Supernova: Book Review
Supernova by Ericka Waller is a YA novel that everyone should read
I stumbled across Supernova through Twitter, and I decided to buy it on a whim. I liked the sound of the story description, and thought why not? Mainly, it was because it was only 99p on Amazon Kindle, and that’s just too good a deal to pass on. And boy am I glad I bought it.
Set in 1997, Supernova follows two main characters — Tom and April — and their friends and family around them. Each chapter alternates characters to follow their narratives as the story progresses.
April is a 15-year-old girl suffering from anxiety. She hides it from everyone, but for most of the day, she’s experiencing a constant fear and panic to escape.
Tom is a 15-year-old boy whose life was thrown up in the air when his father died in an accident. His mother dived into a deep depression, but he hides it from the world. With his mother bed bound, Tom’s taken on the responsibility of caring for his younger sister. But this is at the expense of his own life and education.
The two became friends shortly after the accident. The book follows on as their situations increase in severity, and how the two help each other as best they can.
The story is infectious, and it took me less than 24 hours to finish. I don’t think I can get through all the things I love about it in just one article. This book is an artful piece that dives into a lot of thought-provoking topics. It’s definitely one of the most important books you could read, or pass onto younger readers (ages 14+).
Waller doesn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty of life, let me say that. Despite dealing with serious issues, Supernova is still a heartfelt, uplifting tale that doesn’t leave you in a complete sobbing mess. Read on for some of my favourite aspects of this novel.
Mental Health: Living with Illness
The way Waller deals with mental health is beautiful and definitely stands out against other YA novels.
Waller demonstrates — without fault — what living with anxiety can be like for a young girl. As readers, we garner why it’s very difficult for people suffering from these issues to speak out about it. April acknowledges that her mind’s thought process — mainly her anxiety and fear — are completely illogical. It’s this that prevents her from sharing her illness. She believes no one will understand, or everyone will think she’s being ridiculous.
April also feels her suffering is nothing compared to Tom’s — and his mother’s — situation. This is often a barrier for those suffering from mental illnesses. Many believe that they are not entitled to feel the way they do because there’s nothing bad in their life, or their suffering does not compare to others.
We also gain insight from Tom’s narrative, getting to see how he views April. Tom notices April’s anxiety through her choice of clothing, how she acts at school, and how she shies away from life. But he doesn’t think too much of it, thinking she just shy and doesn’t realise how beautiful or special she is. It’s an interesting aspect for Waller to highlight. She demonstrates how hard it is to understand what is actually going through people’s minds. It also raises the question that, maybe if we were more educated on mental health, we could be more successful at noticing symptoms in others.
Tom also has to care for his mother, who is suffering from extreme depression. Again, another issue Waller tackles effortlessly is how difficult and frustrating it can be to care for someone with mental health illnesses. Tom goes through a lot of turmoil. He’s had to take on too many responsibilities for his age AND suppress his own grief for the loss of his father. He’s also at a loss with what to do with his mum, and how to care for her.
The only other novels I can compare this book to is with the work of Holly Bourne. Both authors explore mental health in a way that breaks down stereotypes, effectively allowing readers to get into the mind of individuals who struggle with these illnesses, helping to garner understanding.
Teens, Alcohol, Drugs, and Oppression
Supernova also explores a realistic analysis of what leads teenagers to turn to — or abuse — alcohol and drugs.
Waller again doesn’t shy away from the nitty gritty with this subject. She presents marijuana as a lifeline for Tom, and alcohol as a form of release and escape for April’s best friend Jamie.
Though each character turns to these substances for different reasons, I appreciated a further look into this behaviour than just “teenagers going crazy with alcohol or drugs to be cool and to party”.
Of course, not all substance abuse in the book is attached to oppression or desperation for the need of it. There are many instances of teens just being teens, enjoying their time during the transition from childhood to adulthood. But the novel demonstrates how easily vulnerable teenagers can be pushed over the edge if they’re not receiving the support they need.
I think this is a subject important to broach with younger adults before they find themselves, or their friends, in the same situations. Novels can be a perfect way to do this.
A Whole World of Characters
Something I also loved about this novel was its ability to encompass you in the whole world of these characters.
The book exposes readers to many characters and their individual personalities and problems. Not only do we follow Tom and April’s stories, we also see Jamie and her struggles with her strict parents. We follow the mental health of Tom’s mother. We see Tom’s younger sister, and how much he cares for her, and we also learn about the history of April’s mother and father. We even get a splice into the life of the school’s popular girl and bully, Claire.
This was definitely a strong part of the novel that reflected on real life. I often find myself sighing at some young adult/teen novels, particularly those in first-person narratives that focus so intently on the one character. Sometimes these books lose pace by filling in the gaps with trying-hard-to-be-profound, clichéd statements the main character makes about their life. Waller doesn’t waste any time with this. She filled Supernova with real people struggling through real situations, and the book doesn’t drag one bit.
But that’s not to say her characters don’t realise things about themselves along the way. Both Tom and April struggle through their issues. But their thoughts seem authentic and reflective of how an actual 15-year-old would feel in that moment.
My Verdict?
Waller has confidently and accurately captured what growing up can be like. She’s given her characters a whole storm of challenging situations to overcome, and managed to write this without an ounce of cliché.
Her exploration into mental health is stunning, particularly the struggles these illnesses can present to both the sufferer and those around them. Other authors should take note.
My score for this book is 4.1 out of 5. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think it’s a vital read to younger audiences.
Yes, it deals with a lot of nitty-gritty things in life. But that doesn’t mean we should shy away from it. In particular, we shouldn’t shelter young adults away from these topics. As the book demonstrates, young adults can be thrown into these situations so easily. Fiction can be a great way to help younger audiences understand and start considering all the tough topics broached. It can also help readers find characters they identify with and take strength from. And Supernova definitely provides plenty of opportunities for doing that.
