Role Model by Elle McNicoll
📣 They want her to speak for everyone. She just wants to be heard.
Pre-Reading Thoughts
McNicoll always brings sharp emotional truth to her books, and I was curious how she'd handle politics, pressure, and identity all tangled together. I was already tense on Aeriel's behalf just from the blurb.
Post-Reading
As I thought... Aeriel is a brilliantly real protagonist — bright, brave, and hurting — and the way her experiences are shaped (and distorted) by her mother's political role is compelling and painful.
It surprised me by... just how relentless the pressure felt. This isn’t a quiet struggle, it’s an emotional landslide — one that shines a light on the constant, unfair burden placed on marginalised kids to educate, represent, and never slip up.
🎵 MUSIC PAIRING
Featured Song: “Brutal” – Olivia Rodrigo
Vibe Album: Blue Weekend – Wolf Alice
Artist Rec: Girl in Red
🧭 Vibe Check
🎨 Colour Palette: navy, blush pink, and tabloid yellow
🎬 Soundtrack: camera clicks, political speeches, and a rising heartbeat
🌸 Season: spring on the verge of breaking
😤 Mood: fierce, exhausted, defiant
👃 Scent: hairspray, lavender, and TV studio heat
🔮 Tarot Pull
Page of Swords - Tarot of the 78 Doors
This Page is smart, curious, and still learning to wield her intelligence to its full effect. This is a lesson Aeriel needs to learn during her story, and one that will serve her well as she grows up.
For fans of: A Kind of Spark (book) // The Miseducation of Cameron Post (for tone, not content)