I Was Born for This

Another Oseman masterpiece about the existential anxiety of early adulthood and the impact of fandom on our worldview and relationships. Remember that Bo Burnham response to a heckler about parasocial relationships? Probably not because why would anyone, but I Was Born for This is like if you took that clip and made it a diverse funny/sometimes sad 400-page YA contemporary. This is a story about a band (The Ark) and one of its fans (Angel) very strangely crossing paths. This meeting throws into question what Angel thought she knew about The Ark, and what members of The Ark presumed about their fans.The grandparents (Juliet's and Jimmy's) were stellar. They care about their grandchildren, showing up for them when their parents don't. They also show concern for their grandkids' friends and younger generations without condescension. They recognize that many issues facing today's youth were present in their own forms throughout the 20th Century. Juliet's nan tells Angel about Beatlemania in the 1960s. Jimmy's grandpa talks about the mental illness he observed growing up. Most of the YA I read that discusses religion seems to be about teenagers struggling with their faith. I see value in this, and have found such stories cathartic because of my personal background. So I was surprised to enjoy reading about two teenagers turning to Christianity and Islam. A trans character finding unconditional acceptance in Christianity brought me joy. Their beliefs were a soft place to land. They provided routine and peace, but it was more than that. For them, faith was a refuge.This never would have worked if Oseman wasn't so good at depicting the dynamics and motivations driving fandom. Her characters are nuanced, flawed but lovable. I always ending up loving them more than they love themselves and it distresses me. When characters contradict themselves or speak in hyperbole, it's believable. This is the case with not only main characters, but many secondary characters as well.I have some issues with the ending, so I knocked off a star, but this is more a 4.5. If you liked [b:Radio Silence 30653843 Radio Silence Alice Oseman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1467051579i/30653843.SY75.jpg 45055773] or [b:Eliza and Her Monsters 31931941 Eliza and Her Monsters Francesca Zappia https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476994065i/31931941.SY75.jpg 52586056], you'll like (I Was Born for) this.