Being Miss Nobody
When Rosalind starts her new secondary school, she quickly realises that she hates it. She’s the strange new girl that doesn’t talk, and the label upsets her. In order to express herself, and make a stand against the school bullies, she sets up a blog. She gives herself a voice. But that voice soon starts to take on a bullying tone, and that’s when the problems start.
Rosalind’s story is dominated by her experience of Selective Mutism: when she feels anxious or stressed she finds herself unable to speak. Winter presents Rosalind’s struggles with mental health in a sympathetic yet empowering way, using humour and honesty to articulate the social and personal realities her protagonist must deal with. This is the story of a brave young girl that tackles hugely topical issues for young people, including the dual nature of social media, its benefits and its dangers. Rosalind herself is wonderfully realised; she is hugely relatable and her inner strength is as inspiring as it is surprising. Tamsin Winter’s novel is a clever, informed and thought-provoking exploration of the ways in which social media functions in the lives of young people today and of how self-expression also demands self-awareness. An essential read for anyone trying to navigate the treacherous waters of the digital age.
