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Solo
Winner of the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards' International Education Services Teen & YA Book of the Year
A lyrical YA verse novel about a teenager’s journey to heal from heartbreak, rediscover her inner strength, and find harmony again – perfect for readers who love emotional, empowering coming-of-age stories.
Daisy can feel like a solo act at home. On the outside of her twin brothers’ intense relationship, she leans towards her parents, particularly her father, for support. As a passionate classical musician, she is not wildly popular at school, but she has one close friend and a life filled with musical performance. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend suddenly breaks up with her, and Daisy is left disconnected from her one true love, music.
When she makes a new friend at school, mysterious Flora, Daisy finds a glimmer of peace in her chaotic life. Just as everything seems to be getting better, they all fall apart. Family tensions heighten as Daisy’s dad falls ill and Daisy needs to decide should she find her way back to who she was or look towards who she is going to become.
A lyrical YA verse novel about a teenager’s journey to heal from heartbreak, rediscover her inner strength, and find harmony again – perfect for readers who love emotional, empowering coming-of-age stories.
Daisy can feel like a solo act at home. On the outside of her twin brothers’ intense relationship, she leans towards her parents, particularly her father, for support. As a passionate classical musician, she is not wildly popular at school, but she has one close friend and a life filled with musical performance. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend suddenly breaks up with her, and Daisy is left disconnected from her one true love, music.
When she makes a new friend at school, mysterious Flora, Daisy finds a glimmer of peace in her chaotic life. Just as everything seems to be getting better, they all fall apart. Family tensions heighten as Daisy’s dad falls ill and Daisy needs to decide should she find her way back to who she was or look towards who she is going to become.
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2025
14 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 27, 2024
A beautiful novel in verse that captures adolescence perfectly. I fell in love with Daisy and her passion for music as soon as I turned the first page. The style in this novel is so rich - each themed title relating to the moods of both Daisy’s music and life held within the rhythm of each verse and crescendoing with the rediscovery of herself. Absolutely gorgeous!
July 5, 2025
I hated this book so much.
I hated the main character.
I hated all the nasty profanity.
I hated the sexual content in a book for teens.
Why? Why is there sexual content in a book for under-age minors? And why does the cover look like it's being marketed for young children? I picked up this book thinking it was Middle Grade, because of the cartoony style of the cover.
To see all the objectionable content in this book, you can check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/solo-2...
Daisy is devastated when her boyfriend breaks up with her right after they have sex for the first time just weeks before her 18th birthday. She fails her music exams. She withdraws from her family. She mopes around depressed for months. She gives up playing the recorder. Her family and friends try to encourage her to dive back into music and find her way forward again, but she is a selfish brat and just wallows in her misery. Finally, almost an entire year later, she gains some maturity and realizes that she needs to actually do something with her life. She starts to embrace music again, and gets inspired to pick up the recorder and resume her music studies.
I liked the writing style okay. The story is told in modern verse, which lent a certain rhythmic emphasis to each sentence. However, the narrative jumps around in time as Daisy remembers things that happened months or years before, and then it jumps back to the present. That was mildly annoying.
I did not like the unhealthy obsession that Daisy has with her ex-boyfriend. I get that she is traumatized and depressed, but she doesn't seek help. She doesn't talk to her parents. She doesn't ask a counselor or therapist for help. She just wallows in it, reveling in it, like her trauma is what makes her special or something. So unhealthy!
Ultimately, I just couldn't get past all the profanity and nasty content in this book. This story could have been told without all of that and it would have been much more powerful and compelling.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
I hated the main character.
I hated all the nasty profanity.
I hated the sexual content in a book for teens.
Why? Why is there sexual content in a book for under-age minors? And why does the cover look like it's being marketed for young children? I picked up this book thinking it was Middle Grade, because of the cartoony style of the cover.
To see all the objectionable content in this book, you can check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/solo-2...
Daisy is devastated when her boyfriend breaks up with her right after they have sex for the first time just weeks before her 18th birthday. She fails her music exams. She withdraws from her family. She mopes around depressed for months. She gives up playing the recorder. Her family and friends try to encourage her to dive back into music and find her way forward again, but she is a selfish brat and just wallows in her misery. Finally, almost an entire year later, she gains some maturity and realizes that she needs to actually do something with her life. She starts to embrace music again, and gets inspired to pick up the recorder and resume her music studies.
I liked the writing style okay. The story is told in modern verse, which lent a certain rhythmic emphasis to each sentence. However, the narrative jumps around in time as Daisy remembers things that happened months or years before, and then it jumps back to the present. That was mildly annoying.
I did not like the unhealthy obsession that Daisy has with her ex-boyfriend. I get that she is traumatized and depressed, but she doesn't seek help. She doesn't talk to her parents. She doesn't ask a counselor or therapist for help. She just wallows in it, reveling in it, like her trauma is what makes her special or something. So unhealthy!
Ultimately, I just couldn't get past all the profanity and nasty content in this book. This story could have been told without all of that and it would have been much more powerful and compelling.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
February 26, 2025
“i need to play like me. play because i love it. because music is what i need. to heal. to grow. to change.”
this was such a beautiful read. i loved how it was written in prose, and how the words flew so easily on the page. it was a simple story, yet the messages that it conveys were not simple and very important. i related a lot to the mc, not because i play an instrument, but because how she feels in regards to her family. and what happens to her. how she feels at her loss when someone shows her a path to finding herself again. it was full of raw emotions that made me cry more than once.
i highly recommend it!
this was such a beautiful read. i loved how it was written in prose, and how the words flew so easily on the page. it was a simple story, yet the messages that it conveys were not simple and very important. i related a lot to the mc, not because i play an instrument, but because how she feels in regards to her family. and what happens to her. how she feels at her loss when someone shows her a path to finding herself again. it was full of raw emotions that made me cry more than once.
i highly recommend it!
January 11, 2025
Absolutely loved this, could not put down! Beautifully written and engaging -- immediately put me back in the place of being a young girl growing up, and all the confusion and pain and joy that comes in those years. I'd recommend for teens as well as their parents and other adults.
May 18, 2025
It made me cry, made me relive loving playing music, relive first heart break. Well done.
May 17, 2025
I have always been drawn to coming-of-age stories. From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Catcher in the Rye, and The Bell Jar to IT by Stephen King; nothing offers me more comfort than reading about the unsteady, unmoored formative years in a young person's life.
Solo by Irish writer Gráinne O'Brien is an expertly realised portrait of one teenager's grappling with belonging and her sense of self.
The book opens on Daisy's 18th birthday; a day she's reluctant to drag herself out of bed because she's consumed with thoughts about David, her first love, who has broken her heart, and Shannon, her best friend, who stamped on the pieces. When Daisy's Dad is diagnosed with cancer, and she has to deal with the confusion and fear that comes with the very foundation of her home being threatened, Daisy must find a way back to herself through music.
Reflecting Daisy's classical musical talent, Solo is written in verse. The beautiful musicality of the words - the rhythm, the ebb and flow - match the emotion in the story. What Daisy learns about love, loss, and heartache is thoughtfully brought to the page through music, as she navigates the complex social world of being a teenager, understanding more about who she is.
I can't emphasise enough how special this novel is. The writing has a simplicity and clarity that perfectly describes the gut-punch of emotion that comes with being a teenager, with poignant moments of realisation and learning. The characters are so well-realised, especially self-aware Daisy, who represents perfectly that pivotal period between childhood and adulthood.
Solo is a triumph of a book; an insightful and brilliant composition about friendship, first love, family, passion, and belonging.
It's the best kind of book: a book for everyone, to remind us why we fell in love with reading. If Daisy's comfort blanket is music, mine is books. And it's a lovely thing to be reminded of that. All of the stars.
Solo by Irish writer Gráinne O'Brien is an expertly realised portrait of one teenager's grappling with belonging and her sense of self.
The book opens on Daisy's 18th birthday; a day she's reluctant to drag herself out of bed because she's consumed with thoughts about David, her first love, who has broken her heart, and Shannon, her best friend, who stamped on the pieces. When Daisy's Dad is diagnosed with cancer, and she has to deal with the confusion and fear that comes with the very foundation of her home being threatened, Daisy must find a way back to herself through music.
Reflecting Daisy's classical musical talent, Solo is written in verse. The beautiful musicality of the words - the rhythm, the ebb and flow - match the emotion in the story. What Daisy learns about love, loss, and heartache is thoughtfully brought to the page through music, as she navigates the complex social world of being a teenager, understanding more about who she is.
I can't emphasise enough how special this novel is. The writing has a simplicity and clarity that perfectly describes the gut-punch of emotion that comes with being a teenager, with poignant moments of realisation and learning. The characters are so well-realised, especially self-aware Daisy, who represents perfectly that pivotal period between childhood and adulthood.
Solo is a triumph of a book; an insightful and brilliant composition about friendship, first love, family, passion, and belonging.
It's the best kind of book: a book for everyone, to remind us why we fell in love with reading. If Daisy's comfort blanket is music, mine is books. And it's a lovely thing to be reminded of that. All of the stars.
February 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Little Island Books, and Grainne O'Brien for the opportunity to read Solo in exchange for an honest review.
Solo is a HiLo novel written in a poetic verse style. This novel is unique and clever in its structure. The story is very focused around music, and each poem is titled using a musical vocabulary term and definition, but can also make for a double-meaning based on what is happening in the character's life at the time. This is clever, educational, and unique.
The story follows Daisy, a teen who must return to school after a devastating breakup, of which has caused her to lose her passion for music. When she meets a new girl, Flora, Daisy explores the meaning of friendship, even when tough love is the way to get a friend through a hard time. And sometimes friends have secrets they don't want to share, which may also guide their own actions...
Along with the breakup and newfound friendship, Daisy must also navigate a new truth in her reality: her father is diagnosed with cancer. She has so many questions with not enough answers. All these experiences not only shape who Daisy is, but with the help of Flora, guide Daisy into figuring out who she wants to be and what she wants for herself.
The novel is a great amalgamation of he teen experience when it comes to friendship and hardship, experiences many teens will have and be able to relate to. It will connect with young readers and offer the value of not being alone, or "solo" if you will, in this world and that the human condition ties into all. One key element among the various aspects of plot is belonging: finding one's place after a feeling of being displaced or lost due to personal experience, and this novel shows readers that people will be there when you need them, you just have to be amenable to listening and making a push for your own self and desires.
Solo makes for a great read for teens, offering various life lessons and take-aways. Readers will also gain a newfound vocabulary for music, and a reason to follow their own passions. Novels-in-verse are always great to read!
Solo is a HiLo novel written in a poetic verse style. This novel is unique and clever in its structure. The story is very focused around music, and each poem is titled using a musical vocabulary term and definition, but can also make for a double-meaning based on what is happening in the character's life at the time. This is clever, educational, and unique.
The story follows Daisy, a teen who must return to school after a devastating breakup, of which has caused her to lose her passion for music. When she meets a new girl, Flora, Daisy explores the meaning of friendship, even when tough love is the way to get a friend through a hard time. And sometimes friends have secrets they don't want to share, which may also guide their own actions...
Along with the breakup and newfound friendship, Daisy must also navigate a new truth in her reality: her father is diagnosed with cancer. She has so many questions with not enough answers. All these experiences not only shape who Daisy is, but with the help of Flora, guide Daisy into figuring out who she wants to be and what she wants for herself.
The novel is a great amalgamation of he teen experience when it comes to friendship and hardship, experiences many teens will have and be able to relate to. It will connect with young readers and offer the value of not being alone, or "solo" if you will, in this world and that the human condition ties into all. One key element among the various aspects of plot is belonging: finding one's place after a feeling of being displaced or lost due to personal experience, and this novel shows readers that people will be there when you need them, you just have to be amenable to listening and making a push for your own self and desires.
Solo makes for a great read for teens, offering various life lessons and take-aways. Readers will also gain a newfound vocabulary for music, and a reason to follow their own passions. Novels-in-verse are always great to read!
April 25, 2025
I've never read a verse novel before and delighted this was my first as it was fantastic.
I loved the little quirks like the font size changing at certain points to amplify the emotions of the time. i loved the music definitions at the start of every poem/chapter.
Basically i loved everything about this and I hope Daisy goes on to great happiness after her emotional leaving cert year <3
I loved the little quirks like the font size changing at certain points to amplify the emotions of the time. i loved the music definitions at the start of every poem/chapter.
Basically i loved everything about this and I hope Daisy goes on to great happiness after her emotional leaving cert year <3
February 16, 2026
I’ve read a lott of verse novels and I was looking forward to this one but didn’t enjoy it, and there was little to remember about it.
All the characters were vague and/or unlikable, Daisy herself was annoying and selfish, and the plot was thin and repetitive, and nothing really memorable. Despite how this was meant to be an emotional read, I just didn’t feel much at all because it lacked depth or even just room to breathe - everything was just so vague. Conflicts were mostly vaguely reported or not shown, reasons for behaviour also just told and explained rather than explored. Characterisation just mostly didn’t happen.
For a novel written in verse about music, there was also very little poetry or rhythm or musicality in the writing. Imagery was scarce and there wasn’t much to really picture, linebreaks were clunky and without rhythm, every-line-capitalised also not helping with that.
I think music and the discordance of emotions alongside music could have been so beautifully shown, but this book just stuck to the annoying selfish wallowing of the MC’s thoughts and bland narration without really utitlising descriptive imagery or poetic/creative techniques at all.
Sadly, I think this is one I’ll forget quite quickly as it was just boring.
All the characters were vague and/or unlikable, Daisy herself was annoying and selfish, and the plot was thin and repetitive, and nothing really memorable. Despite how this was meant to be an emotional read, I just didn’t feel much at all because it lacked depth or even just room to breathe - everything was just so vague. Conflicts were mostly vaguely reported or not shown, reasons for behaviour also just told and explained rather than explored. Characterisation just mostly didn’t happen.
For a novel written in verse about music, there was also very little poetry or rhythm or musicality in the writing. Imagery was scarce and there wasn’t much to really picture, linebreaks were clunky and without rhythm, every-line-capitalised also not helping with that.
I think music and the discordance of emotions alongside music could have been so beautifully shown, but this book just stuck to the annoying selfish wallowing of the MC’s thoughts and bland narration without really utitlising descriptive imagery or poetic/creative techniques at all.
Sadly, I think this is one I’ll forget quite quickly as it was just boring.
September 29, 2025
This is a very good book. It gets into you very quickly.
I really enjoyed the Classical Music connection, the Music Exams and the info about the Leaving Cert.
A wonderful coming of age YA novel (maybe a Novella???) written in verse.
This book is honest, raw, very sad at times, glimpses of love, family and friends.
I loved the way each chapter started with verse, lovely lyrical, flowing words.
I only gave it 3 stars because it's much too fast, only took a couple of hours to read.
I really enjoyed the Classical Music connection, the Music Exams and the info about the Leaving Cert.
A wonderful coming of age YA novel (maybe a Novella???) written in verse.
This book is honest, raw, very sad at times, glimpses of love, family and friends.
I loved the way each chapter started with verse, lovely lyrical, flowing words.
I only gave it 3 stars because it's much too fast, only took a couple of hours to read.
January 7, 2026
I found this such a confusing book, no passion, no emotion despite trying to be an emotional story. the layout threw me off too...
December 30, 2025
I did enjoy this and I can see why it well reviewed. Still chuckling at the fact that out of all the instruments the main character could haved played that she plays a recorder. Clearly I've been damaged by listening to too many primary school children murdering songs with one.
March 24, 2025
Daisy has just turned eighteen, but is in no mood to celebrate. Her recent breakup with David has destroyed her first passion, the recorder. She is lost in a blur of low self esteem and depression.
When the summer ends and school starts, Daisy meets Flora, who has a unique energy and a love of music, specifically being an alto in the choir.
Despite the idea of David still lingering on the periphery of her mind, Daisy finds through Flora a path back to the recorder and her love of music. When a family scare deepens Daisy's anxiety and guilt, her relationship with Flora and music in general becomes much more complex.
This is a beautiful YA verse novel.
Daisy is an extremely well-developed, complex and believable character that exudes all the frustration, rage and joy that an older teen can experience. She thinks of herself as an adult but also possesses the immaturity that is hard to shed as an eighteen year old.
The novel is brimming with musicality, with each chapter being given a title that pairs with Daisy's love of music and her emotional state. As a verse novel, Solo strips away everything but the absolute essential to the story, there is a simmering energy to it that gives it an extra punch to the guts. O'Brien clearly is a master at developing inner agonies that crawl out from the page to wrap their tendrils around your heart. Solo is a deeply affecting novel that will leave you rooted to the floor, I loved it.
You can listen to my interview with O'Brien here!
https://soundcloud.com/booklingschat/...
When the summer ends and school starts, Daisy meets Flora, who has a unique energy and a love of music, specifically being an alto in the choir.
Despite the idea of David still lingering on the periphery of her mind, Daisy finds through Flora a path back to the recorder and her love of music. When a family scare deepens Daisy's anxiety and guilt, her relationship with Flora and music in general becomes much more complex.
This is a beautiful YA verse novel.
Daisy is an extremely well-developed, complex and believable character that exudes all the frustration, rage and joy that an older teen can experience. She thinks of herself as an adult but also possesses the immaturity that is hard to shed as an eighteen year old.
The novel is brimming with musicality, with each chapter being given a title that pairs with Daisy's love of music and her emotional state. As a verse novel, Solo strips away everything but the absolute essential to the story, there is a simmering energy to it that gives it an extra punch to the guts. O'Brien clearly is a master at developing inner agonies that crawl out from the page to wrap their tendrils around your heart. Solo is a deeply affecting novel that will leave you rooted to the floor, I loved it.
You can listen to my interview with O'Brien here!
https://soundcloud.com/booklingschat/...
January 27, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Gráinne O'Brien for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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Summary
Daisy has always felt slightly out of sync in her own home. Her twin brothers share a bond she can’t penetrate, so she gravitates toward her parents, especially her dad for grounding. Music is her anchor: as a dedicated classical musician, she pours her heart into performance even if it doesn’t win her popularity at school. She has one close friend, a steady routine, and a boyfriend who seems to understand her.
Then everything fractures.
Her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, leaving Daisy emotionally unmoored. The breakup doesn’t just hurt her heart, it severs her connection to music, the one thing that has always made sense. Suddenly she’s drifting, unsure of who she is without the rhythm that once guided her.
At school, she meets Flora, a mysterious, intriguing new friend who brings a sense of calm and curiosity into Daisy’s life. Through Flora, Daisy begins to rediscover small sparks of joy. She starts to feel like she might be able to rebuild herself.
But just as she begins to regain her footing, her world tilts again. Her father becomes seriously ill, and the family’s fragile balance collapses. Daisy is forced to confront grief, fear, and the pressure of holding herself—and her family—together.
In the quiet spaces between heartbreak and healing, Daisy must choose; cling to the version of herself she once was, or step into the person she is becoming. Through music, friendship, and courage, she slowly learns to find harmony again.
----------------------------------
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review (4 Stars)
This verse novel delivers an emotionally rich, beautifully paced coming‑of‑age story that feels both intimate and universal. The chronological flow works especially well: we follow Daisy from stability, to heartbreak, to tentative hope, to crisis, and finally to growth. The structure mirrors the emotional arc of a symphony; soft openings, crashing lows, and a resonant, hopeful finale.
The writing shines in its lyrical simplicity. The verse format captures Daisy’s inner world with clarity and vulnerability, making her grief, confusion, and resilience feel immediate. Her relationship with music is especially compelling; the way she loses and slowly rediscovers it adds depth to her journey.
Flora is a standout addition, and their friendship offers a gentle counterbalance to Daisy’s turmoil. The family storyline, particularly her father’s illness, adds emotional weight without tipping into melodrama.
Overall, it’s a moving, empowering YA story about identity, loss, and the courage to begin again
----------------------------------
Summary
Daisy has always felt slightly out of sync in her own home. Her twin brothers share a bond she can’t penetrate, so she gravitates toward her parents, especially her dad for grounding. Music is her anchor: as a dedicated classical musician, she pours her heart into performance even if it doesn’t win her popularity at school. She has one close friend, a steady routine, and a boyfriend who seems to understand her.
Then everything fractures.
Her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, leaving Daisy emotionally unmoored. The breakup doesn’t just hurt her heart, it severs her connection to music, the one thing that has always made sense. Suddenly she’s drifting, unsure of who she is without the rhythm that once guided her.
At school, she meets Flora, a mysterious, intriguing new friend who brings a sense of calm and curiosity into Daisy’s life. Through Flora, Daisy begins to rediscover small sparks of joy. She starts to feel like she might be able to rebuild herself.
But just as she begins to regain her footing, her world tilts again. Her father becomes seriously ill, and the family’s fragile balance collapses. Daisy is forced to confront grief, fear, and the pressure of holding herself—and her family—together.
In the quiet spaces between heartbreak and healing, Daisy must choose; cling to the version of herself she once was, or step into the person she is becoming. Through music, friendship, and courage, she slowly learns to find harmony again.
----------------------------------
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review (4 Stars)
This verse novel delivers an emotionally rich, beautifully paced coming‑of‑age story that feels both intimate and universal. The chronological flow works especially well: we follow Daisy from stability, to heartbreak, to tentative hope, to crisis, and finally to growth. The structure mirrors the emotional arc of a symphony; soft openings, crashing lows, and a resonant, hopeful finale.
The writing shines in its lyrical simplicity. The verse format captures Daisy’s inner world with clarity and vulnerability, making her grief, confusion, and resilience feel immediate. Her relationship with music is especially compelling; the way she loses and slowly rediscovers it adds depth to her journey.
Flora is a standout addition, and their friendship offers a gentle counterbalance to Daisy’s turmoil. The family storyline, particularly her father’s illness, adds emotional weight without tipping into melodrama.
Overall, it’s a moving, empowering YA story about identity, loss, and the courage to begin again
February 5, 2026
Thank you to Little Island Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BookSloth used to play the recorder. Three hours every Saturday morning, in an ensemble, sat in neat rows of plastic chairs. She's now wondering why she stopped!
Before even talking about the story, let's talk about the layout. The typesetting is beautiful—genuinely beautiful. It understands silence matters as much as words. Solo is the first verse novel BookSloth has read, and she didn’t just like the form—she fell a little bit in love with it. Because verse suits this story perfectly. The short lines echo the nature of thought, the rhythm of the music that is embedded in Daisy's soul.
Teenage life isn’t neat. It’s intense and fragmented and immediate. Thoughts come fast. Feelings come faster. Daisy's world is built around exams, family expectations, and heartbreak. One conversation or one mistake might permanently alter the course of your life. There’s no perspective yet. Just the narrow, high-stakes world of school corridors, rehearsals, friendships, crushes, and the constant, exhausting question of where you fit.
The narrow focus of this age is captured painfully well.
When we first meet Daisy, she's grieving. The boy she thought was "the One". When he walks away, Daisy loses more than a boyfriend. She loses her sense of direction. Her connection to music.
The emotions are messy, irrational, overwhelming—and completely logical at the same time. The psychology behind it all, the stuff we don’t yet have the language for at that age, quietly drives Daisy's every action.
This book also captures how creativity and identity tangle together when you’re young (and even when you're not). How music—or art, or writing, or anything you care about deeply—can feel like the only place you actually make sense to yourself. It also shows how easily this passion can be weaponised. Consciously or not.
Another thing BookSloth appreciates is how the novel shows that parents are human too. Daisy's parents love her but they're tired. They make mistakes. They don't always know the right way to respond to her pain when they're dealing with their own. Part of growing up is realising that parents are people, too, improvising just the same as their teens.
This is a beautifully crafted story about music, first heartbreak, and the strange intensity of being young and feeling everything at full volume.
Five thoughtful sloths, many lingering lines, a heart warmed by verse.
BookSloth used to play the recorder. Three hours every Saturday morning, in an ensemble, sat in neat rows of plastic chairs. She's now wondering why she stopped!
Before even talking about the story, let's talk about the layout. The typesetting is beautiful—genuinely beautiful. It understands silence matters as much as words. Solo is the first verse novel BookSloth has read, and she didn’t just like the form—she fell a little bit in love with it. Because verse suits this story perfectly. The short lines echo the nature of thought, the rhythm of the music that is embedded in Daisy's soul.
Teenage life isn’t neat. It’s intense and fragmented and immediate. Thoughts come fast. Feelings come faster. Daisy's world is built around exams, family expectations, and heartbreak. One conversation or one mistake might permanently alter the course of your life. There’s no perspective yet. Just the narrow, high-stakes world of school corridors, rehearsals, friendships, crushes, and the constant, exhausting question of where you fit.
The narrow focus of this age is captured painfully well.
When we first meet Daisy, she's grieving. The boy she thought was "the One". When he walks away, Daisy loses more than a boyfriend. She loses her sense of direction. Her connection to music.
The emotions are messy, irrational, overwhelming—and completely logical at the same time. The psychology behind it all, the stuff we don’t yet have the language for at that age, quietly drives Daisy's every action.
This book also captures how creativity and identity tangle together when you’re young (and even when you're not). How music—or art, or writing, or anything you care about deeply—can feel like the only place you actually make sense to yourself. It also shows how easily this passion can be weaponised. Consciously or not.
Another thing BookSloth appreciates is how the novel shows that parents are human too. Daisy's parents love her but they're tired. They make mistakes. They don't always know the right way to respond to her pain when they're dealing with their own. Part of growing up is realising that parents are people, too, improvising just the same as their teens.
This is a beautifully crafted story about music, first heartbreak, and the strange intensity of being young and feeling everything at full volume.
Five thoughtful sloths, many lingering lines, a heart warmed by verse.
February 14, 2026
Daisy is on a precipice. The fine recorder player and chorister fluffed her Grade 8 at her instrument over the summer, because she had been with the school hottie, and she had agreed to sex with him, only for him to dump her, sending her into a classic teenaged mope. But this academic year ahead is the key one, where exam scores define what – if any – university future she might get. Dare she be nonchalant about school as she suddenly was about music? Will she just be too morose to study? Or will the new girl in school – and music, and choir – spark some extra life into her days?
Or will something else turn up, annoyingly late for a plot summary, but also a must-reveal, for multiple reasons? Something like cancer?
This is a novel-in-verse that does feel like a novel. It's certainly a touch longer than many, and that's not to include all the poem titles – and their definitions, them being musical directions and terms, in Italian and German – which I just find a wasteful distraction. I've yet to come across one that is a self-contained unit, after all.
In this novel we get everything presented on the whole in snappy, two-line couplets, blunt little slices of text, that layer up and layer up to make a rich look at what music can do. It is a healing thing, but when you stop playing, who suffers? You, for not playing it, or your audience? Daisy has to find that while she wants to abandon the recorder, and cease all recall of events regarding a certain kid in a certain rehearsal room, it might not be being true to herself.
And I think you feel for her here, even if you find schoolkids so keen on classical music a touch too rare for you to connect with. You can easily engage with Daisy, when you see her looking like she's throwing away the future she has set up, because her present now has a very sour-tasting recent past. This is about how much free will Daisy has, now that her fella has snatched so much from her. (That said, it's never about the sex, or pregnancy, or particularly the shame from being sexually active.)
It's actually a rich, impressive piece, about which you could talk, think and write for a long time. All the characters are flawed, and more likeable for it. It features a "daddy issues" narrative thread that is most impressive, those being turn-offs for me as a rule. And it balances a lot of serious issues onto the page, while never forgetting that the teen intending to read this is here for the pleasure. It's an award-winning work, apparently, and that's not exactly a surprise. This is a strong four stars.
Or will something else turn up, annoyingly late for a plot summary, but also a must-reveal, for multiple reasons? Something like cancer?
This is a novel-in-verse that does feel like a novel. It's certainly a touch longer than many, and that's not to include all the poem titles – and their definitions, them being musical directions and terms, in Italian and German – which I just find a wasteful distraction. I've yet to come across one that is a self-contained unit, after all.
In this novel we get everything presented on the whole in snappy, two-line couplets, blunt little slices of text, that layer up and layer up to make a rich look at what music can do. It is a healing thing, but when you stop playing, who suffers? You, for not playing it, or your audience? Daisy has to find that while she wants to abandon the recorder, and cease all recall of events regarding a certain kid in a certain rehearsal room, it might not be being true to herself.
And I think you feel for her here, even if you find schoolkids so keen on classical music a touch too rare for you to connect with. You can easily engage with Daisy, when you see her looking like she's throwing away the future she has set up, because her present now has a very sour-tasting recent past. This is about how much free will Daisy has, now that her fella has snatched so much from her. (That said, it's never about the sex, or pregnancy, or particularly the shame from being sexually active.)
It's actually a rich, impressive piece, about which you could talk, think and write for a long time. All the characters are flawed, and more likeable for it. It features a "daddy issues" narrative thread that is most impressive, those being turn-offs for me as a rule. And it balances a lot of serious issues onto the page, while never forgetting that the teen intending to read this is here for the pleasure. It's an award-winning work, apparently, and that's not exactly a surprise. This is a strong four stars.
December 31, 2025
Written in verse, this Young Adult novel is a masterpiece in storytelling and music. Each chapter/section is titled with a musical term and followed by its definition. Exquisitely written, everything flows beautifully. Like a composition, if you will.
The story covers first heartbreaks, both platonic and romantic, and deals with the grief of having a sick parent. All of this makes Solo a compelling and unforgettable story.
The author is not just writing a character who loves music, she herself seems to have the knowledge of musical terms and captures the dedication and commitment it takes to learn an instrument, devote most of your life to it. I think we all have read books where an author writes a character who loves something, be it a sport, chess or, indeed, music. And as a reader, you can tell the author is not overly familiar and making an educated guess on that topic. Not here. I felt like O'Brien truly understands it (music), understands me.
Music was a huge part of my life, arguably my whole identity, for the first 23 years of my life. Since finishing my music degree, I've taken several steps back. For different reasons to Daisy, I pursued a career in books instead. I've yet to refind the love I once had, but Daisy gives me hope. Reading her story was like looking in a mirror. I never expected to see the grief I felt from losing music reflected in the thing I used to fill that void, books.
A new favourite!
The story covers first heartbreaks, both platonic and romantic, and deals with the grief of having a sick parent. All of this makes Solo a compelling and unforgettable story.
The author is not just writing a character who loves music, she herself seems to have the knowledge of musical terms and captures the dedication and commitment it takes to learn an instrument, devote most of your life to it. I think we all have read books where an author writes a character who loves something, be it a sport, chess or, indeed, music. And as a reader, you can tell the author is not overly familiar and making an educated guess on that topic. Not here. I felt like O'Brien truly understands it (music), understands me.
Music was a huge part of my life, arguably my whole identity, for the first 23 years of my life. Since finishing my music degree, I've taken several steps back. For different reasons to Daisy, I pursued a career in books instead. I've yet to refind the love I once had, but Daisy gives me hope. Reading her story was like looking in a mirror. I never expected to see the grief I felt from losing music reflected in the thing I used to fill that void, books.
A new favourite!
March 1, 2026
Solo by Gráinne O'Brien is a powerful story told through verse about a young girl coming of age while her father is dealing with a cancer diagnosis and she is heart broken following her break up with her first real boyfriend. There is a musical theme running throughout the book as Daisy, a talented musician at first abandons the music that brought her so much joy, but slowly finds her way back with the support and encouragement of her family, teachers and a new friend Flora who is dealing with family troubles of her own.
As I mentioned earlier the book is written in verse and each poem has a title with a specific musical definition, this I found really clever and I loved seeing how the author was able to connect music to every aspect of the story, so that Daisy finds herself growing from feeling like a solo artist in the midst of family discord to being part of a harmonious unit. The focus may be on teenage emotions and struggles but there is much to be appreciated by a more mature reader too. As an Irish reader I enjoyed the nods to our culture and heritage that were woven throughout the book, thought it has been quite a few years since I was a teenager some of the things described brought me right back to that time in my own life.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
As I mentioned earlier the book is written in verse and each poem has a title with a specific musical definition, this I found really clever and I loved seeing how the author was able to connect music to every aspect of the story, so that Daisy finds herself growing from feeling like a solo artist in the midst of family discord to being part of a harmonious unit. The focus may be on teenage emotions and struggles but there is much to be appreciated by a more mature reader too. As an Irish reader I enjoyed the nods to our culture and heritage that were woven throughout the book, thought it has been quite a few years since I was a teenager some of the things described brought me right back to that time in my own life.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
February 23, 2026
When the music stops, who are you without it?
🪈
Daisy has always found her place in music, even when she feels like an outsider at home and at school. Living in the shadow of her twin brothers’ intense bond, she leans on her father and her passion for classical performance to steady her world until a sudden breakup leaves her untethered from both love and the music that defines her. As she forms a fragile new friendship with the enigmatic Flora and faces rising family tensions after her father falls ill, Daisy must decide whether to cling to who she used to be or step bravely into the person she’s becoming.
🪈
I really enjoyed this YA novel-in-verse. I loved getting a glimpse into how school life works in Ireland, it added such a fresh layer to the story, but what stood out most is how universal Daisy’s struggles feel. Even though it’s set in another country, so many teens will see themselves in her friendships, family tensions, heartbreak, and the pressure of figuring out who they’re becoming. It’s intimate and relatable in all the right ways.
CW: cancer, emesis, toxic friendship
🪈
Daisy has always found her place in music, even when she feels like an outsider at home and at school. Living in the shadow of her twin brothers’ intense bond, she leans on her father and her passion for classical performance to steady her world until a sudden breakup leaves her untethered from both love and the music that defines her. As she forms a fragile new friendship with the enigmatic Flora and faces rising family tensions after her father falls ill, Daisy must decide whether to cling to who she used to be or step bravely into the person she’s becoming.
🪈
I really enjoyed this YA novel-in-verse. I loved getting a glimpse into how school life works in Ireland, it added such a fresh layer to the story, but what stood out most is how universal Daisy’s struggles feel. Even though it’s set in another country, so many teens will see themselves in her friendships, family tensions, heartbreak, and the pressure of figuring out who they’re becoming. It’s intimate and relatable in all the right ways.
CW: cancer, emesis, toxic friendship
November 9, 2025
I'm totally blown away by this. I've devoured it in one sitting.
It's a verse novel which demonstrates the power of the author and her ability to select the right words, the right layout, the right construction so that I feel like I know these characters. There is a musical quaility to the text which is reflected in each stansa's title. To be clear, I am not musical but still adored everything about this text.
Daisy is starting her Leaving Cert year after dealing with a break up. Her passion is music, but dealing with the emotions of being a teenager her dedication has wandered. This text is a journey of her emotion, choices and growth.
I'm certain many teenagers and adults will relate to sections of this, from managing family dynamics, first love, exams, grief and so much more. It really does throw many punches! So glad to have a copy and I'll be gifting a few for Christmas.
(Also love the note at the start to help those who don't know the Irish system decipher some particular English vocabulary that you would only know if Irish!)
It's a verse novel which demonstrates the power of the author and her ability to select the right words, the right layout, the right construction so that I feel like I know these characters. There is a musical quaility to the text which is reflected in each stansa's title. To be clear, I am not musical but still adored everything about this text.
Daisy is starting her Leaving Cert year after dealing with a break up. Her passion is music, but dealing with the emotions of being a teenager her dedication has wandered. This text is a journey of her emotion, choices and growth.
I'm certain many teenagers and adults will relate to sections of this, from managing family dynamics, first love, exams, grief and so much more. It really does throw many punches! So glad to have a copy and I'll be gifting a few for Christmas.
(Also love the note at the start to help those who don't know the Irish system decipher some particular English vocabulary that you would only know if Irish!)
October 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to get to read an ARC of this book and it quickly became one of my favourite reads of the year. Gráinne has a unique ability to tell a story that feels so perfectly contemporary but which takes me right back to my own teenage years. Solo is a novel-in-verse that follows Daisy as she goes into her final year in secondary school. She has recently gone through her first break up, lost her only real friend, and most significantly, lost her love of the recorder - an instrument she has excelled at for years. As she enters her Leaving Cert year, she has to navigate new friendships, changing family dynamics, and try to find a way back to herself.
I hadn't read many verse novels before and I was awed by Gráinne's ability to weave a story with such depth and nuance through her poems. Her writing is beautiful and lyrical it swept me along until the very end. Solo a perfect book for the teenager in your life who is maybe feeling a little lost and looking for a ray of hope.
I hadn't read many verse novels before and I was awed by Gráinne's ability to weave a story with such depth and nuance through her poems. Her writing is beautiful and lyrical it swept me along until the very end. Solo a perfect book for the teenager in your life who is maybe feeling a little lost and looking for a ray of hope.
March 4, 2025
An incredible coming-of-age YA novel written in verse. The central character Daisy is going through turbulent times - the catastrophic loss of her first love; the betrayal of a friend, and the diagnosis of her father with cancer. The overwhelming feelings that accompany these events make Daisy fluctuate between anger, anxiety, and a paralysis in her actions until this moment , music was at the core of Diasy's world. Each chapter is cleverly given title that is musical, and the meaning of this term brilliantly sums up the events in that chapter. Such a clever device that drives the narrative. Daisy's emotions are so raw, the heartbreak pulsing through each page through the rhythm of the verse. The story captures the incredible depth of feeling experienced by teenagers and just how brutal those experiences felt. Solo exposes the pain and heartbreak of all those firsts that we felt so strongly - the end of a first relationship, the betrayal of a best friend, the realisation that put parents won't live forever and the realisation that out parents are not perfect, but make mistakes, too..These events for Daisy occur over the course of her key examinations in school and music and have the potential to change the course of her future life and iptions if she cannot bet herself into a functioning mode..Solo is honest, raw and utterly heartbreaking with hope shining through and beautiful flimpses into the love and support of family and friends that help carry us through life's journey. #Solo #grainneobrien #littleislandbooks
March 25, 2025
Poetry or verse is not typically something I read but, ‘Solo’ by Gráinne O’Brien flows easily and is well-written. As with poetry, ‘Solo’ is visually striking in the way the verse is set out on the page. I enjoyed this but, there’s little opportunity for discussion. Of course, sibling rivalry and jealousy come into play which could start a conversation but, it may be quite one-sided rather than open for a debate. I felt a kinship with Daisy as she struggles against the weight of other people’s expectation and having to play by the rules. I also empathised with Daisy’s naivety around love, life and other people. I shared in Daisy’s frustrations, and it was interesting that the author seemed to have similar struggles.
December 13, 2025
I literally read this book in one afternoon. I got it for a gift for someone and couldn’t help myself from reading the whole thing peeking at the pages so I wouldn’t crack the spine. It had the perfect reminiscent voice of a horrendous teenage girl(form a former horrendously teenage girl) and I actually loved the poem-ish dictionary kinda unique formatting. it brought me back to reading Charlie and Lola (and this other book I loved when I was a kid with like brown and pink stripes on the cover if anyone knows what I’m talking about(???))and like children’s books that had me up reading under the covers with a flashlight as a kid. I love the tonal notation that was communicated with the musical language. This was such a unique and wonderful read. I absolutely adored it!
February 21, 2026
I don’t often come across a poetically written text that is also accessible. I genuinely thought the form and musical headings added to the novel rather than distracted and there were moments of emotion. I think the ‘break up’, played off scene is not the focus of the novel at all and it’s slightly misleading to claim it is. The novel was more about self discovery and acceptance and what a real relationship could be, I really liked the story with Shannon which feels so relevant to a young adult audience and this was probable more important in some ways than David’s contribution. And the line “he didn’t tell me he didn’t love me” which speaks so loudly about first love, a quick read but a powerful one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2026
I’ve recently become a big fan of verse novels and have been seeking out new authors to widen my knowledge of this style of book. I discovered this title when I saw it was selected for the shortlist of the Waterstones Children’s book prize.
Solo was a powerful piece of writing that I was glad to have uncovered. The assorted emotions of teenage heartbreak are wrapped around the beautiful symbolism of the music that surrounds and binds us. Which is a remarkable thing to devour. O’Brien creates the perfect alchemy for young adults in this perspective tale of learning to grow up.
Emotional notes of a teenage soul.
I received a copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a review
Solo was a powerful piece of writing that I was glad to have uncovered. The assorted emotions of teenage heartbreak are wrapped around the beautiful symbolism of the music that surrounds and binds us. Which is a remarkable thing to devour. O’Brien creates the perfect alchemy for young adults in this perspective tale of learning to grow up.
Emotional notes of a teenage soul.
I received a copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a review
August 16, 2025
I won this book through a competition on Instagram, so thank you to @elaineandthebooks for introducing me to this beautiful book. It is very similar to Toffee by Sarah Crossan, which I read recently, in that they both have that impactful verse style, which I find resonates with the intense emotions the characters are feeling in both stories. This type of writing pulls you into the story quickly, making it hard for you to put down.
Daisy was a beautiful, mixed-up character going through some pretty difficult times both at home and at school. The people she loved most and whom she would normally confide in are all dealing with their lives, and this leads to feelings of loneliness, isolation and rejection.
The one thing that had always made her happy was her music, but she put it aside for someone who had then broken her heart. Now she is fearful of music as it proves just how much she neglected it while chasing something that wasn’t real. It was also the one thing she excelled at, and to return to her previous standard requires a lot of work, which she doesn’t think she has the energy for.
This is a poignant story of growing up and dealing with heartbreak, school, family illness and friendships, and being a teenager, this can all seem like the end of the world. A beautiful story that I will remember for a long time to come.
January 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Solo is a beautiful book. The story is all about healing and finding yourself again, and it’s told in such a unique and original way. The style of verse makes the characters and story line more emotional, personal & believable, without the story feeling heavy or hard to read.
I loved the link to music & the facts given at the start of each chapter, which helped to link the content of the chapter to the name of the musical term
Overall, this was a genuine pleasure to read. A really beautiful, heartfelt book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.
Thanks to Little Island Books for providing me an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the link to music & the facts given at the start of each chapter, which helped to link the content of the chapter to the name of the musical term
Overall, this was a genuine pleasure to read. A really beautiful, heartfelt book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.
Thanks to Little Island Books for providing me an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 26, 2026
A proper old fashioned verse novel where there are actual poems with titles that refer to the events of that particular chapter. Each chapter is a both a musical term and sort of describes the chapter. Full of teenage angst and how first love is the strongest, and when it all collapses, how it is the total end of the world. I thought it was going to be about a pregnancy, after a few early hints but it went off in unexpected directions dealing with love and loss and the different ways that teenagers deal with this sort of thing. Pretty decent and a quick read too, i'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work when she's written it.
Netgalley ARC that I've just got round to.
Netgalley ARC that I've just got round to.
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