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Cover of Solitaire by Alice OsemanSolitaire
Modern · Fiction, Young Adult, LGBT

Solitaire

by Alice Oseman
2014 · 288 pages · Fiction
62.4Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 7 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

'I don't ever remember not being serious. As far as I'm concerned, I came out of the womb spouting cynicism and wishing for rain.' Alice Oseman's debut follows a withdrawn, cynical teenager whose life is turned upside down at school.

Why it's worth reading

It has spent 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's Alice Oseman's debut, set in the world of Heartstopper.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of Heartstopper by Alice OsemanHeartstopper
HeartstopperAlice Oseman
Cover of Loveless by Alice OsemanLoveless
LovelessAlice Oseman
Cover of The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen ChboskyThe Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a WallflowerStephen Chbosky

Good to know

It's darker than Heartstopper and deals with mental health.

By the numbers

62.4Must-Read Score
  • Readers25 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2023

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Alice Oseman

Cover of Loveless by Alice OsemanLoveless
LovelessAlice Oseman
Cover of Heartstopper by Alice OsemanHeartstopper
HeartstopperAlice Oseman
Cover of Nick and Charlie by Alice OsemanNick and Charlie
Nick and CharlieAlice Oseman

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Young adult booksTop 25 · 219 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is Solitaire worth reading?

Yes. It has spent 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,149 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.4 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Solitaire about?

'I don't ever remember not being serious. As far as I'm concerned, I came out of the womb spouting cynicism and wishing for rain.' Alice Oseman's debut follows a withdrawn, cynical teenager whose life is turned upside down at school.

How long does it take to read Solitaire?

About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Solitaire?

If you liked it, try Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, Loveless by Alice Oseman or The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.