Name: Loner
ISBN: 9781922330130

Georgina Young

A sharp and unlikely coming-of-age debut novel from Australia’s Sally Rooney

Loner

Shareca

This one was a bit lackluster for me, as I did not enjoy the voice and tone of the story. I thought it was going to be a bit more enticing or grabbing, but I did not find myself interested in it enough. It could be a personal preference, but I think the anxiety and coming-of-age just did not feel realistic at all. I put it down for about a month before I picked it back up and finished it.

Lauren Tabor

I have really conflicting thoughts on this book. I have never related to a main character so much which is why I am so disappointed with the rest of this book. It's so nice to read a book where you can really see yourself in a character and I guess I've never really had that experience. While I was reading this I could see myself in so many ways through Lona. On the other hand she was kind of annoying to read about...(take that how you will). 
I think mainly my issue with this was the writing. I did not enjoy it at all. I'm not sure if it was an intention choice by the author or if that's just how she writes. It was extremely choppy with no transitions. The writing felt quite dull to me, and seemed very simple. The characters were mostly boring and flat. There was no real depth to anyone or anyone's life. Lona was the exception that as she was the main character. I can see how she wouldn't be a likable character, but I also related a lot to her thoughts and feelings that I can see where people would think that she was awful. 
I know this was just a small snippet into Lona's life and her struggles with jobs and college and friends so I don't want to judge it too harshly. I do think it's an important topic to discuss because I think a lot of young adults feel this way (including myself). So many of us don't know what we want in life and feel like everyone else has it together. It is so nice to see characters in book who do not have it all together, we need more realistic portrayals of young adult in literature.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this for an honest review of the book.

Moray Lyle McIntosh

I really struggled through this one. Lona is a twenty-year old university dropout, working dear end jobs and wondering why life is full and hard. The answer is that Lona is incapable of making an effort with anything in hey life, be that her career or get relationships. Lona is teeth-gratingly self-absorbed and get into monologue is just dull. Her wallowing in doubt is mostly self-indulgent. She doesn't care about anyone so her insistence that the others in her life should put in all the effort is infuriating. Nothing happens. There is zero character development. Lona simply can't be bothered do I wouldn't advise you too. Not even on the same planet as Sally Rooney's infuriating but brilliant characters. Also, still doing: this. The constant use of colons is only one thing: extremely annoying.

Jelke Lenaerts

I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 


I just didn't get the point of this book. Nothing happened in it. The main character is at the exact same point in the beginning as in the ending. She goes through 0 developement. The only thing that happens in this book is a lackluster romance, no a shit romance. There was 0 chemistry between the two characters and I really didn't get how they were in love with each other as they barely knew anything about the other. Our main character also spends like most of the book being obsessed with a guy that she knows almost nothing about and then when she actually gets to know him properly she not interested anymore. And no, she doesn't learn from this because at the end we learn that she's 'in love' with a guy from work who she barely knows again. Our main character spends the entire book being an absolute dick towards anyone who comes her way and then wonders why she doesn't have more friends. She hates everyone and everything and how DARE people be nice to her. She's also weirdly pretentious and thinks she's better than everyone else. She claims to be a feminist yet hates on girls for liking pink and being interested in boys. Our main character is the definition of 'not like other girls' and I hated it. On top of that, like mentioned before, absolutely nothing happens in this book. Towards the ending the book also gets a bit unhinged and it ust feels like random scenes put together rather than an actual story. Needless to say I was a bit confused at the end. I really just didn't get the point of this book.

Heather Harrington

*I received a copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Lona doesn't have much going on in her life. She splits her time between sneaking into the darkroom at her old art college to develop pictures and playing DJ at a roller rink. She's never been in a relationship unless you count the platonic love between her and her best friend, Tab. Lona has spent a great deal of time perfecting her cynical-not caring what others think-attitude, but is that persona stopping her from enjoying everything the world has to offer? As Lona comes into her own and meets new people who open up her world to new possibilities, she'll learn that despite enjoying her own company over others, it's also nice having people to share in the world with.

I was initially drawn in by the cover of this book and then was grabbed by the premise. I think Young did a nice job of making Lona feel very relatable. Almost everyone has some sort of anxiety, so it's easy to see yourself in her and it made her feel more real. The relationships between Lona and Tab, her family, and even her love interests also felt very true to someone in their early twenties. Despite having undertones of serious issues, there's a lightness that's threaded throughout which makes the story so easy to digest. I also enjoyed how short and snappy the chapters and finished this all in almost one sitting. That being said, I did think some of the dialogue and phrasing Young used to be slightly clunky, which was my only issue. Overall, I think this was a nice coming-of-age story and one I think a lot of young people would be able to relate to.

Isabella Stocka

This was a quite unique book. At first I had some trouble to get acquainted with the writing style which at the end I became font. The story was clear in the beginning, with Lona just being annoyed by everything and everyone. She doesn't know what she really wants, she knows that she doesn't want what most of those around her want. That is at least something. I think the book shows how lost this generation feels and uncertain how to start navigate through all that is ahead of them.

Loner

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