Biz knows how to float. She has her people, posse, her mum and the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who tells her about the little kid she was, and who shouldn't be here but is. So Biz doesn't tell anyone anything. Not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And she doesn't tell anyone about her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven. And Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface - normal okay regular fine.
But when the tethers that hold Biz steady come undone - when her dad disappears along with all comfort - might it be easier, better, sweeter to float away?
Biz has learnt to float through life and not get engrossed in the now, especially since her dad, who died when she was a child, started talking to her. Well, until she kissed her best friend, Grace.
Biz’s anxieties are complex, as she tries to connect with her father’s life, and as she does, discovering their shared experiences with mental illness.
There are wonderful scenes and intriguing relationships throughout this story, particularly with Sylvia, an elderly lady that Biz meets at a photography course, and Sylvia’s grandson Jasper, who Biz had met and developed a crush on at school.
We travel through Biz dropping out of school and struggling to find her place in the world, and at times struggling to even face the day.
It is ultimately an intriguing, raw and profound story, exploring mental illness and the hope of recovery.
A great real for young adults 15 and older, as it does contain some coarse language and tackles quite complex themes.
Reviewed by Rob