All The Lonely People
On sale
10th January 2019
Price: £9.99
CILIP Carnegie Medal, 2020
‘I loved it . . . There’s nothing out there like All The Lonely People – it’s uniquely brilliant, bold and not afraid to shout about what’s wrong with the world, while still showing how subtle changes and hope can save lives. Original, shocking, eye-opening and thoroughly enjoyable’ Simon P Clark, author of Eren
Everyone tells Kat that her online personality – confident, funny, opinionated – isn’t her true self. Kat knows otherwise. The internet is her only way to cope with a bad day, chat with friends who get all her references, make someone laugh. But when she becomes the target of an alt-right trolling campaign, she feels she has no option but to Escape, Delete, Disappear.
With her social media shut down, her website erased, her entire online identity void, Kat feels she has cut away her very core: without her virtual self, who is she?
She brought it on herself. Or so Wesley keeps telling himself as he dismantles Kat’s world. It’s different, seeing one of his victims in real life and not inside a computer screen – but he’s in too far to back out now.
As soon as Kat disappears from the online world, her physical body begins to fade and while everybody else forgets that she exists, Wesley realises he is the only one left who remembers her. Overcome by remorse for what he has done, Wesley resolves to stop her disappearing completely. It might just be the only way to save himself.
All the Lonely People is a timely story about online culture – both good and bad – that explores the experience of loneliness in a connected world, and the power of kindness and empathy over hatred.
Everyone tells Kat that her online personality – confident, funny, opinionated – isn’t her true self. Kat knows otherwise. The internet is her only way to cope with a bad day, chat with friends who get all her references, make someone laugh. But when she becomes the target of an alt-right trolling campaign, she feels she has no option but to Escape, Delete, Disappear.
With her social media shut down, her website erased, her entire online identity void, Kat feels she has cut away her very core: without her virtual self, who is she?
She brought it on herself. Or so Wesley keeps telling himself as he dismantles Kat’s world. It’s different, seeing one of his victims in real life and not inside a computer screen – but he’s in too far to back out now.
As soon as Kat disappears from the online world, her physical body begins to fade and while everybody else forgets that she exists, Wesley realises he is the only one left who remembers her. Overcome by remorse for what he has done, Wesley resolves to stop her disappearing completely. It might just be the only way to save himself.
All the Lonely People is a timely story about online culture – both good and bad – that explores the experience of loneliness in a connected world, and the power of kindness and empathy over hatred.
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Reviews
All The Lonely People is an unsettling, uncomfortable read, initially seeming like it may be a grim, journalistic account but then is quickly elevated to something more artistic, literary and indeed interesting by its magical realist bent. Both Kat and Wesley fight for the reader's heart in a narrative that demands empathy, but not forgiveness, for bullies and their victims.
'An adroit, fast-paced YA page-turner that movingly explores themes of isolation, disaffection and our overwhelming need to be connected'
A touching tale of the true value of friendship and family in giving meaning to our lives
I loved it . . . There's nothing out there like All The Lonely People - it's uniquely brilliant, bold and not afraid to shout about what's wrong with the world, while still showing how subtle changes and hope can save lives. Original, shocking, eye-opening and thoroughly enjoyable
All The Lonely People is an unsettling, uncomfortable read, initially seeming like it may be a grim, journalistic account but then is quickly elevated to something more artistic, literary and indeed interesting by its magical realist bent. Both Kat and Wesley fight for the reader's heart in a narrative that demands empathy, but not forgiveness, for bullies and their victims.