Sebastian meets a girl at the university open day. It’s not the girl he had his sights set on. Frida’s a little bit ‘out there’. Her hair and clothes are weird, she’s got a vivid imagination and she’s funny. Somehow, Sebastian and his best mate, Tolly, end up spending the day with Frida. It’s not long before Sebastian is confused. Frida’s stories about herself constantly change. How can he tell what is true and what isn’t? Can he trust her with his own story? She listens and encourages him and seems to like him, but then she also gets him into all sorts of trouble. It’s a lot to take on board in just one day.

Bauer’s stories are always a delight. He captures the terror and the beauty of the teenage years and wraps it all up in a great deal of fun. We believe in his characters because they’re not perfect. Some, like Frida, are damaged souls and some, like Sebastian, stumble along, meaning well and often getting it horribly wrong.

As the story progresses, Bauer slowly peels back the layers, revealing new secrets and new depths about the characters. It keeps the reader emotionally hooked until the very end.

Reviewed by Wendy Noble
Age Guide 12+