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Completely Normal
Love has rules. So does grief. And Stella Wilde’s about to break them all.
Stella Wilde is secretly in love with the hottest guy in school, Isaac Calder. He seems to love her back, but there’s a problem – he already has a girlfriend, the gorgeous Grace Reyes.
When Isaac is killed in a car accident, the entire school is turned upside down with grief. And while Grace can mourn publicly, Stella has to hide her feelings to stop people from finding out about her and Isaac being more than friends.
But how long can Stella keep lying – to herself and everyone else? And when the truth finally comes out, how will it affect her newfound friendship with Grace?
Stella Wilde is secretly in love with the hottest guy in school, Isaac Calder. He seems to love her back, but there’s a problem – he already has a girlfriend, the gorgeous Grace Reyes.
When Isaac is killed in a car accident, the entire school is turned upside down with grief. And while Grace can mourn publicly, Stella has to hide her feelings to stop people from finding out about her and Isaac being more than friends.
But how long can Stella keep lying – to herself and everyone else? And when the truth finally comes out, how will it affect her newfound friendship with Grace?
289 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2022
23 people are currently reading
1680 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
July 23, 2023
Trigger warnings: death of a friend, car accident resulting in death (off page), bullying, revenge porn, grief, mental health, statutory rape (she dates a 20 year old guy from work when she's...16, I think??), fat shaming.
23/7/2023
I stand by everything I said last time. Stella is such an ANGRY character so much of the time and I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her that everything will be okay (and also that her friends fucking suck).
25/7/2022
Wow. This book was...not at all what I expected it to be and also absolutely incredible. So essentially, Stella bumps into school heartthrob Isaac outside her therapist's office. Repeatedly. They strike up a friendship. But in secret, because he has a girlfriend. Eventually, the friendship turns romantic. But then Isaac dies in a car accident. Everyone at school who knew him - especially his girlfriend, Grace - can grieve publicly. But Stella doesn't have that luxury.
The way this paints the complexities of teenage female identity and friendships is SPECTACULAR. Obviously, I never secretly dated a popular guy who died in a car accident. And frankly, I had very little in common with her. But holy HELL did Stella's story feel familiar and relatable. James' writing is stunning and I didn't want to put this down.
The examination of mental health and complex family situations and the realisation that a relationship you thought was one thing was, in fact, something else entirely was all extremely well handled, and I really appreciated the discussion of how easily teenage female friendships can turn toxic.
Ultimately, I loved this. Like, a LOT.
23/7/2023
I stand by everything I said last time. Stella is such an ANGRY character so much of the time and I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her that everything will be okay (and also that her friends fucking suck).
25/7/2022
Wow. This book was...not at all what I expected it to be and also absolutely incredible. So essentially, Stella bumps into school heartthrob Isaac outside her therapist's office. Repeatedly. They strike up a friendship. But in secret, because he has a girlfriend. Eventually, the friendship turns romantic. But then Isaac dies in a car accident. Everyone at school who knew him - especially his girlfriend, Grace - can grieve publicly. But Stella doesn't have that luxury.
The way this paints the complexities of teenage female identity and friendships is SPECTACULAR. Obviously, I never secretly dated a popular guy who died in a car accident. And frankly, I had very little in common with her. But holy HELL did Stella's story feel familiar and relatable. James' writing is stunning and I didn't want to put this down.
The examination of mental health and complex family situations and the realisation that a relationship you thought was one thing was, in fact, something else entirely was all extremely well handled, and I really appreciated the discussion of how easily teenage female friendships can turn toxic.
Ultimately, I loved this. Like, a LOT.
September 23, 2022
this book is the embodiment of teenage mistakes and teenage feelings. It’s a great book, in fact, it’s a masterpiece.
July 6, 2022
Biffy James writes teenage characters well. I definitely felt like Stella was being a typical teenager, and whilst I don’t agree with her actions, I felt for her and could justify her actions. I got annoyed at everyone around her for her, because they didn’t understand. I couldn’t put the book down and read this book in one sitting. If you like teenage school drama mixed in with a tragic death, it’s definitely for you!
April 16, 2024
This wrecked me. Well deserving of being shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Older Readers.
What happens to Stella in the book, happened to me when I was an adult.
I was once talking to a friend about a person whose boyfriend had died in the same way. I compared myself to that person and my friend said, "Well it's not quite the same, is it"
SC died 14 yrs ago, and I don't often think of him these days. But the other week I saw his friend when I was out. I wasn't sure it was him and I didn't say hello. I wish I had.
"And yes, I do think that's something you struggle with - finding a place between throwing bowls at your brother and being too frightened to let yourself feel anything at all."
What happens to Stella in the book, happened to me when I was an adult.
"my dead boyfriend who was never actually my boyfriend"
I was once talking to a friend about a person whose boyfriend had died in the same way. I compared myself to that person and my friend said, "Well it's not quite the same, is it"
SC died 14 yrs ago, and I don't often think of him these days. But the other week I saw his friend when I was out. I wasn't sure it was him and I didn't say hello. I wish I had.
July 7, 2022
Thank you so much to Hardie Grant for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I am an emotional WRECK after this book.
I was cruising along, reading this great, easy-to-read YA book dealing with grief and young love and friendship breakups and all that other messy teenage stuff, having a great time, thinking this was a casual 4 star read.
And then Stella tells her mum everything, and finally lets herself feel and cry and express everything to someone who loves her, and I BROKE. I had to put the book down, I was crying so much.
This book truly is beautiful. Stella is a great, incredibly relatable MC. She’s messy and imperfect and lonely and scared and self-conscious and uncertain and emotional but buries it. She’s a teenager, dealing with a lot more than someone her age should. I saw so much of myself in her from when I was that age.
I really loved Grace, Isaac, Mickey and Gretchen, too. Again, each of these characters just felt like real, relatable teenagers in their own ways. I could picture these people as people from my own high school life, all their faults and beauty combined.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
I am an emotional WRECK after this book.
I was cruising along, reading this great, easy-to-read YA book dealing with grief and young love and friendship breakups and all that other messy teenage stuff, having a great time, thinking this was a casual 4 star read.
And then Stella tells her mum everything, and finally lets herself feel and cry and express everything to someone who loves her, and I BROKE. I had to put the book down, I was crying so much.
This book truly is beautiful. Stella is a great, incredibly relatable MC. She’s messy and imperfect and lonely and scared and self-conscious and uncertain and emotional but buries it. She’s a teenager, dealing with a lot more than someone her age should. I saw so much of myself in her from when I was that age.
I really loved Grace, Isaac, Mickey and Gretchen, too. Again, each of these characters just felt like real, relatable teenagers in their own ways. I could picture these people as people from my own high school life, all their faults and beauty combined.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
January 17, 2023
I love it. This book talks about love and grief in ways that really resonate with you. The ending of part one was a shock, and I felt bad for stella for it to happen like that. The book is written so well and all the characters are very 3-dimensional, with such strong emotions and sides of the story, it's so hard to tell who I empathize for and who 'deserves' to grieve. Completely normal is a fast paced book, so very easy to enjoy, and I love how its written in first person, so the reader can really understand Stellas feelings. Amazing ending too. This is definetly one of my favourites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2022
I really enjoyed this one!
Fast paced, enjoyable characters and a beautiful storyline about grief and the emotional turmoil of trudging through whatever life throws at you. 👍👍
Fast paced, enjoyable characters and a beautiful storyline about grief and the emotional turmoil of trudging through whatever life throws at you. 👍👍
July 27, 2022
Completely Normal (and other lies) by Biffy James
Stella Wilde is in love - the only problem is, she is in love with the hottest guy in school, Isaac Calder, who already has a long-term girlfriend.
When tragedy strikes and Isaac is killed in a car accident, the whole school grieves with his girlfriend Grace. But only Stella knows that he was going to break up with Grace to be with her - or was he?
So now Stella has to deal with her fractured family - her Dad has moved to Hong Kong to live with his new girlfriend and their new baby - her best friends, who she doesn't actually like, and her growing friendship with Grace, who could be one of those "once in a lifetime" friends except for the whole Isaac complication.
I absolutely loved this new contemporary #loveozya novel that explores grief, mental health with heart and humour.
Stella is such a relatable character, dealing with family heartbreak and the realisation that she doesn't actually like her best friends, but having some friends is better than having no friends - isn't it?
Stella's experiences and her mental health struggles (and even her coming to terms that she is having mental health struggles) is something many teens (and those of us slightly older than our teenage years) can identify and connect with.
Does Stella always do the right thing?
No. But that just makes her all the more real for the reader.
I also enjoyed the fact that this book portrays a positive relationship between Stella and her psychologist and shows the benefit that Stella gets from the therapy.
I love how the way the friendship between Grace and Stella develops and evolves as the truth about Stella and Isaac is revealed.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to Hardie Grant for the advance readers copy of this book.
Stella Wilde is in love - the only problem is, she is in love with the hottest guy in school, Isaac Calder, who already has a long-term girlfriend.
When tragedy strikes and Isaac is killed in a car accident, the whole school grieves with his girlfriend Grace. But only Stella knows that he was going to break up with Grace to be with her - or was he?
So now Stella has to deal with her fractured family - her Dad has moved to Hong Kong to live with his new girlfriend and their new baby - her best friends, who she doesn't actually like, and her growing friendship with Grace, who could be one of those "once in a lifetime" friends except for the whole Isaac complication.
I absolutely loved this new contemporary #loveozya novel that explores grief, mental health with heart and humour.
Stella is such a relatable character, dealing with family heartbreak and the realisation that she doesn't actually like her best friends, but having some friends is better than having no friends - isn't it?
Stella's experiences and her mental health struggles (and even her coming to terms that she is having mental health struggles) is something many teens (and those of us slightly older than our teenage years) can identify and connect with.
Does Stella always do the right thing?
No. But that just makes her all the more real for the reader.
I also enjoyed the fact that this book portrays a positive relationship between Stella and her psychologist and shows the benefit that Stella gets from the therapy.
I love how the way the friendship between Grace and Stella develops and evolves as the truth about Stella and Isaac is revealed.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to Hardie Grant for the advance readers copy of this book.
September 22, 2023
Stella is so relatable. And I just love the way the book was written and how everything progressed. It just felt so real and I totally relate to Stella and Grace. I love it. It’s the epitome of teenage girl hood. Also maybe I related to it more because it was set in Australia for once? I’m always reading American books, or British books. I hardly get any that are set in Australia. Gretchen is so cool, and Mickey is funny. Oh and Paris! She’s so sweet. One of the rare times where I can say the 5 stars really are there for a reason. (And not just because I really enjoyed it.)
June 18, 2023
Not sure why I missed adding this way back when I read it. Might be that there wasn't an entry for it.
I completely loved it. Engaged with Stella immediately.
Great book.
I completely loved it. Engaged with Stella immediately.
Great book.
August 28, 2023
Absolutely incredible, reminded me of all the bright places and looking for Alaska. A really good book to get back into reading.
January 4, 2023
this is the best book I’ve ever read. I fucking love Mickey and grace is just a sweetheart and ugh Stella is so relatable and just OMG I NEED MOREEEE 🙏🙏🙏
November 26, 2023
This book was absolutely amazing. Literally speechless!!
October 11, 2025
Probably more of a 3.5 rating.
Wasn’t a page turner for me but I enjoyed reading it all the same.
I liked being a part of the therapy sessions. Felt like I was learning a lot as well.
Wasn’t a page turner for me but I enjoyed reading it all the same.
I liked being a part of the therapy sessions. Felt like I was learning a lot as well.
November 27, 2023
2.5 Stars
*My opinions may be different to yours but these are MY opinions*
What in the world was that? The start was okay, the middle was "what am I reading" (very similar to the saying in hindi, 'raita phel gaya') and then the ending was okay. When I was reading it in the middle it was going to be a 2 star straight up but the ending made me give the point 5 extra.
This book was a mess according to me and the plot had so much potential to be amazing. I hated the fact that literally EVERY PERSON IN THE WHOLE FREAKING BOOK was blaming Stella and no one, NO ONE even thought to blame Issac expect ONE person and they made SUCH a big deal out of that. So basically, cause he's a dude (and dead) not one person thought to be like "maybe its Issac who was in the wrong" OR MAYBE "its not all Stella". And this made me so mad, especially cause there was so many things happening in her life at that time. AND WHY DID ISSAC CALDER LEAD STELLA INTO A SITUATIONSHIP KNOWING HE HAS A FREAKING GIRLFRIEND. DOES HE HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS GRACE? STELLA WASN'T EVEN FRIENDS WITH GRACE AT THAT POINT, DOESN'T GRACE DESEVRE CLOSURE AND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T CHEAT ON HER?
No wonder I have been reading for literal 4 months now.
PS: What is wrong with Grace's mum btw?
PS part 2: this would have been a good mystery book (if wrote well ofc ofc)
*My opinions may be different to yours but these are MY opinions*
What in the world was that? The start was okay, the middle was "what am I reading" (very similar to the saying in hindi, 'raita phel gaya') and then the ending was okay. When I was reading it in the middle it was going to be a 2 star straight up but the ending made me give the point 5 extra.
This book was a mess according to me and the plot had so much potential to be amazing. I hated the fact that literally EVERY PERSON IN THE WHOLE FREAKING BOOK was blaming Stella and no one, NO ONE even thought to blame Issac expect ONE person and they made SUCH a big deal out of that. So basically, cause he's a dude (and dead) not one person thought to be like "maybe its Issac who was in the wrong" OR MAYBE "its not all Stella". And this made me so mad, especially cause there was so many things happening in her life at that time. AND WHY DID ISSAC CALDER LEAD STELLA INTO A SITUATIONSHIP KNOWING HE HAS A FREAKING GIRLFRIEND. DOES HE HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS GRACE? STELLA WASN'T EVEN FRIENDS WITH GRACE AT THAT POINT, DOESN'T GRACE DESEVRE CLOSURE AND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T CHEAT ON HER?
No wonder I have been reading for literal 4 months now.
PS: What is wrong with Grace's mum btw?
PS part 2: this would have been a good mystery book (if wrote well ofc ofc)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2023
[Reading every CBCA Shortlist book, 1/6]
This book packs a lot of complex and difficult things into a cohesive story, which is absolutely commendable. The character development was also strong. However, a shortfall is that... I found it personally very difficult to feel sympathetic for Stella and Isaac (and I'm not talking about his death, of course, just that he was absolutely not in the right at all before he died, and neither was she). While he was in a relationship, he continuous led her on KNOWING he had a girlfriend, and with the SAME KNOWLEDGE Stella was basically completely fine with it! She continued pushing the relationship knowing that this wouldn't end well and knowing that Grace would end up getting hurt if anything further were to be pursued. For example, Isaac says "Is this too much" when he is absolutely flirting with Stella, and she says "No" - the characters are just a bit shocking to make decisions like that?
The grieving of Stella is definitely an interesting perspective. Most times, people write about the perspective of death that is very depressing and heartbreaking, however here she just pushes it away. While her complete indifference to his death is certainly surprising (considering her emotions for him were so strong), it does get confusing when she randomly starts crying, yet I felt the tone barely changed. This isn't a major issue of course, it's just interesting.
All the characters were written very well however, and they were all characterised differently. I personally thought this book was pretty good. It could absolutely be a contender to win because I understand that though unethical, this situation can actually be applied to many different scenarios, and how she feels about therapy and her resistance towards it is probably something many readers of this book will identify with. I guess it all depends on how good the other books are.
I'm writing this at 12AM.
This book packs a lot of complex and difficult things into a cohesive story, which is absolutely commendable. The character development was also strong. However, a shortfall is that... I found it personally very difficult to feel sympathetic for Stella and Isaac (and I'm not talking about his death, of course, just that he was absolutely not in the right at all before he died, and neither was she). While he was in a relationship, he continuous led her on KNOWING he had a girlfriend, and with the SAME KNOWLEDGE Stella was basically completely fine with it! She continued pushing the relationship knowing that this wouldn't end well and knowing that Grace would end up getting hurt if anything further were to be pursued. For example, Isaac says "Is this too much" when he is absolutely flirting with Stella, and she says "No" - the characters are just a bit shocking to make decisions like that?
The grieving of Stella is definitely an interesting perspective. Most times, people write about the perspective of death that is very depressing and heartbreaking, however here she just pushes it away. While her complete indifference to his death is certainly surprising (considering her emotions for him were so strong), it does get confusing when she randomly starts crying, yet I felt the tone barely changed. This isn't a major issue of course, it's just interesting.
All the characters were written very well however, and they were all characterised differently. I personally thought this book was pretty good. It could absolutely be a contender to win because I understand that though unethical, this situation can actually be applied to many different scenarios, and how she feels about therapy and her resistance towards it is probably something many readers of this book will identify with. I guess it all depends on how good the other books are.
I'm writing this at 12AM.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
An interrogation into many experiences of adolescents, the time where you’re figuring out yourself and then thrust into figuring out how to respond to very adult scenarios. I felt right there with Stella. Biffy James does an outstanding job of inviting you into the “lie” - the uncomfortable anguish, skin crawling, suffocating frustration of youth, love, and grief. Completely Normal (and other lies) offers relatable insight to these big feelings, ways to navigate the motions, and the relief/air/bliss that awaits you on the other side.
If you liked One Hundred Days by Alice Pung and the torment of a daughter mother relationship, this might be your next read.
15+ Years
If you liked One Hundred Days by Alice Pung and the torment of a daughter mother relationship, this might be your next read.
15+ Years
October 11, 2022
[3.5?]
Mostly boils down to that it didn't feel completely authentic to me.
Mostly boils down to that it didn't feel completely authentic to me.
October 13, 2022
no words.
April 17, 2024
This started out really well but the further I got into it, the more it became derivative. I couldn’t work out the differences between this and My Life as a Hashtag by Gabrielle Williams. Considering this was the first winner of the Readings Gab Williams Prize the similarities are ironic. I think I’m done with Aussie YA for awhile.
June 27, 2024
* 2.5/5
positives: the writing style and plot was engaging; the journey you go on with the protagonist as she goes through therapy was… well, therapeutic; and stella’s emotions & internal monologue as a teenager would have been relatable for my teenage self. the take-home message of the power of forgiveness is also nice.
gripes: i guess i’ve either moved past YA fiction in terms of my reading taste, OR i just DID NOT LIKE the main character. or both. i couldn’t empathise with her sense of morality/overall character whatsoever, and since the book was from her perspective, i just kinda felt annoyed at the main character all the time? it also felt as though the protagonist's 'friends' lacked any character depth whatsoever, making the situations and interactions a bit hard to connect to.
had i liked the main character, this novel would have been a solid 4/5 :)
positives: the writing style and plot was engaging; the journey you go on with the protagonist as she goes through therapy was… well, therapeutic; and stella’s emotions & internal monologue as a teenager would have been relatable for my teenage self. the take-home message of the power of forgiveness is also nice.
gripes: i guess i’ve either moved past YA fiction in terms of my reading taste, OR i just DID NOT LIKE the main character. or both. i couldn’t empathise with her sense of morality/overall character whatsoever, and since the book was from her perspective, i just kinda felt annoyed at the main character all the time? it also felt as though the protagonist's 'friends' lacked any character depth whatsoever, making the situations and interactions a bit hard to connect to.
had i liked the main character, this novel would have been a solid 4/5 :)
January 14, 2025
4.5 stars. This book won a few Australian literature awards in the youth fiction category so wanted to give it a spin. I thought it was fantastic and can imagine really loving reading this as a teenager (although I still loved it as an almost 30 year old).
October 19, 2023
I hope every teenage girl I know reads this and learns to feel okay 🥹🥰
June 5, 2023
Long chapters but still a surprisingly quick read
July 13, 2022
Stella's family is a bit of a shambles and she's feeling a bit stink, although she tells everyone (including the reader) that she's PERFECTLY FINE thank you. But then Isaac happens. The only catch is, he has a girlfriend who's the most popular girl in school AND has the audacity to be an actually nice person. The other catch is that he dies suddenly in a car accident. Leaving Stella to grieve silently and hope her secret doesn't come crashing down on her when she finds herself befriending the bereaved girlfriend...
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Seeing it comped with Rooney made me nervous, given my deep abiding loathing of Normal People. I can see how this was kind of like Normal People but with communication, therapy, character growth and speech marks. In other words, an actually rewarding reading experience.
Stella is a very realistic teen character. She doesn't always make the best choices but she's very relatable to anyone who's ever been a messy teen with a messy family themselves. Her mum infuriated me. I really felt for Stella, even though some of her actions weren't the best.
I enjoyed how central therapy was to the story and to the way Stella dealt with everything she went through. I wasn't sure about her in the prologue, but looking back I see how her detachment in the beginning, even as a narrator, really serves to make the reader fully experience the growth in her character over the story.
Also loving the sewing rep! Love to see sewing featured as a hobby in a YA book.
My one quibble is that I spent most of the book confused about where in the world it was set. Isaac is described as a "footballer" and what does that even mean in an Australian context?? Soccer? AFL? Surely not rugby? So then I thought maybe England but then London is spoken about as being overseas so then I thought US, but then at the end they talk about a doona cover and so I guess it was in Australia after all?? I spent way too much brain power on trying to figure this out while reading which was a little distracting. So I guess I'd say there's not a clear sense of place.
Other than that though, it was very readable and surprisingly enjoyable for such an emotional story.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Seeing it comped with Rooney made me nervous, given my deep abiding loathing of Normal People. I can see how this was kind of like Normal People but with communication, therapy, character growth and speech marks. In other words, an actually rewarding reading experience.
Stella is a very realistic teen character. She doesn't always make the best choices but she's very relatable to anyone who's ever been a messy teen with a messy family themselves. Her mum infuriated me. I really felt for Stella, even though some of her actions weren't the best.
I enjoyed how central therapy was to the story and to the way Stella dealt with everything she went through. I wasn't sure about her in the prologue, but looking back I see how her detachment in the beginning, even as a narrator, really serves to make the reader fully experience the growth in her character over the story.
Also loving the sewing rep! Love to see sewing featured as a hobby in a YA book.
My one quibble is that I spent most of the book confused about where in the world it was set. Isaac is described as a "footballer" and what does that even mean in an Australian context?? Soccer? AFL? Surely not rugby? So then I thought maybe England but then London is spoken about as being overseas so then I thought US, but then at the end they talk about a doona cover and so I guess it was in Australia after all?? I spent way too much brain power on trying to figure this out while reading which was a little distracting. So I guess I'd say there's not a clear sense of place.
Other than that though, it was very readable and surprisingly enjoyable for such an emotional story.
July 8, 2022
As always, full-disclosure: Biffy is one of my authors I represent as agent!
But let me tell you; I love this book, and I am grateful every day for the delightful procession of happenstance that bought this YA manuscript and author to my door.
This is the story of a young woman called Stella who is having an affair with the most popular boy at her high school, Isaac - but their burgeoning romance is cut short when he's involved in a fatal car-accident. Suddenly Stella is caught in the middle of a grief she can't express, and the only thing that helps is her becoming close friends with Isaac's *actual* girlfriend, Grace - with whom he had a very public and aspirational romance. As Stella's secrets and lies twist and turn amidst her heartbreak and heartening new friendship, she begins to learn about herself and what truly matters in this life.
Very rarely do I read such funny, tender, complex, and honest young adult fiction. Biffy James's debut has been compared to Sally Rooney, John Green and 'Fleabag' Season 2 ('this is not a love story,' vibes) but she freely admits that she was moved by the 'Sweet Valley High' series, throwing back to her own young adulthood ... but pulling it into a much more modern era where mental health is discussed in-depth, female friendship takes centre-stage, and teenagers are encouraged to embrace being works-in-progress.
I love the tough-stuff in YA (hello, I also rep 'Peta Lyre's Rating Normal' and 'Please Don't Hug Me'!) 'Completely Normal (and Other Lies)' is more of the same ... a new wave of Aussie YA that's working overtime and on so many levels. I want to press it into every teenager's hands, but I also think a lot of adults would benefit from Biffy's tender and true debut.
But let me tell you; I love this book, and I am grateful every day for the delightful procession of happenstance that bought this YA manuscript and author to my door.
This is the story of a young woman called Stella who is having an affair with the most popular boy at her high school, Isaac - but their burgeoning romance is cut short when he's involved in a fatal car-accident. Suddenly Stella is caught in the middle of a grief she can't express, and the only thing that helps is her becoming close friends with Isaac's *actual* girlfriend, Grace - with whom he had a very public and aspirational romance. As Stella's secrets and lies twist and turn amidst her heartbreak and heartening new friendship, she begins to learn about herself and what truly matters in this life.
Very rarely do I read such funny, tender, complex, and honest young adult fiction. Biffy James's debut has been compared to Sally Rooney, John Green and 'Fleabag' Season 2 ('this is not a love story,' vibes) but she freely admits that she was moved by the 'Sweet Valley High' series, throwing back to her own young adulthood ... but pulling it into a much more modern era where mental health is discussed in-depth, female friendship takes centre-stage, and teenagers are encouraged to embrace being works-in-progress.
I love the tough-stuff in YA (hello, I also rep 'Peta Lyre's Rating Normal' and 'Please Don't Hug Me'!) 'Completely Normal (and Other Lies)' is more of the same ... a new wave of Aussie YA that's working overtime and on so many levels. I want to press it into every teenager's hands, but I also think a lot of adults would benefit from Biffy's tender and true debut.
September 10, 2022
A book that I picked up on a whim, but felt like it somehow picked me. Biffy James so perfectly addresses so many important themes that I feel like are underrepresented and does so with such eloquent prose:
'And so what if there was an occasional tiny moment in the dark when a slippery little voice snuck in between my thoughts, slyly asking me how I felt about that fact that all I was getting were mere photocopies of the relationships and friendships I wanted to have, when other people got the real thing with seemingly no trouble at all.'
So often do we overlook and minimise the impact of friendships in exchange for romance. James so beautifully and thoughtfully explores toxicity in friendships. What happens when we realise we don't like or respect the circle of friends we have found ourselves surrounded by? Are these friendships enduring from sheer complacency and lack of self confidence. How and can we just cut off those people who have been in our lives for years? Do we face being completely alone? Stella deals with these questions with the rare confidence of finding someone who finally feels like her person, only to loose them and have to hide all signs that she cared; it's a masterclass in performative relationships and friendships.
As someone in my early 20s, I have found myself avoiding books heavily featuring teenagers, either on the grounds of being less relatable in my early adulthood, or maybe it's because I have unresolved insecurities that I've been hiding in my own well of denial like Stella - out of sight, out of mind. Either way, Stella spoke to me and her growth felt like my growth. Initially on borrow from the library, I will be sure to buy a copy of Completely Normal for a guide to self-validation and healing and a companion in breakups and grief.
I cannot say enough good things about Biffy James' work and I eagerly await their following projects.
'And so what if there was an occasional tiny moment in the dark when a slippery little voice snuck in between my thoughts, slyly asking me how I felt about that fact that all I was getting were mere photocopies of the relationships and friendships I wanted to have, when other people got the real thing with seemingly no trouble at all.'
So often do we overlook and minimise the impact of friendships in exchange for romance. James so beautifully and thoughtfully explores toxicity in friendships. What happens when we realise we don't like or respect the circle of friends we have found ourselves surrounded by? Are these friendships enduring from sheer complacency and lack of self confidence. How and can we just cut off those people who have been in our lives for years? Do we face being completely alone? Stella deals with these questions with the rare confidence of finding someone who finally feels like her person, only to loose them and have to hide all signs that she cared; it's a masterclass in performative relationships and friendships.
As someone in my early 20s, I have found myself avoiding books heavily featuring teenagers, either on the grounds of being less relatable in my early adulthood, or maybe it's because I have unresolved insecurities that I've been hiding in my own well of denial like Stella - out of sight, out of mind. Either way, Stella spoke to me and her growth felt like my growth. Initially on borrow from the library, I will be sure to buy a copy of Completely Normal for a guide to self-validation and healing and a companion in breakups and grief.
I cannot say enough good things about Biffy James' work and I eagerly await their following projects.
September 27, 2022
Stella, teenage girl. Starts therapy to basically please her mother, and by the end of the story, this is one of the best relationships Stella has.
After each session, Stella keeps running into Isaac and his little sister, Paris. Isaac is one of the most popular guys in school. A bond develops over time in their walks to the train station after therapy. Phone chats begin. Feelings grow. The problem is that Isaac has a girlfriend, Grace, one of the loveliest people. Isaac tells Stella he wants to be with her. It's all seemingly positive.
Then he dies in a car accident.
And Stella must grieve in private. Because her relationship with Isaac was not public.
Stella ends up becoming friends with Grace. Real friends. Then it's only a matter of time before Grace finds out the truth.
I enjoyed this one. I really liked the characters, especially Stella. Her indifference to others and recognizing her emotions was a rare thing to be seen in a teenage character. It was refreshing!
This dealt well with the reality of how others are perceived, how situations are interpreted and misunderstood, deception of others that you believed were your people, coming to realise what matters to you and who is your tribe.
There are also themes of body image, fat shaming, lies, cyber bullying, consent.
This was a good one.
After each session, Stella keeps running into Isaac and his little sister, Paris. Isaac is one of the most popular guys in school. A bond develops over time in their walks to the train station after therapy. Phone chats begin. Feelings grow. The problem is that Isaac has a girlfriend, Grace, one of the loveliest people. Isaac tells Stella he wants to be with her. It's all seemingly positive.
Then he dies in a car accident.
And Stella must grieve in private. Because her relationship with Isaac was not public.
Stella ends up becoming friends with Grace. Real friends. Then it's only a matter of time before Grace finds out the truth.
I enjoyed this one. I really liked the characters, especially Stella. Her indifference to others and recognizing her emotions was a rare thing to be seen in a teenage character. It was refreshing!
This dealt well with the reality of how others are perceived, how situations are interpreted and misunderstood, deception of others that you believed were your people, coming to realise what matters to you and who is your tribe.
There are also themes of body image, fat shaming, lies, cyber bullying, consent.
This was a good one.
January 12, 2023
This book was really good the character reacted very much realistically and had real emotions that I could relate too. Also the depiction of showing the character on the verge of breaking but not breaking was so good to see as it was a normal reaction to what had happened to her. She was also just a very likeable character.
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September 23, 2022Trigger & Content Warnings:
Fatmisia
Statutory rape*
Revenge porn
Adult-minor relationship*
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a friend in a car accident, off-page
Bullying
* Context : The sixteen-year-old female protagonist is dating a twenty-year-old man.
Fatmisia
Statutory rape*
Revenge porn
Adult-minor relationship*
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a friend in a car accident, off-page
Bullying
* Context : The sixteen-year-old female protagonist is dating a twenty-year-old man.
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