Does YA Suit Rom-Com Bestseller Cecelia Ahern Better?

Devika Dinesh

The name Cecelia Ahern triggers a feeling of comfort-reading in me. Real people living in a modern day fantasy. Real problems that get resolved. The kind of books you read on a cosy Saturday night with a mug of hot chocolate.

So imagine my surprise when I pick up a dystopian young adult novel that read Cecelia Ahern on its cover! It’s true; the bestselling rom-com novelist has seismically shifted to YA.

A New Direction

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern book cover

If you didn’t know about it already, earlier this year, Irish author Cecelia Ahern’s young adult debut Flawed came out. It depicts a society where perfection is valued more than humanity. What makes the story one-of-a-kind is the fact that the protagonist is not a born rebel. Celestine North is a girl of logic. She is the kind of girl everyone wants to be. She’s the perfect daughter, sister, and student who dates the funny and charming Art Crevan. But when a simple act of kindness brands her as a ‘flawed’, she starts questioning the system she once believed in.

Ahern, in her own words, “wrote every word and sentiment from the heart.” What truly makes Ahern an excellent YA writer is the fact that the reader can connect so well with her characters. Celestine lives in all of our heads. There wasn’t any lagging in terms of plot development or character depth. The book pulls you in right from the first page and keeps you on your toes as the plot keeps shifting.

Ahern’s writing style in this novel is quite unlike what we’ve seen in her other books. Flawed ends on a cliffhanger, so let’s hope that its sequel is equally refreshing and gripping.

Having read PS I Love You and The Year I Met You among others, I wasn’t prepared for such a beautiful thriller from Ahern. All I’ll say is she is capable of more than what we think, so watch out for the (hopefully) equally amazing sequel, Perfect, coming March next year.

Want to get stuck into a great new YA book? Check out our list of the best YA novels released this month.

Devika Dinesh
Loves chocolate, travelling, books and all things hallyu!