Review Detail

Olivia Gray has just started seventh grade, but things feel different. Her brother has been spending a lot more time with his crush, and her friends are all focused on who likes who and Olivia is feeling left out. Unfortunately for Olivia, she unknowingly rejects Robbie, the most popular boy in school, and ends up going viral on KruShh, the social app everyone at school is obsessed with. As talk about dating increases, Olivia feels left out, and a new condition seems to arise in which she is flickering in and out of sight when anyone talks about romance with her. Throughout all of this, Olivia, with the help of the new librarian and her new friend, Jules, begins to realize that she may be asexual, but she isn’t so sure about using that label. She just wants to be “normal” and fit in, but she isn’t sure she can do that and not disappear.

What I Liked: The idea that Olivia physically disappears when romance is brought up is intriguing and immediately hooks you into the story. At first, Olivia is concerned about what is happening until Jules is introduced and helps her navigate the disappearance. While Olivia now has a hunch as to why this is happening, she still hasn’t embraced her sexuality and strives to fit in. Unfortunately, this means that she isn’t seen or heard by others literally. This feature is interesting to watch unfold and is a great take on what it feels like internally to be keeping parts of yourself from others.

The relationships that are shared throughout this book are fantastic and realistic for a middle school story. There are so many moments in which Olivia will frustrate you because, as an adult, you know better, but you have to continuously remind yourself that she is only 13 years old. The relationship that Olivia and Jules developed with the librarian was refreshing; it was great to see that they had a trusted adult who helped guide Olivia as she questioned her sexuality. It was also inspiring to see the role that books play in questioning your sexuality and how much information one can get from a book. This highlights the importance of the representation that asexual people are receiving from Olivia and Jules in this book.

The portrayal of figuring out one’s sexuality was realistic and also heartwarming. Olivia’s want to fit in with her friends, and pretending to have a crush is an important part of this journey. These moments will have you laughing and also clutching at your heart as you just want her to embrace who she is. It was fantastic to see Olivia’s family be so accepting when she was willing to share this piece of herself.

Final Verdict: Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away is a heartwarming story about losing yourself to fit in with others, and what it means to be embraced as you are. Children ages 8 and up will enjoy reading this book and relating to the characters as friendships change because of individual interests and how important it is to stay true to oneself.