White Noise

Reviewed By  Nan van Dissel       September 1, 2024

 

Author  Raelke Grimmer

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9781760802851
Publisher:         UWA Publishing.
Release Date:   September 2024  

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Growing up as a teenager in the twenty first century can be quite challenging, but growing up as a neurodiverse female teenager in a single parent household provides another dimension. In her debut novel Raelke Grimmer, sympathetically relates the story of a year in the life of fifteen-year-old autistic Emma, who lives with her widowed doctor father in a suburb of Darwin.

Emma and Summer, have been best friends for many years, but over the years their friendship changes; Summer’s family move to a new house and Emma’s relationship with Elliott develops. Both girls are confronted with the ‘normal’ teenage situations; drugs, alcohol and love. However, underlying these challenges, Emma and her father are still processing the grief of the loss of Emma’s mother.   

I highly recommend this engaging book to teenage readers, who will definitely identity with Emma, Summer and the other teenage characters, as they negotiate the ups and downs of Year 11.