an anonymous blog where she can express her thoughts, tell stories and connect with readers. But as it gains popularity online her life offline is beginning to change.
After suffering a panic attack related to an embarrassing moment at school she finds some levity in a family trip to New York where she meets the seemingly perfect musician Noah. The two have a romance anyone would aspire to, exploring the city and getting to know each other, with Penny of course detailing her excitement and joy in her blog.
The holiday is something like a dream but unfortunately we have to wake up sometime. The return home means the return of the very real problems and worries she has, that don’t disappear upon finding a boy.
Her current best friend Elliot’s troubles at home remain while her childhood best friend seems to be slipping away and she can’t seem to stop them from growing apart and the mysterious Noah from Brooklyn has some secrets that threaten everything they’d begun to build together.
Not only does her new American boyfriend have the good looks of a rock star, he really is in an up-and-coming band, and seems to have a pop star girlfriend he never mentioned. As if life couldn’t get more shocking, her online identity has been leaked and the two worlds Penny planned to keep completely separate are melting together.
This novel and its two equally fast paced, heartwarming predecessors are surprisingly relatable despite a central theme of fame. While its romance includes spectacular dates and gestures, what matters most to me is the positive personal development and communication skills it led to for both characters. This is an easy and lighthearted but maturely handled read.
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