'In a world that seeks connection'

'Fade Into You' Book Review

The nineties.

A time of music and T in the park. Being a nineties kid, this book felt perfect for those who grew up within the era, a coming-of-age story that tackles relationships; love and heartache, but also friendships, personal growth and music.

Those soundtracks to our lives that we played on repeat, mixtapes, CDs and being a fan of a band that meant the world to you.

Catriona Child’s Fade Into You is a bittersweet story of Alex. Her life is transformed when she meets twins Gavin and Banny, during her annual trips to her Aunt’s coastal B&B in Oban every summer.

Raw and nostalgic for times passed, Fade Into You documents Alex’s transformation from a lovesick teen to a self-assured adult. Falling in love, falling out of love, moving away from home and celebrating her positive relationship with music.

It navigates the tricky decision-making of teenage and young-adult life over a 16-year period with the backdrop of 90’s grunge and the political heartache of the Iraq war.

Child’s writing is lyrical and emotional, detailing how we as individuals grow up but also grow apart, navigating the world for ourselves and break-out of our comfort zones, journeying through Scotland’s most famous locations; Edinburgh, Oban and Aberdeen.

One of the most joyous parts of the book is the character development of Alex, Gavin and Banny who each share an intrinsic light but also dark, emotional turmoil with each of their own life choices.

This book highlights the true constants in our lives; love, friendship, family, heartache but also a longing to fit in, in a world that seeks connection.

Stephanie Centola

This review is part of our on going series of in house reviews, showcasing how passionate we are about the books we publish.