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powisamy's review
5.0
I loved this so much!
David Owen has become one of my favourite YA authors in recent years so even without hearing the synopsis of All The Lonely People, I was excited about his next book. When hearing the synopsis, I was even more excited as the plot was right up my street. It's safe to say that I loved All The Lonely People and it is definitely one of my favourite books of the year!
Although I loved the book by the end, I was really apprehensive about it in the beginning. I don't really know why but something really wasn't clicking. Maybe it was something to do with the narrative but I quickly got over it and came developed into the story.
I think that one of the reasons that I enjoyed the book was due to the story being told with two characters in mind, Kat and Wesley who were both well developed and both had complicated backstories. I think that both of them show the impact that the internet and social media can have on people. While I really empathised with Kat and loved her progression in the book especially coming to terms with herself, Wesley was a really interesting character. Also, David does not shy away from making his characters from working-class backgrounds and giving them hardships which again was a nice touch.
I think that it would have been so easy to make Wesley a really dislikable character but David Owen does not do this, he makes him a more complex character. I think that I was just blown away by what he did with the character and although a flawed character, he does explore the ideas surrounding toxic masculinity which is still everpresent in our society and which David explored more at YALC which I was lucky to attend.
I also think that the more speculative aspect of this book is surrounding the Lonely People which although not being real, reinforces the idea of loneliness that we all feel and how harming it can be. I also do like those in the club and especially like how Wesley was incorporated into the narrative. I also loved Safa and her relationship with Kat as it was an f/f relationship but it was slowly built through the novel and I really loved the end of the book.
It's safe to say that I loved this book. I devoured it mostly in the lead up to YALC so the long train journeys were a great help but I have to say that I was bewitched but the story but the ending definitely changed the book from a strong like to love. By the end, I was so wrapped up in the world and the characters that I was racing through the story and it just made me feel all the feels. What's better is that I haven't really stopped thinking about this book since so it's safe to say I love it!
The Verdict:
All The Lonely People is yet another great book by David Owen, perfect for those who feel lost in the world and feel the need to escape, delete and disappear and telling us that life is really worth living.
David Owen has become one of my favourite YA authors in recent years so even without hearing the synopsis of All The Lonely People, I was excited about his next book. When hearing the synopsis, I was even more excited as the plot was right up my street. It's safe to say that I loved All The Lonely People and it is definitely one of my favourite books of the year!
Although I loved the book by the end, I was really apprehensive about it in the beginning. I don't really know why but something really wasn't clicking. Maybe it was something to do with the narrative but I quickly got over it and came developed into the story.
I think that one of the reasons that I enjoyed the book was due to the story being told with two characters in mind, Kat and Wesley who were both well developed and both had complicated backstories. I think that both of them show the impact that the internet and social media can have on people. While I really empathised with Kat and loved her progression in the book especially coming to terms with herself, Wesley was a really interesting character. Also, David does not shy away from making his characters from working-class backgrounds and giving them hardships which again was a nice touch.
I think that it would have been so easy to make Wesley a really dislikable character but David Owen does not do this, he makes him a more complex character. I think that I was just blown away by what he did with the character and although a flawed character, he does explore the ideas surrounding toxic masculinity which is still everpresent in our society and which David explored more at YALC which I was lucky to attend.
I also think that the more speculative aspect of this book is surrounding the Lonely People which although not being real, reinforces the idea of loneliness that we all feel and how harming it can be. I also do like those in the club and especially like how Wesley was incorporated into the narrative. I also loved Safa and her relationship with Kat as it was an f/f relationship but it was slowly built through the novel and I really loved the end of the book.
It's safe to say that I loved this book. I devoured it mostly in the lead up to YALC so the long train journeys were a great help but I have to say that I was bewitched but the story but the ending definitely changed the book from a strong like to love. By the end, I was so wrapped up in the world and the characters that I was racing through the story and it just made me feel all the feels. What's better is that I haven't really stopped thinking about this book since so it's safe to say I love it!
The Verdict:
All The Lonely People is yet another great book by David Owen, perfect for those who feel lost in the world and feel the need to escape, delete and disappear and telling us that life is really worth living.
owls_rainbow's review
3.0
This was a really interesting book with a really unique concept. We follow Kat who lives her life largely online until cyberbullying forces her to delete everything, including inadvertently herself thanks to something called “The Fade”. Wesley, thanks to family troubles (which are only ever glossed over), is also very lonely and finds himself drawn into a toxic friendship with Kat’s cyberbullies and even helps them. But he starts to have doubts when his new “friends” join forces with an online gamer known for pranks and a stern anti-woman stance.
The Fade concept was interesting and well done but it seemed inconsistent in what can cause it, prevent it, or treat it. There’s a group that Wesley meets that want to Fade for some inexplicable reason. The leader, Safa, is already Fading and has chosen which life to piggyback based on the girl being further on in life, not unexpected as she’s older than Safa. The ending was a little disappointing though, love saves all is a little tired. Although the fact that it was a same sex pairing was nice but I’d have like to have seen more of Kat talking about her sexuality and how she felt about it. Also her final conversation with Wesley was disappointing. I can understand how Kat felt about everything but it would have been nice to see them overcoming everything and becoming friends. Or even acquaintances rather than “I never want to see you again”.
The Fade concept was interesting and well done but it seemed inconsistent in what can cause it, prevent it, or treat it. There’s a group that Wesley meets that want to Fade for some inexplicable reason. The leader, Safa, is already Fading and has chosen which life to piggyback based on the girl being further on in life, not unexpected as she’s older than Safa. The ending was a little disappointing though, love saves all is a little tired. Although the fact that it was a same sex pairing was nice but I’d have like to have seen more of Kat talking about her sexuality and how she felt about it. Also her final conversation with Wesley was disappointing. I can understand how Kat felt about everything but it would have been nice to see them overcoming everything and becoming friends. Or even acquaintances rather than “I never want to see you again”.
bestdressedbookworm's review
4.0
I really enjoyed "All the lonely people" it had a modern day "pictures of Dorian Grey" vibe which is a story I absolutely love. I enjoyed our two main protagonists as they come to terms with the reality around them, I found the chapter headings very clever and the image of Kat slowly disappearing to be a unique touch. All around a very entertaining book. Why I only gave it 4 stars is because I hate with heated passion books that swap perspectives back and forth mid chapter with only a chapter break. It ruins the run of the story, you are in the middle of reading about one character and before you know it your 5-6 sentences in without realizing the perspective changed. I also found that chapters themselves were also ending and picking up in weird places outside of these POV swaps. It made the book work to read which isn't enjoyable. Apart from that though I really loved this story.
aivao's review
5.0
This is so amazing
It is a great story
Great message
Great characters
And just amazing.
It's been a while since I could relate to a book on such a personal level, but this book did it.
It is a great story
Great message
Great characters
And just amazing.
It's been a while since I could relate to a book on such a personal level, but this book did it.
rosameertens's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
appleinducedsleep's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kirstyreadsblog's review
4.0
Content warning: panic attacks, cyber bullying/attacks, sexual harassment online, sexism
It's been 2 weeks since I finished this book and I'm still trying to gather my thoughts. I didn't really know what to expect going into it.
The story is told from 2 points of view, Kat, who is fading away after being attacked online, and Wesley who was involved in the attack. I was worried about how this would go given that a POV character was a harasser. I was concerned that Owen would try to make the reader feel sympathy towards Wesley but I never did. He did give us background on Wesley, but it was very much that kind of lone wolf kind of guy that struggled to make friends. What I really appreciated, and this may be a spoiler, is that Kat never forgives Wesley. I thought that was a really great decision for this book. One the whole I found some of the characters annoying at times, but that just made them more human.
continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/22/all-the-lonely-people-by-david-owen-blog-tour-review
It's been 2 weeks since I finished this book and I'm still trying to gather my thoughts. I didn't really know what to expect going into it.
The story is told from 2 points of view, Kat, who is fading away after being attacked online, and Wesley who was involved in the attack. I was worried about how this would go given that a POV character was a harasser. I was concerned that Owen would try to make the reader feel sympathy towards Wesley but I never did. He did give us background on Wesley, but it was very much that kind of lone wolf kind of guy that struggled to make friends. What I really appreciated, and this may be a spoiler, is that Kat never forgives Wesley. I thought that was a really great decision for this book. One the whole I found some of the characters annoying at times, but that just made them more human.
continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.wordpress.com/2019/01/22/all-the-lonely-people-by-david-owen-blog-tour-review
kba76's review
3.0
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me access to a quirky exploration of identity, addressing some of the more toxic elements of social media.
Kat has a heavy online presence. There she can be herself. But when she is trolled her life becomes unbearable. Slowly she strips away her online presence until nothing is left.
At this point we realise there is, literally, nothing to her. Kat has faded, nobody can see her and she is none the wiser about how this has happened. All she knows is she has to do something to salvage a sense of who she is.
Alongside Kat’s story we also focus on Wesley, a young boy who has become part of an online group who are vitriolic in their engagement with young women online.
There’s a lot of strands to this and sometimes I felt the story would have been better if just a few elements were focused on. It explored some thoughtful issues but the resolution of the story was very fast, and the abstract fantastic element to what was going on made me feel the message was not presented as effectively as it might have been.
Kat has a heavy online presence. There she can be herself. But when she is trolled her life becomes unbearable. Slowly she strips away her online presence until nothing is left.
At this point we realise there is, literally, nothing to her. Kat has faded, nobody can see her and she is none the wiser about how this has happened. All she knows is she has to do something to salvage a sense of who she is.
Alongside Kat’s story we also focus on Wesley, a young boy who has become part of an online group who are vitriolic in their engagement with young women online.
There’s a lot of strands to this and sometimes I felt the story would have been better if just a few elements were focused on. It explored some thoughtful issues but the resolution of the story was very fast, and the abstract fantastic element to what was going on made me feel the message was not presented as effectively as it might have been.
verlunteer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5