Solitaire

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Teen, 1st Floor 4-week checkout	Teen Fiction / Oseman, Alice	4-week checkout	Due 04-02-2024
Pittsfield Teen Books 4-week checkout	Teen Book / Fiction / General / Oseman, Alice	4-week checkout	Due 05-18-2024
Traverwood Teen Books 4-week checkout	Teen Book / Fiction / General / Oseman, Alice	4-week checkout	Due 04-18-2024
Westgate Teen Books 4-week checkout	Teen Book / Fiction / General / Oseman, Alice	4-week checkout	Due 05-14-2024

Includes Solitaire conversation.
"Tori Spring feels completely disconnected from her life--until she meets the relentlessly cheerful Michael Holden, and a series of schoolwide pranks starts to draw her out of her shell"-- Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

School Library Journal Review
Booklist Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Meh submitted by eileenw on August 15, 2022, 4:02pm Since becoming an adult, the YA novels I read fall into one of two categories with no gray area: (1) I love them and the interesting worlds they create or (2) I'm annoyed with the teenage whininess and the character's thought process. Sadly, this novel fell into the second group.

I was eager to read this novel because I LOVE the Heartstopper comic/graphic novels, particularly Charlie's sister Tori and how she often enters the frame with a sudden *appear* next to her. But the novel didn't have the charm of the comic. Tori is the point-of-view character, her narration is occasionally interesting, but often it spirals around and around for no obvious reason. Yes, Tori is a pessimist, who believes in the worst in herself as well as others, yet she cares what happens (sometimes) and believes no one else cares. She breaks up with her friends again and again and yells and runs away and that seems to be mostly okay with the other characters. Until it isn't. I loved comic/graphic novel Tori, novel-novel Tori not so much. :(

Negative teenage experience---and the complete opposite of Heartstopper submitted by mowjac on August 27, 2022, 12:23pm I came to this as a fan of Heartstopper--first the TV show, then the graphic novels. This is Alice Osman's first book, written when she was a teenager herself. It shows all the attributes of a debut novel: brilliant idea but not always best execution. Written in stream of consciousness, I would call Tori deeply depressed, trying to feel alive but often collapsing into depression. She avoids self reflection and the novel is a recitation of actions, but avoids exploring the results of the actions. Osman conveys the reality of the depression well, but is not able to step back and give the broader view of why/how/what is contributing that. I think it's a great novel for adults and those who work with kids to get a sense of the interior psychic reality of teens.

Original Unrevised Edition submitted by falling2 on January 6, 2023, 11:57am Library patrons should know that the library copy of Solitaire is the original unrevised edition, which Alice Oseman published about teenage Tori Spring when she was herself a teenager. Those finding Solitaire because they are fans of the Heartstopper series may prefer to read the newer revised edition. The revised edition is currently available in the UK and will soon be available in the US. The revisions bring the plot of the novel in line with Hearstopper and smooth some of the novel's rough edges. (Although some of what caused an oft-quoted reviewer to call it "Catcher in the Rye for the digital age" may have been lost in the process.)

Even in its revised form, this novel may not be appropriate for younger readers of the Hearstopper series. Solitaire is about a clinically depressed teen and, while it is a very compelling portrayal of what clinical depression looks and feels like to a teen living through it, it has many dark themes. Readers may want to consider the content warnings provided here: https://aliceoseman.com/extras/content-warnings/. This original edition also contains major Harry Potter spoilers, if you haven't read all of the Harry Potter series yet.

Interesting submitted by Xris on June 11, 2023, 11:19pm Interesting to read about some of the backstory to the Heartbreaker characters Charlie and Nick. And I understand teenage angst, but I think this goes a little bit far. Tori beats herself up too much, and needs treatment for her depression. (And I read the version on LIbby published in 2015.)