‘Radio Silence’: A book about becoming who you are

Photo by Joann Zhang

“Being clever was, after all, my primary source of self-esteem. I’m a very sad person, in all senses of the word, but at least I was going to get into university.”

It’s rare to find a book that seems to understand you. The first time I read that passage in the outstanding young adult novel “Radio Silence,” I had that feeling. “Radio Silence,” released in 2016, is the second novel by Alice Oseman, and it’s my best read of the fall by far. Oseman’s writing is highly addictive and comforting, and I’ve reread this book twice already. The plot, split into sections by school terms, covers the senior year of 17-year-old Frances Janvier.

Frances has one goal in life: to get into Oxford and Cambridge. She’s the head girl of her school, and she has no close friends. Frances is secretly obsessed with a podcast called “Universe City,” whose anonymous creator is called Radio Silence.

Frances and Radio Silence, who she learns is a boy named Aled Last, start working together on the podcast, and they quickly form an intense friendship. When Aled’s identity is revealed against his wishes, he cuts off all contact with Frances. To save him and their friendship, Frances has to confront her past and explore what she really wants out of life.

This book is quiet, but it’s not boring. Like J.D Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” it brilliantly captures the angst and melancholy of being a teenager, and the pressures that come with it. Both Frances and Aled feel pressured to succeed academically, and they eventually burn out because of it. 

However, Oseman shows that this burnout isn’t a tragic failure through her characterization of Aled’s sister Carys, who runs away at 16 and still ends up quite happy with her new life and her friends. A common misconception in our society is that the only way to make a living is to get a college degree. I like how this book shows that that’s not always the case.

Additionally, the novel explores finding one’s voice in a unique way. Frances isn’t quite sure who she is, and she’s afraid to talk about her real interests. Like many teenagers, she lives inside her head most of the time. Aled is also afraid to be himself, as he pushes those he cares about away and keeps his world private. Eventually, they both gain the courage to express themselves.

The casual diversity in this book is also the best I’ve seen in young adult fiction in a while. Frances is half-Ethiopian and bisexual, Aled is demisexual, and Carys is lesbian. I wouldn’t say their identities are a main focus of the book, which is nice. Often it seems as if every mainstream queer novel is about the main character coming out or having a tragic romance (I’m looking at you, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”).

However, my absolute favorite thing about this book has to be the realistic lack of romance. Nearly every young adult novel I’ve read contains some kind of romance, and it gets tiring after a while. As Oseman put it, most people’s lives don’t revolve around romance. That isn’t to say this book isn’t about soulmates. It’s just about the platonic kind.

“Radio Silence” hits just right; it debunks the myth that getting a college degree is the only way to be happy, captures teenage life in a relatable, unique way and makes one feel understood. I highly recommend giving it a try.