Freya Harte is not a Puzzle by Méabh Collins: Review

Freya Harte is not a Puzzle

Freya has recently been diagnosed with autism, but school is hard enough and she already feels different, so she decides to keep this part of her a secret. When a school trip to Irish college is announced, Freya decides to use this as an opportunity to show the girls in her year that she can fit in and be “normal”. But can true friendship be found when you try to change yourself? 

Freya Harte Is Not A Puzzle is a fantastic debut novel which shows readers the importance of self-acceptance through Freya’s messy and heartwarming journey. Freya is an endearing character – she is funny and kind but she also makes mistakes. Her story is relatable to anyone who has navigated their teens, with the added complexity of being autistic. As Freya learns more about herself, she also learns the importance of standing up for her needs and how language and resources can help her, and those around her, create a life that is more fulfilling and full of kindness. At times, it’s hard to read the difficulties that Freya faces from those who have an ignorance about autism but it’s also hard to see the difficulties she faces in her own mind – a lack of self-esteem and self-compassion. 

Freya finds solace in the blog posts and social media presence of a fellow teen with autism. These blog posts, which are scattered through the novel, act as an anchoring, guiding voice for the main character and also as a source of information for the non-autistic reader. 

A touching coming-of-age story about discovering who you are and the joy of true friendship and family.

Joyce Dignam