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Big Nobody
A wickedly funny coming-of-age novel about a misfit teenager in London determined to eliminate the one thing standing between her and a good life: her father
I think it’s safe to say that my father was probably always an abomination of nature.
It’s 1974 in London and Connie Costa’s already pitiful life has gone off the rails. She’s spiraling from the loss of her mother and younger brothers in a tragic accident. And the man responsible is her Dad—otherwise known as “The Fat Murderer.”
Kept at home under his increasingly tyrannical rule, Connie is an outcast who spends her nights conversing with the David Bowie poster on her wall and raiding her stash of whiskey and chocolate. Her only social outlet is the weekly gatherings with her father and their immigrant community of Greek “Freaks.” There she finds her life’s one bright sneaking off with her friend Vas to smoke cigarettes, debate literature, and joke about whether it is finally time to run away together. But when Connie sees an opportunity to get out from under her father’s thumb for good, she must make a perilous decision that will change her forever.
Devastatingly tender and riotously funny, Alex Kadis’ Big Nobody tells a warmhearted story about the rocky path to finding ourselves and the people who keep us afloat.
I think it’s safe to say that my father was probably always an abomination of nature.
It’s 1974 in London and Connie Costa’s already pitiful life has gone off the rails. She’s spiraling from the loss of her mother and younger brothers in a tragic accident. And the man responsible is her Dad—otherwise known as “The Fat Murderer.”
Kept at home under his increasingly tyrannical rule, Connie is an outcast who spends her nights conversing with the David Bowie poster on her wall and raiding her stash of whiskey and chocolate. Her only social outlet is the weekly gatherings with her father and their immigrant community of Greek “Freaks.” There she finds her life’s one bright sneaking off with her friend Vas to smoke cigarettes, debate literature, and joke about whether it is finally time to run away together. But when Connie sees an opportunity to get out from under her father’s thumb for good, she must make a perilous decision that will change her forever.
Devastatingly tender and riotously funny, Alex Kadis’ Big Nobody tells a warmhearted story about the rocky path to finding ourselves and the people who keep us afloat.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
March 17, 2026
This isn’t a bad book, but I definitely feel catfished by the blurb and the marketing. This book is a messy family drama about identity and belonging and generational differences.
March 10, 2026
DNF @ p101
Pre-Read Notes:
I actually tried this one twice. First, I paused/DNFed after 70 pages and went and read reviews. A lot of people seem to like this book for reasons I usually enjoy books-- subversiveness, experimentation, M.I. rep.
I tend to be interested in stories about silences in families, so this book should be completely for me. But I'm not finding the main character that realistic or compelling. But she is unstable, inexplicably, if you don't count surviving trauma as a reliable precursor to mental illness and I don't. That trope is far more common in fiction than it is in real life.
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) Though I care about this character's pain, grief, and unstable mental condition, I don't believe the author does care about her. At least, the writing doesn't seem to suggest any empathy, only description and labeling. Lots of "unhinged" and "spastic", that whole flavor of ableism.
The idea here, it seems to me, is to explore the character's revenge fantasy against her terrible father, out of grief for her mother, whom her father killed in a car accident. The treatment of the first person stream of consciousness seems to suggest that Constance's trauma contributes to her violent fantasies. The text also subtley suggests that her violent fantasies are the same as violence acted out, both morally and emotionally. Both suggestions need more attention, while also remembering the restrictions required by the form.
Content Notes: death of a parent, grief, manslaughter, violence against children, child SA, trauma, untreated mental illness, attachment and trust issues,
Thank you to Alex Kadis, Random House, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of BIG NOBODY. All views are mine.
Pre-Read Notes:
I actually tried this one twice. First, I paused/DNFed after 70 pages and went and read reviews. A lot of people seem to like this book for reasons I usually enjoy books-- subversiveness, experimentation, M.I. rep.
I tend to be interested in stories about silences in families, so this book should be completely for me. But I'm not finding the main character that realistic or compelling. But she is unstable, inexplicably, if you don't count surviving trauma as a reliable precursor to mental illness and I don't. That trope is far more common in fiction than it is in real life.
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) Though I care about this character's pain, grief, and unstable mental condition, I don't believe the author does care about her. At least, the writing doesn't seem to suggest any empathy, only description and labeling. Lots of "unhinged" and "spastic", that whole flavor of ableism.
The idea here, it seems to me, is to explore the character's revenge fantasy against her terrible father, out of grief for her mother, whom her father killed in a car accident. The treatment of the first person stream of consciousness seems to suggest that Constance's trauma contributes to her violent fantasies. The text also subtley suggests that her violent fantasies are the same as violence acted out, both morally and emotionally. Both suggestions need more attention, while also remembering the restrictions required by the form.
Content Notes: death of a parent, grief, manslaughter, violence against children, child SA, trauma, untreated mental illness, attachment and trust issues,
Thank you to Alex Kadis, Random House, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of BIG NOBODY. All views are mine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5
Connie Costa will definitely be a character who is difficult to forget.
Connie is expected to be a good Greek girl. She is expected to do what her father commands and behave in a certain way both in and out of the home. But Connie isnt going to listen to the man she refers to as The Fat Murderer. She is grieving for her mother and little brothers who were killed in a car accident. And The Fat Murderer is the one she blames for all her problems.
She just wants to be like any other teenager - to have fun with friends, go to school discos, to fool around with Vasos and to be allowed to play her guitar and chat to Marc Bolan and David Bowie without the Fat Murderer trying to control her every move. Is that really asking too much?
Connie is a brilliant character. She is funny, smart, self-deprecating and, like a lot of wildly hormonal teens, desperate for love. Her view on life is black and white and with reason. You cannot help but sympathise with her situation. I promise you will be cheering her on no matter what she does.
It was easy to recognise a teenage girl's desires as she takes her woes to her idols - posters of Bolan and Gilmour even if she does find Mr Bowie "snitty, obscure" and "unable to resist sticking his nose in" where its not wanted.
This is a very funny, very human book and Connie is a favourite character right from the start. She explodes off the page and I could picture her very clearly.
Brilliant. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Random House UK for the digital review copy.
Connie Costa will definitely be a character who is difficult to forget.
Connie is expected to be a good Greek girl. She is expected to do what her father commands and behave in a certain way both in and out of the home. But Connie isnt going to listen to the man she refers to as The Fat Murderer. She is grieving for her mother and little brothers who were killed in a car accident. And The Fat Murderer is the one she blames for all her problems.
She just wants to be like any other teenager - to have fun with friends, go to school discos, to fool around with Vasos and to be allowed to play her guitar and chat to Marc Bolan and David Bowie without the Fat Murderer trying to control her every move. Is that really asking too much?
Connie is a brilliant character. She is funny, smart, self-deprecating and, like a lot of wildly hormonal teens, desperate for love. Her view on life is black and white and with reason. You cannot help but sympathise with her situation. I promise you will be cheering her on no matter what she does.
It was easy to recognise a teenage girl's desires as she takes her woes to her idols - posters of Bolan and Gilmour even if she does find Mr Bowie "snitty, obscure" and "unable to resist sticking his nose in" where its not wanted.
This is a very funny, very human book and Connie is a favourite character right from the start. She explodes off the page and I could picture her very clearly.
Brilliant. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Random House UK for the digital review copy.
January 27, 2026
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on March 10th, 2026.
Big Nobody is an easy, engaging read driven by a strong, funny teenage voice. Especially for fans of the 70s, and people who used their teenage years to rebel against their parents. We follow Connie’s inner monologue as she rages against her father, a grieving man that handles that grief in all the wrong ways, simultaneously smothering his daughter and pushing her away. That rage helps her carry on.
The pacing is steady and quick enough that it never feels heavy, even when it’s dealing with grief and family dysfunction. Short chapters, sharp internal monologue, and dark humor keep things moving, so you’re rarely stuck wading through long introspection.
It’s the kind of book you can fly through in a few sittings because the writing is clear, lively, and emotionally honest without being exhausting. Overall, it’s readable, brisk, sad in places, funny in others, and very approachable.
Big Nobody is an easy, engaging read driven by a strong, funny teenage voice. Especially for fans of the 70s, and people who used their teenage years to rebel against their parents. We follow Connie’s inner monologue as she rages against her father, a grieving man that handles that grief in all the wrong ways, simultaneously smothering his daughter and pushing her away. That rage helps her carry on.
The pacing is steady and quick enough that it never feels heavy, even when it’s dealing with grief and family dysfunction. Short chapters, sharp internal monologue, and dark humor keep things moving, so you’re rarely stuck wading through long introspection.
It’s the kind of book you can fly through in a few sittings because the writing is clear, lively, and emotionally honest without being exhausting. Overall, it’s readable, brisk, sad in places, funny in others, and very approachable.
April 5, 2026
A good read in some ways, but unfortunately another book badly betrayed by its own publisher’s summary.
The first thing the summary for this book says is that it’s “a wickedly funny coming of age novel.” But this is a book about a girl severely traumatized by childhood sexual abuse.
It’s not that there isn’t plenty of humor in this (and the humor is good), but it’s actually a very sad story and most definitely not a comedy. So that’s some pretty significantly misleading text in terms of the tone. That’s always frustrating for the reader, and in this case perhaps a more serious error given that subject matter is potentially very upsetting for some.
That said, there’s plenty to like here. I loved Connie, and I really appreciated her perspective and her revenge plot line, well deserved for “the fat murderer” and deftly delivered in weighing her age and perspective regarding how she might carry this out.
Also excellent are Connie’s relationship and imagined dialogue with the rock stars in the posters on her bedroom walls, as well as the accurate portrayal of the Greek community to which her family belongs.
The jump to 2007 at the end had some structural and pacing issues, but I’m glad Connie got the ending she did, and I enjoyed spending time inside her head.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
The first thing the summary for this book says is that it’s “a wickedly funny coming of age novel.” But this is a book about a girl severely traumatized by childhood sexual abuse.
It’s not that there isn’t plenty of humor in this (and the humor is good), but it’s actually a very sad story and most definitely not a comedy. So that’s some pretty significantly misleading text in terms of the tone. That’s always frustrating for the reader, and in this case perhaps a more serious error given that subject matter is potentially very upsetting for some.
That said, there’s plenty to like here. I loved Connie, and I really appreciated her perspective and her revenge plot line, well deserved for “the fat murderer” and deftly delivered in weighing her age and perspective regarding how she might carry this out.
Also excellent are Connie’s relationship and imagined dialogue with the rock stars in the posters on her bedroom walls, as well as the accurate portrayal of the Greek community to which her family belongs.
The jump to 2007 at the end had some structural and pacing issues, but I’m glad Connie got the ending she did, and I enjoyed spending time inside her head.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 9, 2025
i love when a book makes it so easy to give it five stars
June 9, 2026
A dark, sardonic humor with a blend of raw grief and a bit of sexual awakening. This debut novel of coming-of-age is not bad at all.
A car accident claimed the lives of Connie's mother and younger brothers. She harbors deep-seated trauma and squarely blames her father's reckless driving and controlling behavior for the tragedy.
Desperate to escape his tyrannical father, Connie resolves that killing her father is her only path to survival and freedom.
The major 30-year leap forward threw me off, but then it made sense afterward.
I was rooting for Connie the whole time.
A car accident claimed the lives of Connie's mother and younger brothers. She harbors deep-seated trauma and squarely blames her father's reckless driving and controlling behavior for the tragedy.
Desperate to escape his tyrannical father, Connie resolves that killing her father is her only path to survival and freedom.
The major 30-year leap forward threw me off, but then it made sense afterward.
I was rooting for Connie the whole time.
March 10, 2026
I am HERE for all the women/girl rage/revenge books and this one was a STANDOUT debut!! Set in 1970s England, this coming of age story follows a fat British/Greek teen girl stuck living with her abusive father after her mother and brothers die in a tragic car 'accident.'
Told in a singular, starkly humorous voice, this book tackles serious topics from domestic violence to child molestation as Connie plots ways to kill her father and find a way to live freely and safely. From the streets of London to the coast of Greece, this book will blow you away with its relevance and the emotional gut punch it will deliver.
Highly recommended, great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like How to commit a postcolonial murder by Nina McConigley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Told in a singular, starkly humorous voice, this book tackles serious topics from domestic violence to child molestation as Connie plots ways to kill her father and find a way to live freely and safely. From the streets of London to the coast of Greece, this book will blow you away with its relevance and the emotional gut punch it will deliver.
Highly recommended, great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like How to commit a postcolonial murder by Nina McConigley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
May 30, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Big Nobody by Alex Kadis absolutely broke my heart and made me laugh at the same time. Connie Costa is such an unforgettable character — messy, funny, vulnerable, and so painfully real that I felt connected to her from the very first page. Watching her struggle with grief, family expectations, and trying to figure out who she is felt incredibly emotional and honest.
The relationship between Connie and Vas was one of my favourite parts of the book. Their friendship brought so much warmth and humour to the story, especially in the middle of all the chaos and heartbreak. Even characters like “The Fat Murderer” stayed in my mind long after finishing the book because they were written with so much intensity and personality.
What made this story so special was how perfectly Alex Kadis balanced humour with sadness. One moment I was laughing at Connie’s sharp observations and conversations with David Bowie and Marc Bolan, and the next I felt completely emotional over the loneliness and nostalgia running through the story. The 70s setting, the music, the awkward teenage moments, and the family dynamics created such a strong sense of nostalgia that it honestly felt like stepping into another world.
This book was truly great — emotional, hilarious, heartbreaking, and unforgettable all at once. Big Nobody is one of those rare books where the characters feel alive long after the final page, and I know I’ll be thinking about Connie and Vas for a long time. Absolutely deserving of 5 stars.
Big Nobody by Alex Kadis absolutely broke my heart and made me laugh at the same time. Connie Costa is such an unforgettable character — messy, funny, vulnerable, and so painfully real that I felt connected to her from the very first page. Watching her struggle with grief, family expectations, and trying to figure out who she is felt incredibly emotional and honest.
The relationship between Connie and Vas was one of my favourite parts of the book. Their friendship brought so much warmth and humour to the story, especially in the middle of all the chaos and heartbreak. Even characters like “The Fat Murderer” stayed in my mind long after finishing the book because they were written with so much intensity and personality.
What made this story so special was how perfectly Alex Kadis balanced humour with sadness. One moment I was laughing at Connie’s sharp observations and conversations with David Bowie and Marc Bolan, and the next I felt completely emotional over the loneliness and nostalgia running through the story. The 70s setting, the music, the awkward teenage moments, and the family dynamics created such a strong sense of nostalgia that it honestly felt like stepping into another world.
This book was truly great — emotional, hilarious, heartbreaking, and unforgettable all at once. Big Nobody is one of those rare books where the characters feel alive long after the final page, and I know I’ll be thinking about Connie and Vas for a long time. Absolutely deserving of 5 stars.
March 24, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ a WHIRLWIND I’ll be thinking about Connie for a long time
March 31, 2026
4.5 🌟 Deeply, darkly funny, like a more fucked up Adrian Mole meets Derry Girls? Highly recommend!
May 13, 2026
I feel catfished by the blurb. “Riotously funny”?! This story is properly sad and grim.
April 5, 2026
This is a fantastic coming of age novel, with a heartbreaking story told through dark humour.
Connie Costas has lost her mum and her younger brothers and she believes her father is to blame.
She is determined to get rid of the father (the Fat Murderer so that she can live the life she wants to.
Some real LoL moments and genuinely lovely relationships. The Greek aunties were just brilliant and everything I remember them being from my time living over there.
This is simply brilliant 🤩
Connie Costas has lost her mum and her younger brothers and she believes her father is to blame.
She is determined to get rid of the father (the Fat Murderer so that she can live the life she wants to.
Some real LoL moments and genuinely lovely relationships. The Greek aunties were just brilliant and everything I remember them being from my time living over there.
This is simply brilliant 🤩
August 12, 2026
Me ha gustado MUCHÍSIMO
August 16, 2026
Felt like I was reading a Jacqueline Wilson book but I'm no longer 10 years old
May 8, 2026
i hope the fat murderer rots in hell!!
March 10, 2026
3.5 stars ✨
Packed with witty, dry humor, Greek culture, and a girl’s determination for vengeance; I really never knew at one point what direction Big Nobody was going to take and I LOVE that in a novel.
Big Nobody is, at its heart, a celebration of Greek culture & a coming-of-age story about overcoming your trauma and taking your life in your own hands.
Connie Costa is a teenage girl plotting the murder of her father (AKA “The Fat Murderer”) after the death of her mother and two brothers. She now lives alone as a teenager with just her dad, her music, and her famous rockstars she talks to in her room every night. She fantasizes often about “The Calling” where she will finally murder her abusive dad and be free to become a musician.
Connie’s internal monologue is absolutely unhinged and hilarious. Is she a reliable narrator? I’m not sure and that is my favorite type of narrator.
I did enjoy it for the most part, but ultimately this book lost me a little bit in points as sometimes I felt the humor vs serious topics were handled lackadaisical. I also felt sometimes, I would have liked more of the story happening for me to read in real time instead of the story already happening and then being told to me bc the FMC’s internal monologue. Otherwise though this is truly a one of a kind book.
TW: physical abuse, verbal abuse, SA of minors (off page), weird perverted men
Packed with witty, dry humor, Greek culture, and a girl’s determination for vengeance; I really never knew at one point what direction Big Nobody was going to take and I LOVE that in a novel.
Big Nobody is, at its heart, a celebration of Greek culture & a coming-of-age story about overcoming your trauma and taking your life in your own hands.
Connie Costa is a teenage girl plotting the murder of her father (AKA “The Fat Murderer”) after the death of her mother and two brothers. She now lives alone as a teenager with just her dad, her music, and her famous rockstars she talks to in her room every night. She fantasizes often about “The Calling” where she will finally murder her abusive dad and be free to become a musician.
Connie’s internal monologue is absolutely unhinged and hilarious. Is she a reliable narrator? I’m not sure and that is my favorite type of narrator.
I did enjoy it for the most part, but ultimately this book lost me a little bit in points as sometimes I felt the humor vs serious topics were handled lackadaisical. I also felt sometimes, I would have liked more of the story happening for me to read in real time instead of the story already happening and then being told to me bc the FMC’s internal monologue. Otherwise though this is truly a one of a kind book.
TW: physical abuse, verbal abuse, SA of minors (off page), weird perverted men
March 4, 2026
I don't even know where to begin with this book. It's just utterly brilliant. We know I am a thriller girl at heart but I can honestly say this is one of the easiest 5⭐️ books I've read.
Right from the start I was laughing and I couldn't stop throughout. Then I was angry, then laughing again and by the end of the book I was in tears.
I love everything about this book, Connie is an incredible character. We meet her as a grieving teenager following the death of her mother. She is left in the care of her dad who she refers to as "The Fat Murderer". He is a despicable man and Connie decides the only way to start her life as a musician is to kill him.
The next few years are filled with some trauma and upsetting moments, while Connie struggles with life as part of a Greek-Cypriot family, but there is some really funny parts along the way too. I don't think I can ever look at a Fray Bentos pie in the same way 🤣
Alex's writing is sharp and witty and she really pulled me in from the first page. It's such a cleverly written book and I really loved it and would highly recommend it. She also includes David Bowie and Marc Bolan in the novel and I couldn't help but read their parts in their accents, which just made the book even better.
Trust me on this one. It's brilliant!!
Right from the start I was laughing and I couldn't stop throughout. Then I was angry, then laughing again and by the end of the book I was in tears.
I love everything about this book, Connie is an incredible character. We meet her as a grieving teenager following the death of her mother. She is left in the care of her dad who she refers to as "The Fat Murderer". He is a despicable man and Connie decides the only way to start her life as a musician is to kill him.
The next few years are filled with some trauma and upsetting moments, while Connie struggles with life as part of a Greek-Cypriot family, but there is some really funny parts along the way too. I don't think I can ever look at a Fray Bentos pie in the same way 🤣
Alex's writing is sharp and witty and she really pulled me in from the first page. It's such a cleverly written book and I really loved it and would highly recommend it. She also includes David Bowie and Marc Bolan in the novel and I couldn't help but read their parts in their accents, which just made the book even better.
Trust me on this one. It's brilliant!!
March 18, 2026
Boy, this book wrecked me. It's so good. I was prepared to laugh, but not prepared for the WHAMs. Yes, that is an attempt at a reader joke btw, for a book ripe with musical pop culture rooted in England with Greek Cypriot swag. Ouch, the diasporic cultural realities hit on coming-of-age during the 1970s that you "aren't supposed to talk about" but are very much on display here. I couldn't put this book down as I started connecting the dots of Connie's fate. Your heart breaks for her, you might find your morals compromised, cheering as an accomplice to murder. You're planning your escape from adolescence with her. Are we there yet? Are we free? A great example of a book with a teen protagonist for a page-turning adult read. Bravo.
August 2, 2026
This is a darkly funny coming-of-age story narrated by one of the most wonderful protagonists I’ve ever come across. Set in 1970s East London, Connie Costa is a misfit teenager who wants nothing more than to distance herself from her embarrassing Greek-Cypriot relatives, and spends her nights chatting to her poster of David Bowie on her bedroom wall.
Connie struggles through relatable teenage angst, yet alongside this she faces some much darker, more troubling battles. Her witty, quirky narrative voice had me in stitches one moment and in tears the next. She is such a resilient character and you just can’t help but root for her.
Connie struggles through relatable teenage angst, yet alongside this she faces some much darker, more troubling battles. Her witty, quirky narrative voice had me in stitches one moment and in tears the next. She is such a resilient character and you just can’t help but root for her.
April 12, 2026
Don’t let the pretty cover fool you, this is an intense book with some dark humor.
The novel takes place in the 70’s in London, Connie lives with her widowed dad after her mom and brothers die in a car accident (her dad’s fault). Her father is physical abusive, and Connie decides the only thing she can do is kill him to finally escape.
Not only does she suffer from her father’s, but her grandfather sexually assaulted her at a young age, and her father accused her of lying. Her grandfather does it to another young child in the family, her husband actually believes her, and the grandfather is sent away to a nursing home.
Connie plots the death of her father with the musicians on the walls of her room such as David Bowie. She falls in love with one of her best friends, and does her best to survive in a culture that would rather cover things up or ignore what’s going on than confront them and accept the shame.
I loved Connie in this novel, the author created so many villains around her, and while she dealt with so many adult situations, were reminded that she was a child in the way she talked to her posters, the way she tried to understand how bacteria worked on spoiled meat, and how all she wanted to do was go to the school dance.
I did think the jump in time after the car accident with her father near the end was a bit jarring. It’s like pacing had been pretty good and then suddenly we’re 30 years in the future learning about all this stuff that happened when she thought her father was dead and what everyone thought happened to her. I feel like if we were going to have that it should have happened sooner so we could have had some more time with it. Instead it felt a bit rushed.
Overall, I thought this was a great novel. Well written, at times a tough read, but you’re cheering Connie on the entire time.
Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The novel takes place in the 70’s in London, Connie lives with her widowed dad after her mom and brothers die in a car accident (her dad’s fault). Her father is physical abusive, and Connie decides the only thing she can do is kill him to finally escape.
Not only does she suffer from her father’s, but her grandfather sexually assaulted her at a young age, and her father accused her of lying. Her grandfather does it to another young child in the family, her husband actually believes her, and the grandfather is sent away to a nursing home.
Connie plots the death of her father with the musicians on the walls of her room such as David Bowie. She falls in love with one of her best friends, and does her best to survive in a culture that would rather cover things up or ignore what’s going on than confront them and accept the shame.
I loved Connie in this novel, the author created so many villains around her, and while she dealt with so many adult situations, were reminded that she was a child in the way she talked to her posters, the way she tried to understand how bacteria worked on spoiled meat, and how all she wanted to do was go to the school dance.
I did think the jump in time after the car accident with her father near the end was a bit jarring. It’s like pacing had been pretty good and then suddenly we’re 30 years in the future learning about all this stuff that happened when she thought her father was dead and what everyone thought happened to her. I feel like if we were going to have that it should have happened sooner so we could have had some more time with it. Instead it felt a bit rushed.
Overall, I thought this was a great novel. Well written, at times a tough read, but you’re cheering Connie on the entire time.
Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Poor Connie, she has it tough. She is the result of a holiday romance and burdened by her Greek-Cypriot heritage on her father's side. Who, by the way, she absolutely hates on account of her blaming him for the demise of her beautiful mother. She is 15 and she hates her life and needs to find the exit hatch and parachute out of there to save herself.
Connie has some methods of escape, her best friend Vas who loves poetry and is also struggling under the weight of being the son of an immigrant. She has her music and of course her posters to whisper her hopes and dreams to at night.
I was in a bit of a reading slump, with nothing really grabbing my attention. Connie has a really unique voice that made me fall in love with her and I was rooting for her from the outset.
There are dark themes here, Connie has experienced a lot for a young girl and the way they were exposed and handled impeccably and felt very real.
The burgeoning love between Connie and Vas is really lovely, it makes you go all soft in the feels remembering your own first love. Vas is a beautiful character woth loads of depth, I'm not sure too many of thede exist in real life.
For those who loved Miv and The List of Suspicious Things, this one will definitely be for you. I expect many will love this, it's light enough to appeal to many but has plenty of depth too.
Because it got me right in the heart I am going all in and giving it all the stars.
Connie has some methods of escape, her best friend Vas who loves poetry and is also struggling under the weight of being the son of an immigrant. She has her music and of course her posters to whisper her hopes and dreams to at night.
I was in a bit of a reading slump, with nothing really grabbing my attention. Connie has a really unique voice that made me fall in love with her and I was rooting for her from the outset.
There are dark themes here, Connie has experienced a lot for a young girl and the way they were exposed and handled impeccably and felt very real.
The burgeoning love between Connie and Vas is really lovely, it makes you go all soft in the feels remembering your own first love. Vas is a beautiful character woth loads of depth, I'm not sure too many of thede exist in real life.
For those who loved Miv and The List of Suspicious Things, this one will definitely be for you. I expect many will love this, it's light enough to appeal to many but has plenty of depth too.
Because it got me right in the heart I am going all in and giving it all the stars.
March 28, 2026
Culturally compelling, both comedic and horrific.
I wasn't sure what to make of this - is it a comedy? A tragedy? I also kept expecting revelations to help me determine just how I feel about the Fat Murderer, to show definitively if Connie is a reliable narrator or not.
For goodness sake.. she's accusing her father of killing her mum and brothers! Connie is trying everything she can to kill her Greek father. It's just the two of them following a car crash a year ago. It's 1975, Connie is about to turn 15. She's part of a huge Greek family and community and enmired in traditions and social customs that constrain her. Connie wants to play her guitar, be friends with Vas, get through school and get out. After killing her father though.
This felt like a nostalgia trip, though I'm slightly too young to feel taken back to this time, having only been born in 1980.
I empathised most with Vas, the soulful Greek boy who loves reading, poetry and is clear about his aims for his degree and future. I enjoyed very much his fledgling and awkward relationship with Connie.
The story turns on a dime though, from teen comic romance to awful scenes of violence and humiliation then moves back again, it was hard as a reader to judge how to feel and just what I was reading. Scenes like those where Connie is struck in a public place could come out of a very different novel, but are hushed up, ignored or just dealt with out of sight and with underlying tension. It was disconcerting.
I yearned for something from the Dad's perspective, to see if my instincts were right or wrong about him, but we don't get anything of that. He becomes worse and worse in our eyes, and the narration does give us the missing details we need to decide where we stand.
It felt slightly uneven because of all this, the lack of surety and genre/tone, but that didn't make me any less invested in Connie's safety, happiness and hopefully getting what she wanted.
Enjoyable and a reminder of how times and cultures have changed.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
I wasn't sure what to make of this - is it a comedy? A tragedy? I also kept expecting revelations to help me determine just how I feel about the Fat Murderer, to show definitively if Connie is a reliable narrator or not.
For goodness sake.. she's accusing her father of killing her mum and brothers! Connie is trying everything she can to kill her Greek father. It's just the two of them following a car crash a year ago. It's 1975, Connie is about to turn 15. She's part of a huge Greek family and community and enmired in traditions and social customs that constrain her. Connie wants to play her guitar, be friends with Vas, get through school and get out. After killing her father though.
This felt like a nostalgia trip, though I'm slightly too young to feel taken back to this time, having only been born in 1980.
I empathised most with Vas, the soulful Greek boy who loves reading, poetry and is clear about his aims for his degree and future. I enjoyed very much his fledgling and awkward relationship with Connie.
The story turns on a dime though, from teen comic romance to awful scenes of violence and humiliation then moves back again, it was hard as a reader to judge how to feel and just what I was reading. Scenes like those where Connie is struck in a public place could come out of a very different novel, but are hushed up, ignored or just dealt with out of sight and with underlying tension. It was disconcerting.
I yearned for something from the Dad's perspective, to see if my instincts were right or wrong about him, but we don't get anything of that. He becomes worse and worse in our eyes, and the narration does give us the missing details we need to decide where we stand.
It felt slightly uneven because of all this, the lack of surety and genre/tone, but that didn't make me any less invested in Connie's safety, happiness and hopefully getting what she wanted.
Enjoyable and a reminder of how times and cultures have changed.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
March 16, 2026
Book Report: Big Nobody by Alex Kadis
Set in 1970s London…the novel follows Connie Costa a teenager reeling from an unimaginable family tragedy and living under the shadow of her father. Isolated and grieving…Connie navigates her days with biting humor…late night conversations with the David Bowie poster on her wall and stolen moments with her friend Vas dreaming about what it might look like to finally escape.
What first caught my eye about Big Nobody was that cover…I absolutely love it. I went in knowing very little and a chapter or two in I actually had to stop and read the synopsis just to get a sense of where the story might be headed.
This one was a challenging read for me in a lot of ways. There’s a heavy theme running through the story that completely caught me off guard but Connie’s voice…her humor…observations and inner dialogue brought so many memorable moments. By the final stretch…I realized just how attached I’d become to some of these characters and how much I was going to miss them. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a lot to think about and I can’t wait to see what others think once they’ve read it.
Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
Set in 1970s London…the novel follows Connie Costa a teenager reeling from an unimaginable family tragedy and living under the shadow of her father. Isolated and grieving…Connie navigates her days with biting humor…late night conversations with the David Bowie poster on her wall and stolen moments with her friend Vas dreaming about what it might look like to finally escape.
What first caught my eye about Big Nobody was that cover…I absolutely love it. I went in knowing very little and a chapter or two in I actually had to stop and read the synopsis just to get a sense of where the story might be headed.
This one was a challenging read for me in a lot of ways. There’s a heavy theme running through the story that completely caught me off guard but Connie’s voice…her humor…observations and inner dialogue brought so many memorable moments. By the final stretch…I realized just how attached I’d become to some of these characters and how much I was going to miss them. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a lot to think about and I can’t wait to see what others think once they’ve read it.
Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
June 10, 2026
When you feel like you’re lost, are a nobody, don’t mean anything to anyone and don’t belong, it just takes striking out on your own path to tune out those negative feelings and words in your brain and live a life that has no regrets to fully understand that you belong wherever you wish to be, among people who choose to be in your life, if you let them in.
This is a very strong story of a girl who faced down trauma in the face of violence and adversity, struck out on her own and never looked back, until her past and the people in it found their way back to her and made it known that they chose to be near her, and her fears of losing them had been unfounded once she understood who she was and let them in.
For fear of spoilers, this is a fast paced read with a great ending about a life of self discovery and acceptance.
This is a very strong story of a girl who faced down trauma in the face of violence and adversity, struck out on her own and never looked back, until her past and the people in it found their way back to her and made it known that they chose to be near her, and her fears of losing them had been unfounded once she understood who she was and let them in.
For fear of spoilers, this is a fast paced read with a great ending about a life of self discovery and acceptance.
July 31, 2026
⭐ (4.5)
Big Nobody is a quiet, powerful reminder that everyone is carrying a story — even the people who feel unseen.
Alex Kadis’ debut novel delivers a beautifully written exploration of identity, belonging, and the messy process of figuring out who we are. The characters are layered and authentic, and the emotional depth of this story is what truly makes it shine.
I loved the way this book finds meaning in the ordinary moments and gives space to the complicated, imperfect parts of being human. A strong debut with plenty of heart, and an author I’ll definitely be watching
Big Nobody is a quiet, powerful reminder that everyone is carrying a story — even the people who feel unseen.
Alex Kadis’ debut novel delivers a beautifully written exploration of identity, belonging, and the messy process of figuring out who we are. The characters are layered and authentic, and the emotional depth of this story is what truly makes it shine.
I loved the way this book finds meaning in the ordinary moments and gives space to the complicated, imperfect parts of being human. A strong debut with plenty of heart, and an author I’ll definitely be watching
January 17, 2026
read a proof copy of this for the little bookshop
i really loved the first half. connie’s stream of consciousness was funny and felt authentically juvenile (in a good way). however towards the middle/end of the book the plot became a bit ridiculous to me and i felt it could have been a 100 pages shorter and more effective. having said that, the ending was satisfying to me
i really loved the first half. connie’s stream of consciousness was funny and felt authentically juvenile (in a good way). however towards the middle/end of the book the plot became a bit ridiculous to me and i felt it could have been a 100 pages shorter and more effective. having said that, the ending was satisfying to me
July 9, 2026
This narrator is so refreshingly funny, angsty, and dramatic in all the best ways.
I did really enjoy it, but reader beware: it's touted as a humorous coming of age novel, but in reality, is actually a very sad and emotional reflection on generational differences, childhood trauma, and self identity.
I did really enjoy it, but reader beware: it's touted as a humorous coming of age novel, but in reality, is actually a very sad and emotional reflection on generational differences, childhood trauma, and self identity.
June 14, 2026
a surprising hit! I picked this up as a free ARC in an indie bookstore day giveaway and didn’t expect to love it so much! this one had lots of heart while capturing the complicated feelings associated with growing up while wanting to get away
July 8, 2026
I enjoyed the writing style and pace a lot, plus the description of the Greek Cypriots was very entertaining. The story is actually quite devastating, and I found the juxtaposition of that and the writing quite interesting.
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