I Was Born for This

The novel is divided into two perspectives, Angel and Jimmy’s. Angel is a Muslim girl who lives in London with her family. She is a huge fan of The Ark and spends most of her time on a fan forum called The Ark Squad. Jimmy, on the other hand, is a biracial boy who lives in Birmingham with his mother. He is a member of The Ark Squad and is also the creator of a fan blog called The Ark Chronicles.

The novel begins with Angel and Jimmy both winning tickets to The Ark’s concert in London. They are both ecstatic and cannot believe their luck. Angel is especially excited because she has been waiting for this moment for years. She has been a fan of The Ark since she was a child and has always dreamed of meeting them in person. Jimmy, on the other hand, is excited because he has been given the opportunity to interview The Ark for his blog.

As the day of the concert approaches, Angel and Jimmy’s excitement grows. They both make plans to meet up at the concert and spend the day together. However, things do not go as planned. Angel’s best friend, Juliet, who was supposed to go to the concert with her, cancels at the last minute. Jimmy, on the other hand, is faced with a dilemma when he is asked to choose between attending the concert or interviewing The Ark.

Despite these setbacks, Angel and Jimmy both attend the concert and have the time of their lives. They both get to meet The Ark and take pictures with them. Angel even gets to sing a duet with one of the band members, which is a dream come true for her. However, things take a turn for the worse when The Ark’s lead singer, Lister, disappears after the concert.

The rest of the novel follows Angel and Jimmy’s journey as they try to find Lister and bring him back to The Ark. They both become deeply involved in the search and spend most of their time on The Ark Squad forum, trying to gather information. As they delve deeper into the search, they both begin to realize that their love for The Ark goes beyond just being fans. They both feel a deep connection to the band and believe that they were born to help them in their time of need.

One of the main themes of the novel is the power of fandom. The novel explores how being a fan of something can bring people together and create a sense of community. Angel and Jimmy both find solace in The Ark Squad forum and feel like they belong there. They both have a deep love for The Ark and feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Another theme of the novel is the importance of friendship. Angel and Jimmy’s friendship is one of the highlights of the novel. They both come from different backgrounds and have different personalities, but they are able to connect over their love for The Ark. They both support each other throughout the novel and are always there for each other when things get tough.

The novel also explores issues of identity and belonging. Angel is a Muslim girl who struggles with her identity and feels like she doesn’t fit in with her family or her community. She finds solace in The Ark and feels like she can be herself when she is with them. Jimmy, on the other hand, is a biracial boy who struggles with his identity and feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere. He finds a sense of belonging in The Ark Squad forum and feels like he has finally found a place where he fits in.

The audiobook is narrated by Aysha Kala and Huw Parmenter. Kala narrates Angel’s perspective, while Parmenter narrates Jimmy’s perspective. Both narrators do an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Kala captures Angel’s enthusiasm and passion for The Ark, while Parmenter captures Jimmy’s wit and humor.

Overall, I Was Born for This is a fantastic young adult novel that explores themes of fandom, friendship, identity, and belonging. The novel is well-written and engaging, and the audiobook is narrated beautifully. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves young adult fiction or is a fan of boy bands.