Nobody Asked For This

by Charly Cox

There will come a time where everything falls apart around you and somehow you are still there.

Nobody asked for this, did they?

Charly Cox is not at all where she thought she would be, yet to be somewhere at all – to have reached thirty – is, in itself, miraculous.

In this stunning collection, including new, never-before-published poems, Charly Cox offers up her inimitable voice and perspective on breaking up and breaking down; on growing up and staying alive, and of love in all its different guises.

Intimate, unflinching and profoundly honest, these poems sing with the complicated joy of life, and of continuing to live, despite everything.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Audiobook

112 pages, Paperback

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

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Charly Cox - Crime, Young Adult

Reviews

[Megan Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've read her two other books of poetry - so i don't know why i bought this one, it's cos she had new poetry & it's all in one book. plus it's a signed copy. plus it's hardback, sometimes hardback is better for the book cos it won't get ruined 😂

the new poetry was great. i started it like last year so it's good to finally finish it.

she's one of my favourite poets, because she's modern, it's very relatable. it's so incredible to know that poetry as an art form isn't dying cos of the new generation of poets!!

[Magen Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly stunning canvas of the mind of Charly Cox. Having already read and adored both her previous works, it felt like quite a treat to be tucked all in one place.
Poetry is subjective and understood in an endless stream of brain waves - with this in mind, Cox has truly brought forgiveness, honesty and moments of acceptance that I never knew that I needed to truly heal. Her words, sometimes sadly, resonate with what it means to grow up in the 21st century.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I was absolutely floored by the longer poems and prose pieces on mental illness and addiction - they were incredibly real, relatable, and raw. However the shorter, rupi-kaur-esque poems about social media and basic sentences chopped up into bits were devastatingly disappointing considering how strong and promising this book was at first.

[Maisie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A selection of poems about the female body, society, expectations, eating disorders and so on. Super important and relevant, the author deals with issues and themes that the everyday woman also deals with. Cox brings to light how society and politics treats women and this collection is so good at making you feel seen.

[lucy♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i was with it until she un-ironically wrote “all my friends are gay, i wouldn’t have it any other way, except on a friday night when i have nobody to get off with.”

shakespeare is rolling in his grave.

[Shauna ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i did not sticky note all the same poems as i did for 'she must be mad' and 'validate me', but it felt refreshing to see all three of Charly's works put together

[Charlotte Baguley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Aria 88]

Audiobook review

Poetry by a young woman.

Not for me

[Hannah Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never read poetry before and didn't think it was for me but I loved this!!

[Bethany Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO BEAUTIFUL AND RELATABLE AND REFRESHING AND HONEST OMG I LOVED IT

[bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good talks about the struggles of womanhood. kinda didn't understand half the poems but still beautiful.

[Charlotte Whiteing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seaweed was a highlight for me. I liked the interview at the end of the audio book with Jack Harris.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d already loved ‘She Must Be Mad’ and ‘Validate Me’, but Charly’s new work cements her place as the voice of our generation. A must read for girls who think they don’t like poetry.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

 ▸ read on storytel
  ▸ audiobook
          ➥ ❪ 𝟬𝟰/𝟬𝟰/𝟮𝟯 ─ 𝟯★ ❫