“Khorsandi pulls no punches in her first novel . . . Equal parts straight-talking, funny and worrying, this is a coming-of-age tale rebooted for the era of social media and slut-shaming.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
Nina is Not OK by comedian Shappi Khorsandi is a coming-of-age, Young Adult novel which steps away from Khorsandi’s comedy background into more serious territory. While there is amusing and relatable content throughout, the themes tackled in this book are serious issues and may be triggering for some readers.
The vibrant and enigmatic protagonist, Nina Swanson is 17-years-old and she enjoys a drink but at that age, who doesn’t right? Her drunken stories are legendary at school among her peers but friends and family, particularly her mother, are worried about her. Soon, Nina’s life spirals into a darker web of emotions and actions that Nina can’t seem to control.
This brilliant, gritty and shocking novel definitely isn’t for sensitive readers as it is full of Nina’s drunken escapades and sex scenes. The book also examines some difficult themes including; alcohol addiction, sex and sexuality, love, and loss. What’s more, in a time of the #Metoo and #TimesUp movements, this novel is particularly poignant in the way it tackles the particularly hard topics of consent, rape and reporting to the police.
A brilliantly written novel full of raw emotion and real-life issues, Shappi Khorsandi’s first fiction book is a truly great read, or for fans of audiobooks, why not listen to the comedian herself reading it?
Reviewed by:
Catherine Muxworthy, Booksbirdblog
Added 10th May 2019
