BOOKS
Published
Read Time
3 min read
Reader ratingreader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
4.5
· 1,313 Amazon ratingsShare This Review
Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne Review: A Vital, Feminist YA Mental-Health Novel
Am I Normal Yet? Is a contemporary young adult novel by Holly Bourne and the first book in the Spinster Club series, published by Usborne Publishing Ltd in 2015. It follows Evie, a teenager managing OCD who is tapering off her medication and navigating a new college, new friendships, and the relentless pressure to appear "normal." Alongside new friends Amber and Lottie, Evie forms the Spinster Club — a space where friendship, feminism, and frank conversation take centre stage. Selected as a World Book Night book for 2016 and shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, the novel has earned praise from The Bookseller and Red magazine, and stands as one of the defining YA titles of its era for its honest portrayal of mental illness and its accessible feminist lens.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Teenagers aged 14 and up — particularly those navigating mental health challenges, new social environments, or a dawning curiosity about feminism — who want a character-driven story that takes their inner lives seriously without being relentlessly heavy.
Worth it if
Worth reading if you're looking for YA fiction that handles OCD with genuine specificity and emotional honesty, while also introducing feminist ideas through vivid, warm friendship dynamics rather than dry exposition.
Skip if
Skip it if you need a plot-driven narrative with high-stakes external conflict, or if you're already deeply versed in feminist theory and seeking something beyond an accessible, introductory-level treatment of the subject.
What readers & critics say
Waterstones surfaces a Guardian description of the novel as "a brutal and brilliant takedown of how we talk about mental illness, feminism, and friendship," while reader review sites including daydreaminbooks.wordpress.com and staybookish.com praised its realistic, compassionate portrayal of OCD as among the most eye-opening they had encountered in YA fiction.
Sources: Waterstones, Daydreamin Books, Stay Bookish, The Books, The Art and Me, The Guardian (Children's Books Site), Lovereading4kids4.5from 1,313 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Is and What It Does
- A Rare and Specific Portrayal of OCD
- Its Place in YA and Its Feminist Thread
- Strengths: Voice, Friendship, and Tonal Balance
- Who This Is For and Where It Strains
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Compassionate and specific portrayal of OCD that keeps Evie's recovery experience genuinely central to the story
- Introduces feminist concepts — including the Bechdel Test and Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope — through natural, character-driven dialogue rather than exposition
- Strikes a tonal balance between emotional weight and warmth, making difficult subject matter accessible without trivialising it
- Recognised as a World Book Night 2016 selection and shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, reflecting its wide resonance
- Functions as a standalone novel as well as the first in a series, lowering the barrier to entry for new readers
What Doesn't
- Character-driven pacing, anchored in Evie's inner life and social world, may feel slow to readers expecting a plot-led narrative
- Feminist concepts are presented at an introductory level, which is ideal for younger or first-time readers but may feel familiar to those already engaged with the subject
A landmark of contemporary British YA that makes mental health and feminism feel urgent, personal, and even fun — all at once. This novel does the rare thing of balancing serious representation with genuine warmth.
What the Book Is and What It Does
Am I Normal Yet? centres on Evie, a teenage girl whose greatest wish is to be — as the title asks — normal. She is managing OCD, weaning herself off medication, and starting fresh at a new college where no one knows her history. What she finds there are two friends: Amber and Lottie. Together, the three form the Spinster Club, a friendship group built around frank conversations about feminism and the everyday pressures placed on young women. The novel weaves together Evie's internal struggle with her mental health, the dynamics of new female friendship, teen romance, and family life — all within a contemporary, realistic setting. It is the first book in what Usborne describes as the Spinster Club series, though sources note it can also be read as a standalone.
“the book every young woman needs on her bookshelf this year.”
A Rare and Specific Portrayal of OCD
What distinguishes this novel within YA fiction is the specificity and care with which Usborne depicts OCD. Rather than using mental illness as a vague dramatic backdrop, the story keeps Evie's experience — the texture of her anxiety, the effort of her recovery, the fragility of progress — at the centre of the narrative. A reviewer noted that Usborne "writes about OCD so compassionately and realistically," capturing the kind of representation that gives the novel its emotional authority: the illness is not resolved tidily, and the depiction of a teenager navigating recovery while simultaneously trying to build a new social life carries real weight for readers who may recognise themselves in that tension.
Its Place in YA and Its Feminist Thread
The novel arrived at a moment when YA fiction was beginning to reckon seriously with both mental health and feminism, and Am I Normal Yet? helped define what that conversation could look like. The Bookseller called it "a contemporary, feminist teen story," and Red magazine described it as "the book every young woman needs on her bookshelf this year." The Spinster Club's discussions introduce readers to concepts including the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, the Bechdel Test, and the Madonna-Whore Complex — delivered not as lectures but as organic conversation between Evie, Amber, and Lottie. The novel was selected as a World Book Night book for 2016 — a distinction awarded to titles considered especially worthy of wide circulation — and was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize.
Strengths: Voice, Friendship, and Tonal Balance
The book's particular achievement is its tonal range: it handles the genuine difficulties of OCD and the anxiety of adolescence without surrendering warmth or humour. Evie, Amber, and Lottie are rendered as distinct personalities rather than interchangeable friends, and the group's dynamic gives feminist themes a human and sometimes comic texture. Readers come for the mental health narrative and stay for the friendship.
Who This Is For and Where It Strains
Aimed at readers from approximately 14 years upward, Am I Normal Yet? is an accessible entry point for young adults encountering both serious mental health representation and feminist ideas in fiction for the first time. Those already well-versed in feminist theory may find the concepts presented at an introductory level, since the novel's greatest gift is as a first conversation-starter rather than a deepening of existing knowledge. For the teenager grappling with normalcy, mental health, or the dawning sense that the world treats girls unfairly, it has proven to be precisely the right book — worth picking up for its emotional specificity and honest friendship. The sidebar's Amazon link has the current price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Am I Normal Yet? worth reading for a teenager dealing with mental health issues?
Yes, the review strongly recommends it for exactly this reader. For a teenager grappling with normalcy or mental health, the novel has proven — by its reception and reach — to be precisely the right book, offering a portrayal of OCD that is both compassionate and realistic.
Who is the target audience for this book
The book is aimed at readers from approximately 14 years upward and serves as an accessible entry point for young adults encountering serious mental health representation and feminist ideas in fiction for the first time. It is especially well-suited to teenagers who feel the pressure to be normal or who are beginning to notice that the world treats girls unfairly.
Is this book worth the the price price?
The review describes it as a landmark of contemporary British YA that does the rare thing of making mental health and feminism feel urgent, personal, and even fun all at once, suggesting strong value for its target reader. It was also selected as a World Book Night book for 2016 and shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, distinctions that speak to its widely recognised quality.
What are the main themes in this book
The novel weaves together OCD and mental health recovery, new female friendship, teen romance, family life, and feminism. The Spinster Club's conversations introduce concepts including the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, the Bechdel Test, and the Madonna-Whore Complex, all delivered as organic dialogue rather than lectures.
How does the book handle OCD representation?
The review singles out the specificity and care with which the author depicts OCD as what distinguishes this novel within YA fiction. Rather than using mental illness as a vague dramatic backdrop, the story keeps the texture of Evie's anxiety, the effort of her recovery, and the fragility of progress at the centre of the narrative, and the illness is not resolved tidily.
How is feminism presented in the story?
Feminist ideas are introduced through the Spinster Club, a friendship group built around frank conversations about the everyday pressures placed on young women. Concepts like the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, the Bechdel Test, and the Madonna-Whore Complex are delivered not as lectures but as organic conversation between three distinct, vivid characters.
What is the Spinster Club in this book
The Spinster Club is a friendship group formed by Evie, Amber, and Lottie at their new college, built around frank conversations about feminism and the everyday pressures placed on young women. The review describes the group as tackling tough issues with the combined powers of friendship, feminism, and cheesy snacks, capturing the novel's refusal to be relentlessly heavy.
Who are the main characters in this book
The protagonist is Evie, a teenage girl managing OCD who is weaning herself off medication and starting fresh at a new college. She forms a close friendship with Amber and Lottie, and the review notes that all three are rendered as distinct personalities rather than interchangeable friends.
What is the pacing like in this book
The novel follows the rhythms of Evie's inner life and social world rather than a high-stakes external conflict, making it a character-driven rather than plot-driven read. Readers who prefer fast-paced, event-heavy stories may find this a less urgent experience, according to the review.
Can this book be read as a standalone book?
Yes, the review notes that while it is the first book in the Spinster Club series, sources indicate it can also be read as a standalone. Readers do not need to commit to the full series to get a complete experience from this novel.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- 1
Related Reviews
Reviews of books we picked for readers who enjoyed Am I Normal Yet?.
Reader Comments
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!