Big Nobody by Alex Kadis Review – A Groovy and Greek Coming-of-Age Romp in 70s London
Alex Kadis establishes a jaunty and vibrant tone from the very first pages of her debut novel, Big Nobody, which centres on Connie Costa, a music-obsessed teenager trapped at home in east London during the mid-1970s. Connie yearns to break free from her smothering Greek Cypriot extended family, particularly her restrictive and domineering father, whom she darkly nicknames "the fat murderer." Her fantasies of patricide stem from a traumatic car accident a year prior that claimed the lives of her mother and younger brothers, leaving her haunted by unresolved grief and anger.
A Lively Protagonist with Imaginary Rock Star Friends
Connie is portrayed as lively, opinionated, and slightly chubby, often clad in groovy 70s attire that reflects the era's flamboyant style. Her escape from reality comes in the form of two imaginary friends: Marc Bolan and David Bowie, with whom she communes via posters adorning her bedroom wall. While she adores Marc, she finds Bowie to be occasionally snide and questionable in his fashion choices, adding a layer of humour to her inner world.
As Connie navigates adolescence, she develops a keen interest in the male anatomy, particularly noting Marc Bolan's poster placement at eye level. However, real-life encounters, such as with her father's friend Peter Pervy Roy—who wears trousers so tight they distort his anatomy—prove off-putting. In contrast, her childhood friend Vas, who also struggles with growing up Greek, offers a more appealing connection, even showcasing his growing willy on demand, though others assume he's gay due to his poetry reading.
Darker Undercurrents Beneath the 70s Glamour
Despite its surface as a product-placing romp through 70s culture, filled with references to foot-long Curly Wurlys and teetering platform shoes, Big Nobody soon reveals darker undercurrents. The fantasised patricide serves as an early tipoff to the novel's deeper themes. Connie commiserates with Vas, noting, "All our dads hit us, it's practically the law in Cyprus," but her father's abuse escalates, leading to public humiliations like The School Disco Disaster of 1975 and The Great Cinema Showdown of 1976.
A trio of aunts and a sympathetic music teacher attempt to look out for Connie's interests, but their efforts are limited within a fiercely patriarchal system. Connie dreams of becoming a session musician, yet she feels destined to marry a Greek boy chosen for her and retreat into domesticity. Her blue eyes and fair colouring, inherited from her English mother, set her apart from her olive-skinned family, and the constant beatings and restrictions have eroded her self-worth, as seen in a note listing "The many things I hate about myself," with number one being "I am nothing."
Exploring PTSD and Familial Estrangement
Beneath its humour, Big Nobody delves into the lasting effects of PTSD. Connie's memory is seared with the final glimpse of her mother being driven away by her irate father, yet she cannot even recall her mother's name, highlighting the trauma's depth. On Christmas morning 1975, she witnesses her father standing in his underpants, staring blankly into the garden—a moment she dismisses as a "miserably complex tableau" not worth dwelling on, partly due to the horrible colour of his underwear.
As father and daughter become increasingly estranged, Connie makes a bold bid for freedom on 16 September 1977, the date Marc Bolan dies in a car crash. A plot twist infused with the melodrama of a 70s TV series ensues, but readers will find themselves rooting for Connie, a heroine whose resilience and hurt, bouncy self-esteem and its crushing opposite, create a touching and compelling character. The novel's final section leaps forward 30 years, showing Connie forging a surprising new persona and coming to terms with her Cypriot heritage.
Alex Kadis, who has a background in music journalism and artist promotion, has crafted a debut that sparkles with the vibrancy of Marc Bolan's eye makeup. Big Nobody is a poignant exploration of trauma, identity, and liberation set against the backdrop of 1970s London.
