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Let Down Your Hair
Introducing the YA fiction debut from bestselling author and journalist Bryony Gordon in a modern twist on Rapunzel and one girl's quest to find a different sort of happy ever after.
Barb may have zero friends IRL, but online, she is popular. Like, several-hundred-thousand-followers popular. Or at least, her hair is popular. Because Barb's hair is glossy and beautiful. Which is why hairbrush manufacturers pay her stupid money for a 30-second clip. But most of the time Barb just wants to be a normal teenager, who has friends and a life. One who isn't confined to her bedroom on the 12th floor of the tower-block flat she shares with her aunt making content. One who can go about her business without everyone obsessing over the way she looks. Barb just needs to save up some money to make a new life for herself.
But it's soon clear something isn't right. Because when Barb runs her fingers over her scalp, she feels something smooth and different. She gets out her mirrors and combs for a video and sees it ... a bald patch the size of a ten pence coin, slap bang in the middle of her head.
Barb has alopecia.
In this stunning retelling of Rapunzel, Barb must learn that she is so much more than her hair and that there is no such thing as a happy ending ... just lots of complicated new beginnings.
Barb may have zero friends IRL, but online, she is popular. Like, several-hundred-thousand-followers popular. Or at least, her hair is popular. Because Barb's hair is glossy and beautiful. Which is why hairbrush manufacturers pay her stupid money for a 30-second clip. But most of the time Barb just wants to be a normal teenager, who has friends and a life. One who isn't confined to her bedroom on the 12th floor of the tower-block flat she shares with her aunt making content. One who can go about her business without everyone obsessing over the way she looks. Barb just needs to save up some money to make a new life for herself.
But it's soon clear something isn't right. Because when Barb runs her fingers over her scalp, she feels something smooth and different. She gets out her mirrors and combs for a video and sees it ... a bald patch the size of a ten pence coin, slap bang in the middle of her head.
Barb has alopecia.
In this stunning retelling of Rapunzel, Barb must learn that she is so much more than her hair and that there is no such thing as a happy ending ... just lots of complicated new beginnings.
288 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2022
6 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
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October 20, 2022
A modern twist living Rapunzel.
It was so chef's kiss when this book caters to lots of issues such as self-esteem towards ourselves, and how social media & technology give huge leaps for disabilities. The show of content marketing works behind the scenes caught me as I didn't expect that. Aside from her condition, she was being pressured by the unstable link with her aunt and a broken friendship. It was steadily constructed to connect the issues so that it's also on par with Barb's personal problem.
Plot twist? Shocking. AGAIN I was not expecting any of that. But in a good way, at least Barb knows the truth behind her mother's death.
Some likable characters I adore are Zal and Amy. They're the KEY 🔐 and Barb's life savior. Without them, Barb will still be a hermit. I love how Zal uplift Barb to not blame anything that happened to her past as it was TOTALLY not her fault at some points. And Amy was so straightforward.
Zal: "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝟏𝟐𝟑."
Amy: "𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟."
However, I do feel pissed with some of the characters ☠️ It felt that Barb was emotionally abused. But the freakin show is always her aunt Sorcha. I don't know if that's her way of showing love but don't be so pushy, can you? She's just controlling and not guiding Barb in the right way. Luckily, in the end, Barb snapped at her. You go, girl!
This book would be a perfect example for young people to stand firm and put themselves back together when everything falls in. Highly recommended! 4.25 stars. Courtesy from @definetelybooks for the review copy.
It was so chef's kiss when this book caters to lots of issues such as self-esteem towards ourselves, and how social media & technology give huge leaps for disabilities. The show of content marketing works behind the scenes caught me as I didn't expect that. Aside from her condition, she was being pressured by the unstable link with her aunt and a broken friendship. It was steadily constructed to connect the issues so that it's also on par with Barb's personal problem.
Plot twist? Shocking. AGAIN I was not expecting any of that. But in a good way, at least Barb knows the truth behind her mother's death.
Some likable characters I adore are Zal and Amy. They're the KEY 🔐 and Barb's life savior. Without them, Barb will still be a hermit. I love how Zal uplift Barb to not blame anything that happened to her past as it was TOTALLY not her fault at some points. And Amy was so straightforward.
Zal: "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝟏𝟐𝟑."
Amy: "𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟."
However, I do feel pissed with some of the characters ☠️ It felt that Barb was emotionally abused. But the freakin show is always her aunt Sorcha. I don't know if that's her way of showing love but don't be so pushy, can you? She's just controlling and not guiding Barb in the right way. Luckily, in the end, Barb snapped at her. You go, girl!
This book would be a perfect example for young people to stand firm and put themselves back together when everything falls in. Highly recommended! 4.25 stars. Courtesy from @definetelybooks for the review copy.
September 30, 2022
A retelling of one of my fave fairy tales? Of course I was going to read it! And it didn't disappoint either. Loosely based on "Rapunzel" you have some idea of the plot, but this is a completely contemporary version. The main character Barb is very relatable. I also liked how the issues she faced were tackled here, one example being the bad side of social media, (fake lives, fake friends, trolls, the pressure to feel perfect etc and what this can lead to) but refreshingly it wasn't an anti-social media book, I felt it was very balanced and showed the good side too ( for example, Zal the blind character was brilliant at showing the positive impact it can have). Other important issues are dealt with in this story such as mental health, self worth, dealing with family problems, bullying, the effects of over-drinking and drug addiction, and others, but it didn't feel like it was a life lesson morality book - although I think there are life lessons here- what I mean is that it wasn't weighed down by the weighty issues it tackled, the writing style was engaging and there are parts that honestly made me laugh out loud. I might be a bit older than the target audience (main character Barb is 16/17), but there is something in this book for so many of us, and parts of it really resonated with me. I found myself nodding along and agreeing, knowing exactly how the character was feeling at the time and why, and the Author definitely does too, which is also what made it so readable. She's actually dealt with some of the issues Barb faces in real life, and it shows. There are some surprise twists in the story that you wouldn't expect, and I thought the ending was feel-good perfect.
I know this is marketed as YA, but I think it's definitely relevant for adult readers, which leads me on to one more thing I need to mention. As an adult I often felt like I was reading an adult book or New Adult, rather than YA because of the language- so for younger readers just be aware of the F bomb and other words make a fairly regular appearance. It doesn't detract from the story however, and I enjoyed this book very much.
I know this is marketed as YA, but I think it's definitely relevant for adult readers, which leads me on to one more thing I need to mention. As an adult I often felt like I was reading an adult book or New Adult, rather than YA because of the language- so for younger readers just be aware of the F bomb and other words make a fairly regular appearance. It doesn't detract from the story however, and I enjoyed this book very much.
September 16, 2022
3.5 stars.
‘Let Down Your Hair’ tells the story of sixteen year old Barb, known to thousands as @letdownyourhair, an emerging influencer whose platform is entirely based on her hair… until it starts falling out.
~
It was simply written and a quick, cohesive read. The author offers fascinating insights into influencer culture - how easily false friendships and narratives can be created for the sake of engagement, how those around you appear like vultures. As said, it’s a relatively simple, easy read - it’s not the most stunning writing I’ve read even within the YA genre, but it has a genuinely lovely message and some vital representation. There is a character with alopecia (and her journey with it is explored with, what I would perceive as, the appropriate amount of love and sensitivity), one who is blind - issues such as addiction and parental abandonment are additionally tackled.
This book is a modern, coming-of-age / self acceptance tale, placing a realistic spotlight on the industry which seems so lovely from the outside.
Thank you to Hachette for the ARC in exchange for an honest / unbiased review :)
xo
‘Let Down Your Hair’ tells the story of sixteen year old Barb, known to thousands as @letdownyourhair, an emerging influencer whose platform is entirely based on her hair… until it starts falling out.
~
It was simply written and a quick, cohesive read. The author offers fascinating insights into influencer culture - how easily false friendships and narratives can be created for the sake of engagement, how those around you appear like vultures. As said, it’s a relatively simple, easy read - it’s not the most stunning writing I’ve read even within the YA genre, but it has a genuinely lovely message and some vital representation. There is a character with alopecia (and her journey with it is explored with, what I would perceive as, the appropriate amount of love and sensitivity), one who is blind - issues such as addiction and parental abandonment are additionally tackled.
This book is a modern, coming-of-age / self acceptance tale, placing a realistic spotlight on the industry which seems so lovely from the outside.
Thank you to Hachette for the ARC in exchange for an honest / unbiased review :)
xo
September 14, 2022
A modern take on the Rapunzel story, focusing on our societal obsession with appearance and how social media impacts the lives of teens.
Our main character has a dedicated following online. Having just left school to pursue her social media work, Bryony has become accustomed to being seen for her hair. Her crowning glory, Bryony is used to her daily posts and the need to keep her content up to date. So, when she discovers a bald spot on her head Bryony is unsure about what to do.
After a falling out with her childhood friend, Bryony has nobody to turn to. Her aunt is fixated with the social media algorithm and gaining wider views. So, Bryony locks herself away and pretends all is okay.
Eventually, Bryony gathers the strength to challenge the role her aunt has forced on her and finds out some surprising news.
The book ends with a rather obvious focus on her hair, but this will certainly act as a good starting point for discussion. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.
Our main character has a dedicated following online. Having just left school to pursue her social media work, Bryony has become accustomed to being seen for her hair. Her crowning glory, Bryony is used to her daily posts and the need to keep her content up to date. So, when she discovers a bald spot on her head Bryony is unsure about what to do.
After a falling out with her childhood friend, Bryony has nobody to turn to. Her aunt is fixated with the social media algorithm and gaining wider views. So, Bryony locks herself away and pretends all is okay.
Eventually, Bryony gathers the strength to challenge the role her aunt has forced on her and finds out some surprising news.
The book ends with a rather obvious focus on her hair, but this will certainly act as a good starting point for discussion. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.
September 3, 2022
A glorious young adult story about the realities of social media and the world of influencers, and about how not everything is all its cracked up to be.
I really enjoyed Zal's character and how Bryony talked of the importance of making social media, and the world in general, accessible for all. Would also like to praise this book for raising awareness of alopecia.
This was a super fast easy to read book, one I thoroughly enjoyed, and I think it could be an important read for young people in a social media obsessed world.
I really enjoyed Zal's character and how Bryony talked of the importance of making social media, and the world in general, accessible for all. Would also like to praise this book for raising awareness of alopecia.
This was a super fast easy to read book, one I thoroughly enjoyed, and I think it could be an important read for young people in a social media obsessed world.
May 19, 2023
Barb's hair is her life. After leaving school at 16, her time is fully dedicated to growing her audience on ShowReal, a social media platform where Barb shares content focused on her hair. But soon she realizes that life as an influencer isn't as great as it's cracked up to be. And when one day Barb discovers a bald spot on her head, she'll have to find the strength to learn that she is so much more than her hair as she comes to term with her alopecia and tries to break free of social media's snare.
This was such an enjoyable and easy read! It kept me engaged the whole way through and the story was so clever! I loved Barb's character and how, just like the original Rapunzel, her story is ultimately one of self-discovery and learning how to make a stand against those who want to control you. Barb's Aunt Sorchia was such a twisted character! Sometimes I felt pity but then other times I couldn't stand her and despised the hold she had over Barb. The author did such a great job of writing about social media in a way that's accessible to everyone. She took an incredibly hard topic and was able to present it in a way that I think all readers will be able to resonate with whether they are big into social media or not.
There were just two things that held this back from being a five star for me. One, I found the ending to be really confusing. Everything was rushed and I had a hard time keeping track of who was meant to be upset with who and what had been resolved or not. Two, there was one paragraph which I really disliked where the author attempted to sum up the life of a teenager because apparently Barb was "missing out" on things "normal" teenagers enjoy doing like getting drunk, sneaking out and finding a boyfriend. I'm actually so glad that Barb was different and hadn't experienced any of those things because I'm so fed up with that being the marker of what a teenager should look like and I have zero interest in reading about it because I see it enough already in my peers.
Besides that though, I would still call this book a win! I'd recommend it to teens with an interest in social media but as I said above you don't necessarily need an interest in it to enjoy this book. Happy Reading :)
This was such an enjoyable and easy read! It kept me engaged the whole way through and the story was so clever! I loved Barb's character and how, just like the original Rapunzel, her story is ultimately one of self-discovery and learning how to make a stand against those who want to control you. Barb's Aunt Sorchia was such a twisted character! Sometimes I felt pity but then other times I couldn't stand her and despised the hold she had over Barb. The author did such a great job of writing about social media in a way that's accessible to everyone. She took an incredibly hard topic and was able to present it in a way that I think all readers will be able to resonate with whether they are big into social media or not.
There were just two things that held this back from being a five star for me. One, I found the ending to be really confusing. Everything was rushed and I had a hard time keeping track of who was meant to be upset with who and what had been resolved or not. Two, there was one paragraph which I really disliked where the author attempted to sum up the life of a teenager because apparently Barb was "missing out" on things "normal" teenagers enjoy doing like getting drunk, sneaking out and finding a boyfriend. I'm actually so glad that Barb was different and hadn't experienced any of those things because I'm so fed up with that being the marker of what a teenager should look like and I have zero interest in reading about it because I see it enough already in my peers.
Besides that though, I would still call this book a win! I'd recommend it to teens with an interest in social media but as I said above you don't necessarily need an interest in it to enjoy this book. Happy Reading :)
October 11, 2022
Let Down Your Hair is a modern day, YA, retelling of Rapunzel which centres on Barb, a social media influencer with spectacular hair.
This book truly captures social media culture, the toxicity and how so much emphasis is placed on looks. I feel this will resonate so much with the youth of today (making myself sound old 😂).
I really enjoyed this and would love to know what happened to Barb next!
This book truly captures social media culture, the toxicity and how so much emphasis is placed on looks. I feel this will resonate so much with the youth of today (making myself sound old 😂).
I really enjoyed this and would love to know what happened to Barb next!
January 15, 2023
A lovely, easy yet powerful read.
June 7, 2025
This was definitely NOT a YA book.
October 17, 2022
A first introduction into the YA fiction realm and Bryony is throwing off the deep end, not starting with something more straightforward, but trying to tackle social media and alopecia through a beloved fairy tale. Worst of all, however, she is writing about a teenager! I know, the horror is unimaginable.
Repunzel is leant into as when we view Barb she tells us how she hasn't been to school or seen her friends in months. And instead of moving the 'captured up in a castle' into a more emotional journey, rather than the physical one that happened in the fairy tale, we are told that she is trapped in a modern tower and it is still for her hair that is the cause of them wanting her. Although it is more the marketing side, and the social media side that they want her for, rather than the more recent adaptation where it had healing powers or the original where her father offered her in exchange for forgiveness over stealing (the adaptation really was Disneyfied compared to the original).
From the descriptions, I can tell how much she is being affected by not being able to live her normal life. When I first read the blurb from this book I assumed her being lonely would be a bit exaggerated. But judging by the fact that it seems like she is actually just reduced to a content-making machine, and can do nothing else, I don't feel that way at all anymore. Barb is living with her aunt, who is the one who wants her to continue her content creation, comes up with all the ideas, videos and posts, she has to create for the day and has invested a lot in her. It adds another element as now it isn't some stranger who is basically forcing her to continue posting content, it is someone who is supposed to care about her who can't even see that she is wallowing in misery because she is being forced to create this content. Anyone who is forced to do something they don't really want to do would hate it, but when applied to a situation like this where she hasn't had that normal teenage experience, and she hasn't been able to explore herself (because she hasn't really seen what the norm for people is a lot, and she doesn't know if she wants to fall in and make up the majority or go against the majority). This isolation is especially prevalent because her friends don't know about her struggles but do know that she doesn't hang out with them anymore so they, correctly based on the knowledge they have, assume she is stuck up. If they knew what was actually happening then they wouldn't be saying that but they don't so I don't blame them for assuming the worst. This is especially important as most people will assume that content creation online is a dream job that everyone wants, and while it is true that a large majority would love to have it, you cannot always assume that another person wants what you do, and would be happy when you would be.
Judging by the tone of the story there is going to be some kind of reconciliation between them later on in the book when she is allowed to finally explain herself, which is going to be satisfying and nice especially since Jess is a friend from her childhood.
When she actually starts recording a video and then notices the bald stop that we all knew she was going to find (unless you didn't read the back of the book for some reason, in which case you're brave) it doesn't feel like how a normal teenager would react to something like that. It is like she instantly knows, even if she doesn't know it consciously, that this is going to be a way for her to break from her aunt's control and regain her life. It is the key to unchain yourself and escape the kidnapper, the gun to apprehend the burglar, it is the main action we are going to have to focus on in the book because I think most of the interesting parts are going to be based on the growth of Barb on her journey to rid herself of the constant pressure to post on social media.
We are then sent 6 months back and can then get more context over how things became like this. Things like her leaving school after doing her GCSEs and how she wanted to and assumed it was going to be a better life than the one at school. One of the reasons for that is that her relationship with Jess soured before she left school. We aren't really given much insight into why this happened but there are some things to pick up on, namely that Barb acts kind of arrogantly. I had thought that they had both been assuming, wrongly, that she was stuck up, but after listening to some of her inner thoughts (or the actions that have come from those inner thoughts moreso) it is easy to see why they would think that. Inside she is nervous but on the outside, she tries to protect herself from those feelings by projecting a NGAF attitude, and thinking that the grass is greener on the other side, when we know it isn't now.
I had predicted their reunion, Barb and Jess, but after seeing the kind of treatment she was receiving from her and Serena I'm unsure if I actually want them to have a relationship anymore. It seems like the hatred runs deep for some reason, and that she actually holds a lot of disdain towards Barb. An additional internal conflict is brought forth by the fact that Barb's aunt said that the doctors and nurses got distracted by her hair when she was born and didn't notice her mother dying until it was too late.
Sorcha is pretty obviously vicariously living through Barb. She is getting her to do things that only appeal to her and that Barb has no clue about such as getting her an appointment with a woman called Anna G who Sorcha seems to look up to. What is more, is that Sorcha also doesn't really know what she is doing and is a complete novice at everything brand-management based. This is accentuated by them going to visit a brand that Sorcha set up an appointment with, but knowing nothing about what their building looked like, or what their values were, which led to a bit of embarrassment.
Barb is also experiencing that overwhelmed anxiety as she is thrown into the world of fame, celebrities and fakeness without being told that the fame comes with a lot of hate, celebrities come with a lot of things being made up for the cameras, and the fakeness with people not sticking to what they said in public once they're in private. She even asked her aunt, who had the nerve to complain about Anna G only caring about Barb's hair, to come along with her to help with her anxiety but she refused. Barb goes through joining a creator house once one of the members gets kicked out over cocaine use, only to be kicked out herself once that member escapes the rehab facility and she then has to move in with her aunt.
Through this, she does have one friend, named Zel who is blind and has been the only celebrity she has met so far that is kind to her and thought of their interactions as more than just a business relationship, or something to move them further in their career. It is nice that Bryony isn't one of those people who just says, 'Social Media Bad' and then leaves it at that as there is nuance to it and not everything you see on social media is fake. (I think I did finally find out why I was instantly drawn to Jess and wanted her to make up with Barb. It is because she is a Chelsea fan. A woman after my own heart. Still hate her though).
The reason for her calm ability to deal with the fact that she is losing hair is that she thinks it is something she deserves. She believes she killed her mother, ruined her aunt's life and betrayed Jess. She believes it all to be true (it definitely isn't) and so once her hair starts falling it is as if she is finally receiving all the bad things that she thought should have happened to her earlier. She calls the doctor, who does think it is alopecia but specifically mentions stress as one of the main causes. When her aunt finds out instead of comforting her she asks Barb, 'why are you ruining my life?!' as if it was a choice, and that she, 'Isn't going to get away with it' whatever that means. I can't imagine how horrible it would be to have so many things going on at the same time, so many horrible things you blame yourself for and having all the adults, and people your age blame and bully you for everything, as if you aren't already doing that to yourself. They're only perpetuating her thoughts and making them worse, which is the exact opposite of what they should be doing, especially at her age.
It was a bit cliche having all the people who were helpful towards her being different from the norm. Zel being blind, and Amy (someone who deals with hair and ends up telling her how it actually is by planting the seed that maybe the people around her focusing on her hair so much is what has made her put too much value into that as her only identity and that she isn't the cause of all the misfortune that happens to the people around her like she thinks she is) who had a lot of plastic surgery done. But it worked at breaking down the final barrier that she had put up which is why I don't really mind it.
We then finally, finally get the reveal of what caused Jess and Barb to stop being friends. They were going to create a YouTube channel together but because of their ages, they needed permission from their guardians. Jess's dad had allowed her to, but when Barb asked Sorcha she basically ranted about how Jess is nothing and that the channel she was going to create was going to be done without Jess and managed by Sorcha. But what was hidden behind this, and had been hinted at in a previous scene where after the month-long break she only had one person message her and it is someone who had the same picture up on their account as the one of her mother which is when we learn that her mother isn't dead but gave her up because of drugs. It was obviously something that hit close to home with Jess so the only thing she could think is that Barb was lying to her to get close to her or gain sympathy points or something like that, which even her father wasn't suspecting but she was hurt. Doesn't excuse her actions though.
I thought the reunion between Jess and Barb was a bit rushed, and it felt like there could have been more apologising Jess's side and reluctance to accept from Barb's side. It felt like she got off relatively easy for the things she did, no matter the motive. The Serena thing being left unfinished is fine as she really only was there to show how much Barb grew throughout the book. The rest being left unfinished is completely fine as we know the most important parts. That being Barb and Jess have made up, her mother supports her (shown by her smiling as she finishes her story and goes to cut the rest of her hair off), Zel is still as kind as ever and the most important thing is that Barb's mindset is completely different and we know that she isn't going to fall into the same traps that she did before.
There were a few problems I had with this book, such as inconsistent dialogue with Barb saying things that sounded completely out of character based on everything that we know about her and then reverting right back to that previous self right after. There was also the part which I mentioned literally just before about how Jess and Barb resolved their relationship too quickly. It just feels like a recipe for disaster and something that is going to ruin their relationship at a later date because they never fully resolved the grievances between them but other than that I thought that it was solid and although there were definitely some cliches, the overall message was lovely and the actual execution of putting that message into a story without it feeling like it was forced. It felt like the story was written and then the message was lovingly woven into the already good on its own storyline.
8.3/10
Repunzel is leant into as when we view Barb she tells us how she hasn't been to school or seen her friends in months. And instead of moving the 'captured up in a castle' into a more emotional journey, rather than the physical one that happened in the fairy tale, we are told that she is trapped in a modern tower and it is still for her hair that is the cause of them wanting her. Although it is more the marketing side, and the social media side that they want her for, rather than the more recent adaptation where it had healing powers or the original where her father offered her in exchange for forgiveness over stealing (the adaptation really was Disneyfied compared to the original).
From the descriptions, I can tell how much she is being affected by not being able to live her normal life. When I first read the blurb from this book I assumed her being lonely would be a bit exaggerated. But judging by the fact that it seems like she is actually just reduced to a content-making machine, and can do nothing else, I don't feel that way at all anymore. Barb is living with her aunt, who is the one who wants her to continue her content creation, comes up with all the ideas, videos and posts, she has to create for the day and has invested a lot in her. It adds another element as now it isn't some stranger who is basically forcing her to continue posting content, it is someone who is supposed to care about her who can't even see that she is wallowing in misery because she is being forced to create this content. Anyone who is forced to do something they don't really want to do would hate it, but when applied to a situation like this where she hasn't had that normal teenage experience, and she hasn't been able to explore herself (because she hasn't really seen what the norm for people is a lot, and she doesn't know if she wants to fall in and make up the majority or go against the majority). This isolation is especially prevalent because her friends don't know about her struggles but do know that she doesn't hang out with them anymore so they, correctly based on the knowledge they have, assume she is stuck up. If they knew what was actually happening then they wouldn't be saying that but they don't so I don't blame them for assuming the worst. This is especially important as most people will assume that content creation online is a dream job that everyone wants, and while it is true that a large majority would love to have it, you cannot always assume that another person wants what you do, and would be happy when you would be.
Judging by the tone of the story there is going to be some kind of reconciliation between them later on in the book when she is allowed to finally explain herself, which is going to be satisfying and nice especially since Jess is a friend from her childhood.
When she actually starts recording a video and then notices the bald stop that we all knew she was going to find (unless you didn't read the back of the book for some reason, in which case you're brave) it doesn't feel like how a normal teenager would react to something like that. It is like she instantly knows, even if she doesn't know it consciously, that this is going to be a way for her to break from her aunt's control and regain her life. It is the key to unchain yourself and escape the kidnapper, the gun to apprehend the burglar, it is the main action we are going to have to focus on in the book because I think most of the interesting parts are going to be based on the growth of Barb on her journey to rid herself of the constant pressure to post on social media.
We are then sent 6 months back and can then get more context over how things became like this. Things like her leaving school after doing her GCSEs and how she wanted to and assumed it was going to be a better life than the one at school. One of the reasons for that is that her relationship with Jess soured before she left school. We aren't really given much insight into why this happened but there are some things to pick up on, namely that Barb acts kind of arrogantly. I had thought that they had both been assuming, wrongly, that she was stuck up, but after listening to some of her inner thoughts (or the actions that have come from those inner thoughts moreso) it is easy to see why they would think that. Inside she is nervous but on the outside, she tries to protect herself from those feelings by projecting a NGAF attitude, and thinking that the grass is greener on the other side, when we know it isn't now.
I had predicted their reunion, Barb and Jess, but after seeing the kind of treatment she was receiving from her and Serena I'm unsure if I actually want them to have a relationship anymore. It seems like the hatred runs deep for some reason, and that she actually holds a lot of disdain towards Barb. An additional internal conflict is brought forth by the fact that Barb's aunt said that the doctors and nurses got distracted by her hair when she was born and didn't notice her mother dying until it was too late.
Sorcha is pretty obviously vicariously living through Barb. She is getting her to do things that only appeal to her and that Barb has no clue about such as getting her an appointment with a woman called Anna G who Sorcha seems to look up to. What is more, is that Sorcha also doesn't really know what she is doing and is a complete novice at everything brand-management based. This is accentuated by them going to visit a brand that Sorcha set up an appointment with, but knowing nothing about what their building looked like, or what their values were, which led to a bit of embarrassment.
Barb is also experiencing that overwhelmed anxiety as she is thrown into the world of fame, celebrities and fakeness without being told that the fame comes with a lot of hate, celebrities come with a lot of things being made up for the cameras, and the fakeness with people not sticking to what they said in public once they're in private. She even asked her aunt, who had the nerve to complain about Anna G only caring about Barb's hair, to come along with her to help with her anxiety but she refused. Barb goes through joining a creator house once one of the members gets kicked out over cocaine use, only to be kicked out herself once that member escapes the rehab facility and she then has to move in with her aunt.
Through this, she does have one friend, named Zel who is blind and has been the only celebrity she has met so far that is kind to her and thought of their interactions as more than just a business relationship, or something to move them further in their career. It is nice that Bryony isn't one of those people who just says, 'Social Media Bad' and then leaves it at that as there is nuance to it and not everything you see on social media is fake. (I think I did finally find out why I was instantly drawn to Jess and wanted her to make up with Barb. It is because she is a Chelsea fan. A woman after my own heart. Still hate her though).
The reason for her calm ability to deal with the fact that she is losing hair is that she thinks it is something she deserves. She believes she killed her mother, ruined her aunt's life and betrayed Jess. She believes it all to be true (it definitely isn't) and so once her hair starts falling it is as if she is finally receiving all the bad things that she thought should have happened to her earlier. She calls the doctor, who does think it is alopecia but specifically mentions stress as one of the main causes. When her aunt finds out instead of comforting her she asks Barb, 'why are you ruining my life?!' as if it was a choice, and that she, 'Isn't going to get away with it' whatever that means. I can't imagine how horrible it would be to have so many things going on at the same time, so many horrible things you blame yourself for and having all the adults, and people your age blame and bully you for everything, as if you aren't already doing that to yourself. They're only perpetuating her thoughts and making them worse, which is the exact opposite of what they should be doing, especially at her age.
It was a bit cliche having all the people who were helpful towards her being different from the norm. Zel being blind, and Amy (someone who deals with hair and ends up telling her how it actually is by planting the seed that maybe the people around her focusing on her hair so much is what has made her put too much value into that as her only identity and that she isn't the cause of all the misfortune that happens to the people around her like she thinks she is) who had a lot of plastic surgery done. But it worked at breaking down the final barrier that she had put up which is why I don't really mind it.
We then finally, finally get the reveal of what caused Jess and Barb to stop being friends. They were going to create a YouTube channel together but because of their ages, they needed permission from their guardians. Jess's dad had allowed her to, but when Barb asked Sorcha she basically ranted about how Jess is nothing and that the channel she was going to create was going to be done without Jess and managed by Sorcha. But what was hidden behind this, and had been hinted at in a previous scene where after the month-long break she only had one person message her and it is someone who had the same picture up on their account as the one of her mother which is when we learn that her mother isn't dead but gave her up because of drugs. It was obviously something that hit close to home with Jess so the only thing she could think is that Barb was lying to her to get close to her or gain sympathy points or something like that, which even her father wasn't suspecting but she was hurt. Doesn't excuse her actions though.
I thought the reunion between Jess and Barb was a bit rushed, and it felt like there could have been more apologising Jess's side and reluctance to accept from Barb's side. It felt like she got off relatively easy for the things she did, no matter the motive. The Serena thing being left unfinished is fine as she really only was there to show how much Barb grew throughout the book. The rest being left unfinished is completely fine as we know the most important parts. That being Barb and Jess have made up, her mother supports her (shown by her smiling as she finishes her story and goes to cut the rest of her hair off), Zel is still as kind as ever and the most important thing is that Barb's mindset is completely different and we know that she isn't going to fall into the same traps that she did before.
There were a few problems I had with this book, such as inconsistent dialogue with Barb saying things that sounded completely out of character based on everything that we know about her and then reverting right back to that previous self right after. There was also the part which I mentioned literally just before about how Jess and Barb resolved their relationship too quickly. It just feels like a recipe for disaster and something that is going to ruin their relationship at a later date because they never fully resolved the grievances between them but other than that I thought that it was solid and although there were definitely some cliches, the overall message was lovely and the actual execution of putting that message into a story without it feeling like it was forced. It felt like the story was written and then the message was lovingly woven into the already good on its own storyline.
8.3/10
November 1, 2022
This quick, easy, YA read was enjoyable but a bit predictable for me. Examining the world of social media influencers and the pressure on young people to fit into that world where image/brand is everything the book's underlying message is that it is better to be honest and find happiness as your true self than to maintain a curated persona designed to gain followers online. I think many younger teens will really relate to this and I could see this book being used to prompt discussions in a senior primary/early secondary classroom about the reality behind the curated social media platforms they swipe through every day.
Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Hachette Children's Group for the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Hachette Children's Group for the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2025
THIS REVIEW IS A BIG FAT SPOILER
I was planning to rate this novel a 4-5 stars but then i got really angry towards the ending but then i kinda chilled, yet then it pissed me off again and then the last pages again... Oh, boy! This book! This author! Playing with my mind like that! THE JOOOLTS!!
What pissed me off:
The stupid, RIDICULOUS make up where i almost DNF-ed it! What the big holy F was that about..?? It almost made pe puke! Because i'm someone who happens to know what bullying feels like, especially the bullying you get from a so-called "old childhood friend".
The near-ending felt SO freakin absurd that it makes me wonder how did a smart author would even come up with that..? Omg, the last time i experienced such anger was while reading Frida McFadden's books.
Sooo... How.. I mean.. Why..? Why would you even promote the idea that it's okay to make up with your abuser..? How?? Barb's friend, Jess, was humiliating her with a raging evil passion each and every moment! Remember..? : "You're no more than a dumb wig attached to a stupid body. You're nothing without your hair! Nothing". Seems that Jess really does not believe in her friend's intrinsic value. Oh, let's not forget her gaslighting and the full-blown smear campaign online. AND the physical abuse! Pulling her hair! I mean, are you effin kidding me..? These are reasons for which sadly many teens end up committing suicide! This is no joke! And the writer thinks it's okay to just put Barb in the position of apologizing for wrongs she didn't do and make up with her frenemy. And then call it a happy ending!
I am outraged.
Did Jess ever even ASKED Barb about her mother? About her truth?? I mean, for real. Did she ever try to clear things out? Could've that father been so sure about another family's truth? Didn't he know better to encourage his daughter to actually talk to Barb? So often adults hide very important things from kids, sometimes for decades or even for a whole freakin life! But no. They just ASSumed. Great. Smart. Neat.
And let's cut the crap here: where was that part where Jess showed herself hurt by Barb's supposed lie..? Nowhere! Her reproach was always: "Oh, you think you're better than us 'cause you're popular on social media". That was ALL.
And then again the ridiculous part that was pretty much like: "Oooh, so did you think i was calling you a piece of shit because you were on social media? No no. I was calling you a piece of shit and pulled your hair because i thought you were lying to me about your mother being dead!". Wows. What a "twist"! And you call that a friend..? Would you even ever feel safe with having such a "friend" in your life..? Would YOU be okay with a friend who suddenly attacks you physically, bullies you and acts like a jealous bitch and when she says a casual "hey, sorry about that" you're back to "best friends" again..?? Would Barb have done the same to Jess in those given circumstances? And even if she was knowingly lying about her mom being dead,.. SO WHAT..? A real friend would think she had her reasons to do so, like, maybe she was traumatized, or lied to by her aunt, etc. A real friend wouldn't be an ass who assumes & starts a freakin war against her childhood best friend! She'd instead have a talk to clear out any misunderstandings. These were not 5 years old children having a tantrum.
So basically the "big betrayal" was Barb's personal business being taken personally by Jess.
I just HATE it when the author intentionally misleads the readers and inserts a stupid, forced "twist" ending just for the shock value. It's just not right. It could've been so much better without it!
And even from the start, i had to roll my eyes at the drama involving Barb's birth. I mean, what kind of morons of a medical stuff would lose a patient just because they stared at a baby's hair for too long..? WHO DOES THIS? It only makes it look like more drama was thrown at Barb's hair hoping it'll stick for the rest of the story. But to me it just seemed a bit too absurd.
Random notes throughout my reading (noted as i was reading it):
Stuff like this indeed often happens in real life: When the receptionist sarcastically told Sorcha that they don't do "normal milk",- Spark Enterprises do not promote dairy farming or other unsustainable business practices", yet Anna G was wearing leather. Ya, we know, fake world. But also a bunch of idiots who never speak out their own mind, not even when it's flashing neon colors in their faces. Because, you know, it needs two kinds of hypocrites for this game to play: those who know what they're doing but are doing it anyway, And those who know what is happening but they're going along with it anyway.
It's a trend for fake people to use and flash out good morals, healthy habits and expensive objects in order to promote themselves. That doesn't make the good morals, healthy habits and expensive objects wrong. Meditation, vegan foods or a Mercedes will not (and can never) be wrong. But people who hide behind these, may.
(just pay attention to who's flashing it out).
Everything in Barb's life had been a game of pretending, starting with her own family and her so-called best friend Jess with whom she was never been able or even allowed to talk frankly about their mothers, the hurt and what mattered the most.
So often throughout this book i felt like if i read "i wonder what Jess is doing/thinking/feeling/etc" one more time, i'd gonna throw it out the window with the speed & trajectory set to land it into an active volcano. Adding the over repetition of "the jolts" would make the landing be as far as Sakurajima.
I just didn't get it: even with all the senseless mischief in the world, why would anyone prefer to spell @letdownyourhair each it time instead of just... Barb..?? It's like.. calling someone Mashmerlapewpewbudibum instead of calling that woman by her first name or at least Ms. M.! 🤷
And ya, (although i truly disliked his name) Zal's presence was welcomed into the story (it eased off with the freakin mischief everywhere) but let's be honest, out of all the least probable things that could've happened to Barb in the real world, was that blind guy to reach out to her after perhaps one hour of interaction. Really. But, okay.
Paraphrasing a line, i could say that bullies and abusers of any sort are like pieces of shit you wouldn't want to step into; try to just step around them. :))
Unfortunately, Barb stepped into Jess. I deeply despised that bitch. The epitome of evil. I think there's a special ugly type of perversity taking form and that form is a frenemy.
It's one thing to be bullied by strangers, but getting both physically & emotionally hurt by your close ones.. that's a special type of evil! I mean, with such friends, who needs enemies, right?
I was not able to understand what Barb's betrayal was. At times i wondered whether i skipped some pages by mistake but nope. It was only Jess-the-effin-Drama-Queen.
As for Sorcha; such people are everywhere and you surely have some of this type in your life right now. Sorcha was, in my adult opinion, bad but my inner child could never admit to that because, you know, you can't criticise an adult who feeds you, can you..? (answer: yes, you can).
For what it seems like some perverted reason, people are trying to pass on their own way of existing onto others, like a projection they themselves inherited from predecessors and now are oddly responsible to pass it on, if possible by force, sort of like: you've got to think like i do, feel like i do, do what i do, be how i am.
Both Sorcha and Jess were turning against Barb at each of Barb's attempts to think or do something for herself. Neither of the two bitches ever bothered to ask Barb: "Hey, what do YOU think? What is YOUR truth?". Instead, they both ASSUMED they knew better.
Whenever you let your insecurities take the lead of you, you're automatically prone to load yourself with a lot of shit from others. And oh boy, aren't some full of it!
The weird thing is.. this whole narration coming from Barb's head pissed me off to no ends: i was constantly like "wtf, stop it, are you even serious..?". Especially whenever she was bullying herself. I mean, the whole freakin story had been a gaslighting marathon and i fell tired. In hindsight, however, i wasn't doing much better at sixteen. The annoyance and the rather (healthy) short temper comes from the adult, not from the traumatized child who was trained as a people pleaser and to believe that everyone was right but her.
At the end of it all (i mean, it usually & unfortunately happens after a lifetime of turmoil and few autoimmune diseases that you're now stuck with), you've just got to learn to take the good lesson out of every interaction you have with various people.
Sometimes (often times..?) bad people help us grow (like, they're so shitty that you learn to never again put up with such).
And then again, we're the sum of the closest people we know, so let's make sure these people are the right ones for us.
People come and go all the time. But the stress you (allow to) put yourself through because of them, will stay and will come to bite you in the back later on in ways you won't be able to reverse. Is it worth it? Supposedly you've answered "heck no", kick that "Jess" & "Sorcha" out of your life right now.
There's no part two for this story but i imagined that in a real-life scenario, Jess would definitely make out with Zal.
Unsolicited life advice: if you've got a friend who's even slightly envious of you (like, you know, even the seemingly innocent "oh, lucky YOU!" should be a red flag), just move on and don't look back.
I'm done. I've got too much of "the jolts" with this novel.
It felt eeriely emotionally familiar and it both fascinated and pissed me off. Its message, overall (on authenticity and social media and such) is strong & healthy. Just not the part about friendships. That one sucks.
Other than that, i personally can understand people's hunger for beauty and perfection; as long as it is being taken for what it is, - a DRIVE (towards better versions of ourselves)-, and not an achievable asset, then i think it's okay. We don't necessarily need to normalize flaws and screw-ups but rather stop shaming people who struggle.
No one is perfect, and for every seemingly perfect person, there's always gonna be some other to surpass it. In my opinion, the issue is not about who's trying to be perfect, who's prettier or ugly or fat or skinny or whatever, but rather about who's the asshole. People of any type get bullied, regardless of how they look like. The problem is not with them; the problem is with the disturbed fellows who target whatever they envy or whoever think they could manipulate.
The author's note at the end was really heart-warming and very relatable.
"You know, social media doesn't need more people telling you how to have a perfect life. It needs more people telling you how their lives are really, how it's okay to have an imperfect life.".
I was planning to rate this novel a 4-5 stars but then i got really angry towards the ending but then i kinda chilled, yet then it pissed me off again and then the last pages again... Oh, boy! This book! This author! Playing with my mind like that! THE JOOOLTS!!
What pissed me off:
The stupid, RIDICULOUS make up where i almost DNF-ed it! What the big holy F was that about..?? It almost made pe puke! Because i'm someone who happens to know what bullying feels like, especially the bullying you get from a so-called "old childhood friend".
The near-ending felt SO freakin absurd that it makes me wonder how did a smart author would even come up with that..? Omg, the last time i experienced such anger was while reading Frida McFadden's books.
Sooo... How.. I mean.. Why..? Why would you even promote the idea that it's okay to make up with your abuser..? How?? Barb's friend, Jess, was humiliating her with a raging evil passion each and every moment! Remember..? : "You're no more than a dumb wig attached to a stupid body. You're nothing without your hair! Nothing". Seems that Jess really does not believe in her friend's intrinsic value. Oh, let's not forget her gaslighting and the full-blown smear campaign online. AND the physical abuse! Pulling her hair! I mean, are you effin kidding me..? These are reasons for which sadly many teens end up committing suicide! This is no joke! And the writer thinks it's okay to just put Barb in the position of apologizing for wrongs she didn't do and make up with her frenemy. And then call it a happy ending!
I am outraged.
Did Jess ever even ASKED Barb about her mother? About her truth?? I mean, for real. Did she ever try to clear things out? Could've that father been so sure about another family's truth? Didn't he know better to encourage his daughter to actually talk to Barb? So often adults hide very important things from kids, sometimes for decades or even for a whole freakin life! But no. They just ASSumed. Great. Smart. Neat.
And let's cut the crap here: where was that part where Jess showed herself hurt by Barb's supposed lie..? Nowhere! Her reproach was always: "Oh, you think you're better than us 'cause you're popular on social media". That was ALL.
And then again the ridiculous part that was pretty much like: "Oooh, so did you think i was calling you a piece of shit because you were on social media? No no. I was calling you a piece of shit and pulled your hair because i thought you were lying to me about your mother being dead!". Wows. What a "twist"! And you call that a friend..? Would you even ever feel safe with having such a "friend" in your life..? Would YOU be okay with a friend who suddenly attacks you physically, bullies you and acts like a jealous bitch and when she says a casual "hey, sorry about that" you're back to "best friends" again..?? Would Barb have done the same to Jess in those given circumstances? And even if she was knowingly lying about her mom being dead,.. SO WHAT..? A real friend would think she had her reasons to do so, like, maybe she was traumatized, or lied to by her aunt, etc. A real friend wouldn't be an ass who assumes & starts a freakin war against her childhood best friend! She'd instead have a talk to clear out any misunderstandings. These were not 5 years old children having a tantrum.
So basically the "big betrayal" was Barb's personal business being taken personally by Jess.
I just HATE it when the author intentionally misleads the readers and inserts a stupid, forced "twist" ending just for the shock value. It's just not right. It could've been so much better without it!
And even from the start, i had to roll my eyes at the drama involving Barb's birth. I mean, what kind of morons of a medical stuff would lose a patient just because they stared at a baby's hair for too long..? WHO DOES THIS? It only makes it look like more drama was thrown at Barb's hair hoping it'll stick for the rest of the story. But to me it just seemed a bit too absurd.
Random notes throughout my reading (noted as i was reading it):
Stuff like this indeed often happens in real life: When the receptionist sarcastically told Sorcha that they don't do "normal milk",- Spark Enterprises do not promote dairy farming or other unsustainable business practices", yet Anna G was wearing leather. Ya, we know, fake world. But also a bunch of idiots who never speak out their own mind, not even when it's flashing neon colors in their faces. Because, you know, it needs two kinds of hypocrites for this game to play: those who know what they're doing but are doing it anyway, And those who know what is happening but they're going along with it anyway.
It's a trend for fake people to use and flash out good morals, healthy habits and expensive objects in order to promote themselves. That doesn't make the good morals, healthy habits and expensive objects wrong. Meditation, vegan foods or a Mercedes will not (and can never) be wrong. But people who hide behind these, may.
(just pay attention to who's flashing it out).
Everything in Barb's life had been a game of pretending, starting with her own family and her so-called best friend Jess with whom she was never been able or even allowed to talk frankly about their mothers, the hurt and what mattered the most.
So often throughout this book i felt like if i read "i wonder what Jess is doing/thinking/feeling/etc" one more time, i'd gonna throw it out the window with the speed & trajectory set to land it into an active volcano. Adding the over repetition of "the jolts" would make the landing be as far as Sakurajima.
I just didn't get it: even with all the senseless mischief in the world, why would anyone prefer to spell @letdownyourhair each it time instead of just... Barb..?? It's like.. calling someone Mashmerlapewpewbudibum instead of calling that woman by her first name or at least Ms. M.! 🤷
And ya, (although i truly disliked his name) Zal's presence was welcomed into the story (it eased off with the freakin mischief everywhere) but let's be honest, out of all the least probable things that could've happened to Barb in the real world, was that blind guy to reach out to her after perhaps one hour of interaction. Really. But, okay.
Paraphrasing a line, i could say that bullies and abusers of any sort are like pieces of shit you wouldn't want to step into; try to just step around them. :))
Unfortunately, Barb stepped into Jess. I deeply despised that bitch. The epitome of evil. I think there's a special ugly type of perversity taking form and that form is a frenemy.
It's one thing to be bullied by strangers, but getting both physically & emotionally hurt by your close ones.. that's a special type of evil! I mean, with such friends, who needs enemies, right?
I was not able to understand what Barb's betrayal was. At times i wondered whether i skipped some pages by mistake but nope. It was only Jess-the-effin-Drama-Queen.
As for Sorcha; such people are everywhere and you surely have some of this type in your life right now. Sorcha was, in my adult opinion, bad but my inner child could never admit to that because, you know, you can't criticise an adult who feeds you, can you..? (answer: yes, you can).
For what it seems like some perverted reason, people are trying to pass on their own way of existing onto others, like a projection they themselves inherited from predecessors and now are oddly responsible to pass it on, if possible by force, sort of like: you've got to think like i do, feel like i do, do what i do, be how i am.
Both Sorcha and Jess were turning against Barb at each of Barb's attempts to think or do something for herself. Neither of the two bitches ever bothered to ask Barb: "Hey, what do YOU think? What is YOUR truth?". Instead, they both ASSUMED they knew better.
Whenever you let your insecurities take the lead of you, you're automatically prone to load yourself with a lot of shit from others. And oh boy, aren't some full of it!
The weird thing is.. this whole narration coming from Barb's head pissed me off to no ends: i was constantly like "wtf, stop it, are you even serious..?". Especially whenever she was bullying herself. I mean, the whole freakin story had been a gaslighting marathon and i fell tired. In hindsight, however, i wasn't doing much better at sixteen. The annoyance and the rather (healthy) short temper comes from the adult, not from the traumatized child who was trained as a people pleaser and to believe that everyone was right but her.
At the end of it all (i mean, it usually & unfortunately happens after a lifetime of turmoil and few autoimmune diseases that you're now stuck with), you've just got to learn to take the good lesson out of every interaction you have with various people.
Sometimes (often times..?) bad people help us grow (like, they're so shitty that you learn to never again put up with such).
And then again, we're the sum of the closest people we know, so let's make sure these people are the right ones for us.
People come and go all the time. But the stress you (allow to) put yourself through because of them, will stay and will come to bite you in the back later on in ways you won't be able to reverse. Is it worth it? Supposedly you've answered "heck no", kick that "Jess" & "Sorcha" out of your life right now.
There's no part two for this story but i imagined that in a real-life scenario, Jess would definitely make out with Zal.
Unsolicited life advice: if you've got a friend who's even slightly envious of you (like, you know, even the seemingly innocent "oh, lucky YOU!" should be a red flag), just move on and don't look back.
I'm done. I've got too much of "the jolts" with this novel.
It felt eeriely emotionally familiar and it both fascinated and pissed me off. Its message, overall (on authenticity and social media and such) is strong & healthy. Just not the part about friendships. That one sucks.
Other than that, i personally can understand people's hunger for beauty and perfection; as long as it is being taken for what it is, - a DRIVE (towards better versions of ourselves)-, and not an achievable asset, then i think it's okay. We don't necessarily need to normalize flaws and screw-ups but rather stop shaming people who struggle.
No one is perfect, and for every seemingly perfect person, there's always gonna be some other to surpass it. In my opinion, the issue is not about who's trying to be perfect, who's prettier or ugly or fat or skinny or whatever, but rather about who's the asshole. People of any type get bullied, regardless of how they look like. The problem is not with them; the problem is with the disturbed fellows who target whatever they envy or whoever think they could manipulate.
The author's note at the end was really heart-warming and very relatable.
"You know, social media doesn't need more people telling you how to have a perfect life. It needs more people telling you how their lives are really, how it's okay to have an imperfect life.".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2022
I'm a big fan of Bryony Gordon and all that she has done as a mental health campaigner. I have read all of her books, so was super intrigued to read this - Gordon's first YA fiction.
I love how it was a fresh and modern retake on the story of Rapunzel. I love good retelling!
I found this book to be fun, but it was fairly simple in terms of plot (I appreciate it's for younger readers than myself - but there's no need for patronising) The book was an easy cosy read, and I have never read anything that reps alopecia before. Think it's really unique in that sense, and of course will be super important for those people who suffer from the condition.
Overall this book was OK and it's the alopecia references that make this book special - not the plot or the characters.
I love how it was a fresh and modern retake on the story of Rapunzel. I love good retelling!
I found this book to be fun, but it was fairly simple in terms of plot (I appreciate it's for younger readers than myself - but there's no need for patronising) The book was an easy cosy read, and I have never read anything that reps alopecia before. Think it's really unique in that sense, and of course will be super important for those people who suffer from the condition.
Overall this book was OK and it's the alopecia references that make this book special - not the plot or the characters.
October 11, 2022
I was 30 when I found the first bald spot on my head. I'm not saying I handled it well but I can't imagine how I'd have coped with the news as a teenage girl. Like the main character of Bryony Gordon's novel, my hair was something that people always commented on. I wasn't at Rapunzel levels but it was the thing I got the most compliments for. Cut to a few years later and it's gone along with my eyelashes and eyebrows. My 16-year-old self would never have left the house. I am totally in favour of alopecia awareness in literature. We need more stories that show it doesn't have to be the end of the world. That's what Let Your Hair Down was meant to do.
Do I think it was totally successful? Not really. That's not to say it's a bad novel. It just spends so much time talking about the world of social media influencers that the alopecia elements get shoved in at the end. I understand that it's meant to be part of a wider narrative about stress and mental health in young people. However, I feel like these elements could have had more time in the spotlight. This book is trying to do so much that it doesn't seem to know what it's trying to say. Let Your Hair Down isn't a book about being diagnosed with alopecia. It's a book about social media that happens to include it.
The ending in particular could be stronger. It all just happens so quickly. The pacing is all over the place. Something that just highlights how basic the story is. I was mostly on board with updating Rapunzel, but it limited the story a little. Although it was fun having the modern tower block take the place of a tower in the woods. It was also interesting to replace the sorceress with an aunt obsessed with social media. It could have just been left as that but Gordon didn't want to stop there. As happy as I am to see alopecia in a novel, I don't think it's just an extra complication to this novel. It gets lost in the retelling.
Although, I think there were elements that I certainly recognised from my own experience. When Barb notices her first spot, she Googles her symptoms and learns what she can. She also talks about constantly touching her scalp. Something that I did in the days before I told anyone. I wasn't a huge fan of the way the medical world was represented. The doctor Barb talks to just dismisses her quite quickly and makes it seem unimportant. My own experience with the many doctors I've encountered has been great. I wouldn't want this book to put people off going to their GP.
It's not that the way alopecia is discussed here is bad, which makes sense given Bryony Gordon's own experiences. It's just that it feels like a bit of a gimmick here. This is a book about social media that has a subplot about hair loss. I wish it had stuck to one or the other. It's not a badly written book either. Although, the timeline gets very irritating and messy. There are flashbacks and flashbacks within flashbacks. What happened to a good old-fashioned linear structure? Is it so bad for the story to play out normally? Structure aside, Let Your Hair Down wasn't a terrible read. As someone who normally doesn't get on with YA, I found it to be better than most.
However, I expected more. Since being diagnosed, I've been madly looking for fiction featuring alopecia. The majority of books I've found have been meant for children. As this was a YA novel, I had high hopes for what it could do. I have to admit to being disappointed.
Do I think it was totally successful? Not really. That's not to say it's a bad novel. It just spends so much time talking about the world of social media influencers that the alopecia elements get shoved in at the end. I understand that it's meant to be part of a wider narrative about stress and mental health in young people. However, I feel like these elements could have had more time in the spotlight. This book is trying to do so much that it doesn't seem to know what it's trying to say. Let Your Hair Down isn't a book about being diagnosed with alopecia. It's a book about social media that happens to include it.
The ending in particular could be stronger. It all just happens so quickly. The pacing is all over the place. Something that just highlights how basic the story is. I was mostly on board with updating Rapunzel, but it limited the story a little. Although it was fun having the modern tower block take the place of a tower in the woods. It was also interesting to replace the sorceress with an aunt obsessed with social media. It could have just been left as that but Gordon didn't want to stop there. As happy as I am to see alopecia in a novel, I don't think it's just an extra complication to this novel. It gets lost in the retelling.
Although, I think there were elements that I certainly recognised from my own experience. When Barb notices her first spot, she Googles her symptoms and learns what she can. She also talks about constantly touching her scalp. Something that I did in the days before I told anyone. I wasn't a huge fan of the way the medical world was represented. The doctor Barb talks to just dismisses her quite quickly and makes it seem unimportant. My own experience with the many doctors I've encountered has been great. I wouldn't want this book to put people off going to their GP.
It's not that the way alopecia is discussed here is bad, which makes sense given Bryony Gordon's own experiences. It's just that it feels like a bit of a gimmick here. This is a book about social media that has a subplot about hair loss. I wish it had stuck to one or the other. It's not a badly written book either. Although, the timeline gets very irritating and messy. There are flashbacks and flashbacks within flashbacks. What happened to a good old-fashioned linear structure? Is it so bad for the story to play out normally? Structure aside, Let Your Hair Down wasn't a terrible read. As someone who normally doesn't get on with YA, I found it to be better than most.
However, I expected more. Since being diagnosed, I've been madly looking for fiction featuring alopecia. The majority of books I've found have been meant for children. As this was a YA novel, I had high hopes for what it could do. I have to admit to being disappointed.
December 26, 2022
✧ L E T M E S U M M A R I S E ✧
Barbara doesn’t have a life outside her online @hairbybarb account. With an ex best friend who hates her, and a pushy, career orientated aunt, Barb feels completely isolated and alone. But when her hair, the only thing she does have, starts to fall out due to alopecia, Barbara has to discover who she is and what the truth about her past really is as well.
✧ W H A T W O R K E D W E L L ✧
Let Down Your Hair was such a delightful story of learning who you are, overcoming negativity and accepting yourself no matter the consequences. It’s such a positive message for Young Adult teens who are increasingly spending more time on social media than ever. In a society where everyone wants to be instagram-famous, the story has such a true, relevant plot.
It was so good to also see a YA book shining a light on alopecia – a condition which affects so many young girls but who live in fear of discussing or even sharing their condition for fear of failing to conform to the perfect lives portrayed by social media. I haven’t come across very many YA books which highlight this kind of condition, but it was handled so very well and carefully.
Barb is subjected to a lot of trolling and criticism throughout the book, and whilst this effects her quite badly, her character arc is largely developed as a result. She is a wonderful character with a lot of progression throughout Let Down Your Hair. She starts out mousy, shy and just sinking into the background – letting herself be pushing around by people and allowing their criticism to cut into her heart. You really feel for Barb who is a kind of modern-day Harry Potter, holed up in her bedroom making content as laid out by her aunt.
The plot had a few twists which I quite enjoyed as they added something a little extra to the story. We get to see the reason behind Barb and Jess’ friendship break down, and even get a look into the truth behind Barb’s mother who died during childbirth.
✧ W H A T N E E D E D W O R K ✧
Nothing. This was super enjoyable.
✧ W H A T T H R E E W O R D S ✧
Inspiring, honest and moving.
✧ T O C O N C L U D E ✧
Barb was a wonderful character in Let Down Your Hair and her story was one that I won’t forget for a while. I loved the fact that the book focusses around a YA with alopecia. The book had me hooked because I wanted Barb to have a happy ending. She deserved it after all she endured in the story. There was such positive construed in the story, and there were a few little plot twists to keep me on my toes.
Barbara doesn’t have a life outside her online @hairbybarb account. With an ex best friend who hates her, and a pushy, career orientated aunt, Barb feels completely isolated and alone. But when her hair, the only thing she does have, starts to fall out due to alopecia, Barbara has to discover who she is and what the truth about her past really is as well.
✧ W H A T W O R K E D W E L L ✧
Let Down Your Hair was such a delightful story of learning who you are, overcoming negativity and accepting yourself no matter the consequences. It’s such a positive message for Young Adult teens who are increasingly spending more time on social media than ever. In a society where everyone wants to be instagram-famous, the story has such a true, relevant plot.
It was so good to also see a YA book shining a light on alopecia – a condition which affects so many young girls but who live in fear of discussing or even sharing their condition for fear of failing to conform to the perfect lives portrayed by social media. I haven’t come across very many YA books which highlight this kind of condition, but it was handled so very well and carefully.
Barb is subjected to a lot of trolling and criticism throughout the book, and whilst this effects her quite badly, her character arc is largely developed as a result. She is a wonderful character with a lot of progression throughout Let Down Your Hair. She starts out mousy, shy and just sinking into the background – letting herself be pushing around by people and allowing their criticism to cut into her heart. You really feel for Barb who is a kind of modern-day Harry Potter, holed up in her bedroom making content as laid out by her aunt.
The plot had a few twists which I quite enjoyed as they added something a little extra to the story. We get to see the reason behind Barb and Jess’ friendship break down, and even get a look into the truth behind Barb’s mother who died during childbirth.
✧ W H A T N E E D E D W O R K ✧
Nothing. This was super enjoyable.
✧ W H A T T H R E E W O R D S ✧
Inspiring, honest and moving.
✧ T O C O N C L U D E ✧
Barb was a wonderful character in Let Down Your Hair and her story was one that I won’t forget for a while. I loved the fact that the book focusses around a YA with alopecia. The book had me hooked because I wanted Barb to have a happy ending. She deserved it after all she endured in the story. There was such positive construed in the story, and there were a few little plot twists to keep me on my toes.
September 8, 2024
“My name is Barb… Though many of you know me as @letdownyourhair. For a while, people actually used to call me by my handle. I mean, how ridiculous is that? And actually, for a while I thought of myself as my social-media profile, nothing more than the girl you saw making lots of videos about how to have perfect hair. And you know, that’s fine. There’s loads of space for people making videos about how to have perfect hair, or make-up, or clothes, or life. Social media is full of those accounts.”
“But I was finding I didn’t want to pretend I had a perfect life on social media, because, you know, in the background, off social media, my life wasn’t perfect. Not at all…My entire world was inside my screen and the four walls in my bedroom…getting likes and more follows and better partnerships…I only saw perfection. Beautiful hair, beautiful skin, beautiful, perfect lives. And I felt awful.
But then something even weirder happened…My hair has been falling out, which is obviously not great when I’m supposed to be a hair content creator…The more my hair fell out, the more I realised what actually mattered. And it wasn’t likes or follows or filters. It wasn’t having glossy, wavy hair. It was being me…a slightly awkward teenager with alopecia who was finally feeling comfortable in herself…Barb took the machine in her hand, then raised it to her head. She turned it on. And in front of an audience of two million people, she finally, truly, let down her hair.”
Let Down Your Hair is, of course, based on the fairy tale of Rapunzel. But it is also based on the author’s own experiences of losing her hair as a teenager. When she was eighteen and on the cusp of embarking on her journey into adulthood at university, Bryony Gordon developed Alopecia areata. After suffering from crippling OCD, Alopecia made sense to her: the hodgepodge of hair on the outside matched the horrific fears on the inside. Alopecia was actually her body’s cry for love and nourishment and compassion. “The best treatment is to live the life I am meant to, not the life I think I need to.”
“But I was finding I didn’t want to pretend I had a perfect life on social media, because, you know, in the background, off social media, my life wasn’t perfect. Not at all…My entire world was inside my screen and the four walls in my bedroom…getting likes and more follows and better partnerships…I only saw perfection. Beautiful hair, beautiful skin, beautiful, perfect lives. And I felt awful.
But then something even weirder happened…My hair has been falling out, which is obviously not great when I’m supposed to be a hair content creator…The more my hair fell out, the more I realised what actually mattered. And it wasn’t likes or follows or filters. It wasn’t having glossy, wavy hair. It was being me…a slightly awkward teenager with alopecia who was finally feeling comfortable in herself…Barb took the machine in her hand, then raised it to her head. She turned it on. And in front of an audience of two million people, she finally, truly, let down her hair.”
Let Down Your Hair is, of course, based on the fairy tale of Rapunzel. But it is also based on the author’s own experiences of losing her hair as a teenager. When she was eighteen and on the cusp of embarking on her journey into adulthood at university, Bryony Gordon developed Alopecia areata. After suffering from crippling OCD, Alopecia made sense to her: the hodgepodge of hair on the outside matched the horrific fears on the inside. Alopecia was actually her body’s cry for love and nourishment and compassion. “The best treatment is to live the life I am meant to, not the life I think I need to.”
September 7, 2022
I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in return for my honest opinion. Thank you to Hachette and Bryony Gordon for letting me read this before it’s release.
Let Down Your Hair is a modern day reimagining of the beloved fairy tale Rapunzel. This book revolves around social media in the modern world, and the main character’s journey as she develops alopecia as a hair content based social media creator.
Barb is a 16 year old girl who has recently finished school, but for many she is better known by her social media tag @letdownyourhair. With hundreds of thousands of followers and an aunt that is obsessed with making her a social media star, Barb spends her days in her room filming content. Her friends are no longer her friends and she is weighted down with the guilt of her mothers demise during her birth.
Honestly, the star of the show here was Barb’s journey with Alopecia. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I really think it would have benefitted from less of the story being taken up by her life pre condition, and more of her life as she discovers it and her development on learning to love herself regardless of her hair. I’d have loved to have seen more after the end chapter, to see how Barb developed as a person after being faced with losing what at the end of the day, was all anyone appeared to focus on. As a consequence, I feel like the story rushed to tie itself up near the end, which could have been fixed easily by either shortening the pre condition section, or lengthening the book as a whole.
That being said, this book brings important focus upon a health condition that can so easily affect a persons self esteem in a world that is so focused on being picture perfect, on societal beauty standards and upon the pressures of social media. It was an interesting take on reimagining a fairy tale I love so much, and it is worth a read.
Let Down Your Hair is a modern day reimagining of the beloved fairy tale Rapunzel. This book revolves around social media in the modern world, and the main character’s journey as she develops alopecia as a hair content based social media creator.
Barb is a 16 year old girl who has recently finished school, but for many she is better known by her social media tag @letdownyourhair. With hundreds of thousands of followers and an aunt that is obsessed with making her a social media star, Barb spends her days in her room filming content. Her friends are no longer her friends and she is weighted down with the guilt of her mothers demise during her birth.
Honestly, the star of the show here was Barb’s journey with Alopecia. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I really think it would have benefitted from less of the story being taken up by her life pre condition, and more of her life as she discovers it and her development on learning to love herself regardless of her hair. I’d have loved to have seen more after the end chapter, to see how Barb developed as a person after being faced with losing what at the end of the day, was all anyone appeared to focus on. As a consequence, I feel like the story rushed to tie itself up near the end, which could have been fixed easily by either shortening the pre condition section, or lengthening the book as a whole.
That being said, this book brings important focus upon a health condition that can so easily affect a persons self esteem in a world that is so focused on being picture perfect, on societal beauty standards and upon the pressures of social media. It was an interesting take on reimagining a fairy tale I love so much, and it is worth a read.
September 7, 2022
Barb may have zero friends IRL, but online, she is popular. Like, several-hundred-thousand-followers popular. Or at least, her hair is popular. Because Barb's hair is glossy and beautiful. Which is why hairbrush manufacturers pay her stupid money for a 30-second clip. But most of the time Barb just wants to be a normal teenager, who has friends and a life. One who isn't confined to her bedroom on the 12th floor of the tower-block flat she shares with her aunt making content. One who can go about her business without everyone obsessing over the way she looks. Barb just needs to save up some money to make a new life for herself.
But it's soon clear something isn't right. Because when Barb runs her fingers over her scalp, she feels something smooth and different. She gets out her mirrors and combs for a video and sees it ... a bald patch the size of a ten pence coin, slap bang in the middle of her head.
Barb has alopecia.
In this stunning retelling of Rapunzel, Barb must learn that she is so much more than her hair and that there is no such thing as a happy ending ... just lots of complicated new beginnings.
First of all I'd like to say that I'm a fan of Bryony Gordon's writing but I'm not the target YA audience so please bear this in mind when reading my review.
I'm afraid this book left me cold as I've seldom had a more depressing read. I've read many stories about people with depression where somewhere/somehow there's some enjoyment in the reading but this book is just so incredibly dull that I couldn't wait to finish it. The aunt is so unbelievably horrible, the school friends so vicious, the 'influencers' so fake. I really hope that her YA target audience enjoys this more than I did.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Children's Group for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
But it's soon clear something isn't right. Because when Barb runs her fingers over her scalp, she feels something smooth and different. She gets out her mirrors and combs for a video and sees it ... a bald patch the size of a ten pence coin, slap bang in the middle of her head.
Barb has alopecia.
In this stunning retelling of Rapunzel, Barb must learn that she is so much more than her hair and that there is no such thing as a happy ending ... just lots of complicated new beginnings.
First of all I'd like to say that I'm a fan of Bryony Gordon's writing but I'm not the target YA audience so please bear this in mind when reading my review.
I'm afraid this book left me cold as I've seldom had a more depressing read. I've read many stories about people with depression where somewhere/somehow there's some enjoyment in the reading but this book is just so incredibly dull that I couldn't wait to finish it. The aunt is so unbelievably horrible, the school friends so vicious, the 'influencers' so fake. I really hope that her YA target audience enjoys this more than I did.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Children's Group for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
October 3, 2022
More like 3 1/2 (I wish Goodreads would give us half stars)
Barb lives a lonely life in her 'tower' with her aunt, making content for her hundreds of thousands of followers. She is online famous due to her luxurious hair. She is tired of this 'fake happy' existence and is ready for a new start when she discovers a bald spot. She has alopecia!
Starting with Chapter 1 and the discovery of the bald spot, we then go back 6 months where Barb is in a whole different place and mentality to see how she got to her current position. This modern-day contemporary twist on Rapunzel has a straight-to-the-point, a little ironic and plenty cynical narrative, with our protagonist philosophizing on her social media-riddled life. This is a character that you may find endearing even if she aggravates you with her naivete. You will not agree with all her decisions but you will still want to hug her. This story is brutally honest and you can't help but be engrossed in that.
There is some fun to be had with the lifestyle due to the rise of Barb's brand, but there is also cruelty in this reality. Scratching the surface to get to the 'worms', this book tackles the subject of social media and the overpowering effect it can have on your life. How you can absolutely lose yourself and not know who you are anymore. It can be a frivolous foundation that can collapse just like that. This story emphasizes that our identity is not just one thing.
The timeline does get a little whiplash as there are flashbacks within flashbacks within memories. At one point I didn't even know when we are. This confusion took away from my enjoyment of this tale which I otherwise liked.
With just a smidge of inspiration from Rapunzel, this is its own tale. A thought-provoking and emotionally tangible book that is ultimately about being your true self.
Barb lives a lonely life in her 'tower' with her aunt, making content for her hundreds of thousands of followers. She is online famous due to her luxurious hair. She is tired of this 'fake happy' existence and is ready for a new start when she discovers a bald spot. She has alopecia!
Starting with Chapter 1 and the discovery of the bald spot, we then go back 6 months where Barb is in a whole different place and mentality to see how she got to her current position. This modern-day contemporary twist on Rapunzel has a straight-to-the-point, a little ironic and plenty cynical narrative, with our protagonist philosophizing on her social media-riddled life. This is a character that you may find endearing even if she aggravates you with her naivete. You will not agree with all her decisions but you will still want to hug her. This story is brutally honest and you can't help but be engrossed in that.
There is some fun to be had with the lifestyle due to the rise of Barb's brand, but there is also cruelty in this reality. Scratching the surface to get to the 'worms', this book tackles the subject of social media and the overpowering effect it can have on your life. How you can absolutely lose yourself and not know who you are anymore. It can be a frivolous foundation that can collapse just like that. This story emphasizes that our identity is not just one thing.
The timeline does get a little whiplash as there are flashbacks within flashbacks within memories. At one point I didn't even know when we are. This confusion took away from my enjoyment of this tale which I otherwise liked.
With just a smidge of inspiration from Rapunzel, this is its own tale. A thought-provoking and emotionally tangible book that is ultimately about being your true self.
August 29, 2022
As a woman in her 40s I don’t usually read Young Adult fiction, but as Bryony Gordon is hilarious in real life (and also a 40 something woman) I thought I’d give it a go.
Loosely based on Rapunzel, Barb’s was orphaned at birth and brought up in a flat on the 12th floor of a south London estate by her controlling aunt Sorcha.
She’s just finished her GCSE’s and dropped out of school after her closest friendship has fallen apart, encouraged by Sorcha to focus on her social media profile - based around her beautiful and eye catching hair. As @letdownyourhair she has hundreds of thousands of followers and freebies and income to help her pay her keep. But is that enough to achieve happiness? As Barb realises she’s developed alopecia it forces her to reflect on her life.
I really liked this. I think it very cleverly exposed the controlling influence and bad side of social media, particularly from those who benefit from the profile of others. But it also highlights some of the positives through and explanation of how to adapt posts for those who are blind (through the character Zal).
It also gently explores mental health concerns including anxiety and gives a really good insight into alopecia, which I understand Bryony Gordon has suffered from.
It builds to a satisfying crescendo at the end of the book and I really enjoyed it and will be sharing with my teenage daughter next. Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced copy.
Loosely based on Rapunzel, Barb’s was orphaned at birth and brought up in a flat on the 12th floor of a south London estate by her controlling aunt Sorcha.
She’s just finished her GCSE’s and dropped out of school after her closest friendship has fallen apart, encouraged by Sorcha to focus on her social media profile - based around her beautiful and eye catching hair. As @letdownyourhair she has hundreds of thousands of followers and freebies and income to help her pay her keep. But is that enough to achieve happiness? As Barb realises she’s developed alopecia it forces her to reflect on her life.
I really liked this. I think it very cleverly exposed the controlling influence and bad side of social media, particularly from those who benefit from the profile of others. But it also highlights some of the positives through and explanation of how to adapt posts for those who are blind (through the character Zal).
It also gently explores mental health concerns including anxiety and gives a really good insight into alopecia, which I understand Bryony Gordon has suffered from.
It builds to a satisfying crescendo at the end of the book and I really enjoyed it and will be sharing with my teenage daughter next. Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced copy.
March 21, 2023
3.5 Stars
I will never shy away from a fairytale retelling and Let Down Your Hair is a very modern take on Rapunzel, without all the fairytale stuff, but I have to say I was intrigued. It was very thought-provoking as this book considers the affects social media and filters can have on our life and perception of others.
Barb has no friends and spends the majority of her life creating content for her account on ShowReal, where she has several hundred thousand followers on her hair account. Barb has been blessed with the glossiest and most beautiful hair, so whatever she does, her followers will eat it up. But one day, when she wakes up and feels a bald patch at the back of her head, she realises her life is about to change. We then flash back to a few months prior and see her journey to finding the spot and beyond.
‘It was as if the more she lost the hair on her head, the more she gained a sense of self inside it.’
This book was all about Barb’s journey and her growth into someone she loved and could appreciate. Barb goes through a lot in this book, and at times, I found her a little insufferable, but this got better as she built friendships and learnt what truly mattered in life.
Although I found the pacing a little slow at times, I enjoyed this book and thought it made you think about the perceptions we have of “influencers” and how at the end of the day, they are just ordinary people.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Children’s Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
I will never shy away from a fairytale retelling and Let Down Your Hair is a very modern take on Rapunzel, without all the fairytale stuff, but I have to say I was intrigued. It was very thought-provoking as this book considers the affects social media and filters can have on our life and perception of others.
Barb has no friends and spends the majority of her life creating content for her account on ShowReal, where she has several hundred thousand followers on her hair account. Barb has been blessed with the glossiest and most beautiful hair, so whatever she does, her followers will eat it up. But one day, when she wakes up and feels a bald patch at the back of her head, she realises her life is about to change. We then flash back to a few months prior and see her journey to finding the spot and beyond.
‘It was as if the more she lost the hair on her head, the more she gained a sense of self inside it.’
This book was all about Barb’s journey and her growth into someone she loved and could appreciate. Barb goes through a lot in this book, and at times, I found her a little insufferable, but this got better as she built friendships and learnt what truly mattered in life.
Although I found the pacing a little slow at times, I enjoyed this book and thought it made you think about the perceptions we have of “influencers” and how at the end of the day, they are just ordinary people.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Children’s Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
September 6, 2022
Let Down Your Hair is a modern take on the rapunzel fairy tail. Barb is born with the most beautiful golden hair and it’s been her defining feature her entire life. Living with her evil aunt, who is also her manager, she creates a social media account for herself or more importantly her hair. Her entire life is controlled by her aunt and she lives practically trapped in her room at the top of an apartment block. It takes getting to the top of the influencer game to realise that her current life isn’t what she wants and is actually making her unwell. One day she finds a bald spot on her head and discovers she has alopecia. Barb has to find a way to truly love herself for who she is and not just for her hair. Along the way she finds out what and who it is that really makes her happy.
Barbs character is very naive and shy but it was nice to see her find her own voice and make her own decisions as the story goes on.
There was good development for the majority of characters and the ending really brought everything together nicely.
Overall this is a nice simple story following a girl trying to make her dreams come true. The alopecia and visual disability awareness were great to have represented in a positive light!
Barbs character is very naive and shy but it was nice to see her find her own voice and make her own decisions as the story goes on.
There was good development for the majority of characters and the ending really brought everything together nicely.
Overall this is a nice simple story following a girl trying to make her dreams come true. The alopecia and visual disability awareness were great to have represented in a positive light!
September 30, 2022
Barb lives with her aunt and until recently was happy enough with her one best friend since childhood. However, the two have fallen out and as Barb has now given up school to concentrate on ‘her brand’ and social media following she rarely sees anyone in real life, not just her former friend. Barb’s aunt leaves her messages about loading new content in order to attract the clothes, make up and other fashion accessories which flood in from companies keen for Barb to promote them with her flowing hair convincing followers that they too can possess such beautiful locks. But demonstrating doing her hair online one day Barb notices something unusual.
A new contract with a big name company sees Barb and her aunt disagree with the direction Barb is following so she moves into a luxury house with other influencers. Here she sees that life is not the wonderful dream she thought it may be and the friendliest face is that of a blind influencer who helps Barb see things more clearly.
When Barb faces up to the fact she has alopecia she also discovers a lot more about herself and finds that not everyone has been truthful with her.
Living in the real world and not all online can be cruel, but social media is more so and we need people who have our best interests at heart.
A new contract with a big name company sees Barb and her aunt disagree with the direction Barb is following so she moves into a luxury house with other influencers. Here she sees that life is not the wonderful dream she thought it may be and the friendliest face is that of a blind influencer who helps Barb see things more clearly.
When Barb faces up to the fact she has alopecia she also discovers a lot more about herself and finds that not everyone has been truthful with her.
Living in the real world and not all online can be cruel, but social media is more so and we need people who have our best interests at heart.
August 29, 2022
Honest review in exchange for netgalley e-arc
This book was a breath of fresh air! I thought it was going to be a ‘I need to be an influencer and I need to be my true authentic self’ kind of book…and to a degree, it was this - but it was done right. I felt genuinely sorry for barb and was rooting for her to find her voice, find her identity and who she is, and definitely stand up to her aunt and take control of her life! This book was written in such an easy way, I flew through it in a matter of days. I also found the take of being an influencer not all it’s cracked up to be so refreshing to read. I actually liked how this book is a bit of a reality check - especially for teens today. In fact, I hope lots of teens read this book and see the reality of the isolation, that trying to please everyone. Barb’s battle with her identity and her hair being almost being a character of its own really clever. This was a quick and easy contemporary I flew through but think it’s one that will definitely linger on my mind in a social media obsessed world. I loved barb as a character and was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved getting to go along with her on her story!
This book was a breath of fresh air! I thought it was going to be a ‘I need to be an influencer and I need to be my true authentic self’ kind of book…and to a degree, it was this - but it was done right. I felt genuinely sorry for barb and was rooting for her to find her voice, find her identity and who she is, and definitely stand up to her aunt and take control of her life! This book was written in such an easy way, I flew through it in a matter of days. I also found the take of being an influencer not all it’s cracked up to be so refreshing to read. I actually liked how this book is a bit of a reality check - especially for teens today. In fact, I hope lots of teens read this book and see the reality of the isolation, that trying to please everyone. Barb’s battle with her identity and her hair being almost being a character of its own really clever. This was a quick and easy contemporary I flew through but think it’s one that will definitely linger on my mind in a social media obsessed world. I loved barb as a character and was rooting for her every step of the way. I loved getting to go along with her on her story!
August 7, 2022
So. I'm not a creator...unless you count one very small blog...and I'm certainly not an influencer. However, I did, once, have alopecia. I was lucky, and it never progressed beyond the initial spot; it's grown back in now, and even while it was there my hair is thick enough to cover it. It wasn't a fun time, though.
It's a feeling that Byrony, who has suffered alopecia on and off for years, captures beautifully in this new book. There are increasing numbers of reads out there about the dangers of social media and influencer culture (though Bryony beautifully shows us the upside as well in the character of Zal) but few have looked at it from quite this angle, and it makes for an amazing read.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Sorcha, which is probably the sign of a good character. I did think that Jen and Barb made up a little bit easily. But all is forgiven with that triumphant ending scene, which I just want to keep and reread on a bad day. It's amazing.
This is a great read and a really clever way to update a fairy tale. Highly recommended.
It's a feeling that Byrony, who has suffered alopecia on and off for years, captures beautifully in this new book. There are increasing numbers of reads out there about the dangers of social media and influencer culture (though Bryony beautifully shows us the upside as well in the character of Zal) but few have looked at it from quite this angle, and it makes for an amazing read.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Sorcha, which is probably the sign of a good character. I did think that Jen and Barb made up a little bit easily. But all is forgiven with that triumphant ending scene, which I just want to keep and reread on a bad day. It's amazing.
This is a great read and a really clever way to update a fairy tale. Highly recommended.
July 26, 2022
This was such a good YA debut! I really loved how the reality of social media fame is shown as it’s not often spoken about. Barb’s personal growth during her journey with alopecia was well written and I enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell. I also liked how her relationship with her aunt was explored. The modern twist on Rapunzel was really cool to see as most fairytale retellings are in a fantasy setting rather than a contemporary; it was executed really well and felt organic! I loved how this book had a positive approach on alopecia and raised awareness for it too.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the DRC!
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the DRC!
October 18, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
The premise behind this modern day retelling of Rapunzel explores the issue of social media celebrity and influencing and the fact that no one's life is ever what it seems from their social media. I think this book explores some sensitive issues quite well and would resonate with teenage girls. However I thought more weight needed to be given to the alopecia element (Barb is never actually officially diagnosed or treated) and the ending was a bit too pat for my liking. But the moral messages are strong and will likely resonate with the target demographic.
The premise behind this modern day retelling of Rapunzel explores the issue of social media celebrity and influencing and the fact that no one's life is ever what it seems from their social media. I think this book explores some sensitive issues quite well and would resonate with teenage girls. However I thought more weight needed to be given to the alopecia element (Barb is never actually officially diagnosed or treated) and the ending was a bit too pat for my liking. But the moral messages are strong and will likely resonate with the target demographic.
January 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I picked this up hoping for a quick, easy read between fantasy books and I definitely got what I wanted.
Barb is a mesmerising character and I found myself easily enraptured by her ‘social media influencer’ lifestyle. The life so many people yearn for, yet ultimately it is making her miserable, so is it really worth it?
I really enjoyed the exploration of social media and the world of influencers. The falsity, the sense of expectation, nothing feeling as good as it should. Added in with some rather complex relationships and a hell of a plot twist I really genuinely enjoyed this one and was cheering for Barb at the end!
I picked this up hoping for a quick, easy read between fantasy books and I definitely got what I wanted.
Barb is a mesmerising character and I found myself easily enraptured by her ‘social media influencer’ lifestyle. The life so many people yearn for, yet ultimately it is making her miserable, so is it really worth it?
I really enjoyed the exploration of social media and the world of influencers. The falsity, the sense of expectation, nothing feeling as good as it should. Added in with some rather complex relationships and a hell of a plot twist I really genuinely enjoyed this one and was cheering for Barb at the end!
December 17, 2025
I forgot to ever make a note about this book which is a shame, it helped me through the COVID lockdowns and it’s a great book - I felt so sorry for poor Barb and how she never gets to go out of her house, plus her feelings of anxiety and depression that come with it, it made me think of how I never used to leave the house and how it impacted my mental health so I now go out at least twice a week to have tea and cake, a read and people watch (I read most of this book in a cafe!) It may not be much, but it’s really helped and I feel so much better looking forward to my weekly jaunts out 😊
October 13, 2022
i thought this was a good concept - a retelling of the iconic tale “Rapunzel”, however the way it was pulled off and the finish was rough. it didn’t all come together for me and i thought it was slightly bland. even though the main character has an understandable problem, it’s hard to feel empathy for her and the mystery side to it is rushed and unfulfilling. the plot line is slightly cringey and even childish.
i commend the author for the idea, but it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
i commend the author for the idea, but it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
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