'Life Hacks for a Little Alien' follows a lonely girl's pursuit of an ancient tome

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: Summary of "Life Hacks for a Little Alien"

Introduction

In the February 18, 2025 episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong delves into Alice Franklin's acclaimed debut novel, Life Hacks for a Little Alien. This episode explores the novel's intricate portrayal of a neurodivergent protagonist and her quest to connect with an ancient, enigmatic manuscript. Through an engaging conversation with Franklin, listeners gain insight into the novel's themes, character development, and the author's creative process.

Plot Overview

Life Hacks for a Little Alien tells the story of an unnamed little girl in southern England, referred to as "Little Alien," who experiences the world differently due to her autism. Struggling with communication and social interactions, she finds solace and intrigue in the idea of connecting with beings like herself through an ancient manuscript written in an unknown language.

Scott Simon introduces the novel by highlighting the protagonist's isolation and her discovery of the Voynich Manuscript—a real medieval codex shrouded in mystery. This discovery sparks her belief that she might find kindred spirits within its undeciphered pages.

Character Analysis

Little Alien
Alice Franklin crafts Little Alien as a deeply neurodivergent character, specifically autistic, who navigates a world that often misunderstands her. Franklin explains, "She's always trying to fit in with what is expected of her. But because she is undiagnosed neurodivergent, she doesn't know what's expected of her. It's all just guesswork" (03:02).

The protagonist's unique perspective is further emphasized through her interactions with language. In a poignant moment, Little Alien reflects:

"You won't be normal. Aliens can't be normal. You'll be normal enough though. And by this I mean you'll have just enough normal to seem normal without actually being normal."
— Alice Franklin (02:13)

This passage underscores the character's internal struggle with societal norms and her desire to be understood.

Bobbie
Bobbie serves as Little Alien's steadfast friend, embodying courage and acceptance. Franklin describes him as "a bit more intrepid, a bit braver than her," providing the necessary support for their joint adventure to uncover the secrets of the Voynich Manuscript (04:45). Bobbie's character is pivotal in enabling Little Alien to embark on her journey, symbolizing the importance of friendship and acceptance.

Themes and Insights

Language and Communication
A central theme in the novel is the peculiarities of the English language and its impact on communication. Franklin elaborates on this by highlighting how the protagonist notices and grapples with grammatical irregularities:

"Like normal human children, you'll disregard every grammatical irregularity that comes your way. You'll say things like 'I goed to school'... If I were a prescriptivist, I would lambast you for these flagrant over regularizations. But as it happens, I am not a prescriptivist. I am a descriptivist. And as a descriptivist, I applaud you."
— Alice Franklin (02:13)

This reflection illustrates Little Alien's analytical mind and her unique relationship with language, making English both a barrier and a source of fascination for her.

Neurodiversity and Empathy
Franklin's portrayal of Little Alien aims to foster empathy and understanding of neurodivergent experiences. She states:

"If readers are neurodivergent, it would be nice if they read this story and felt like it resonated a bit. If they're neurotypical, perhaps it might shed some more light on what autism can be like."
— Alice Franklin (06:46)

Through Little Alien's journey, the novel seeks to bridge the gap between neurodivergent and neurotypical perspectives, promoting a deeper understanding of diverse cognitive experiences.

Creative Process and Narrative Style

Franklin chose to write the novel in the second person, a decision she discusses in detail:

"There's an unnamed narrator talking to an unnamed protagonist. So it's really like an I addressing a U. Also, I just quite like second person present tense. I find it quite easy to work from this perspective."
— Alice Franklin (03:25)

This narrative choice immerses readers in Little Alien's perspective, enhancing the emotional connection and empathy towards the protagonist. Franklin emphasizes her intent to make readers "feel as much empathy as possible with this small creature" (03:59).

Connection to the Voynich Manuscript

The real-life Voynich Manuscript plays a symbolic role in the novel, representing the incomprehensible and the unknown. Franklin articulates:

"The Voynich Manuscript is a medieval codex written in an unknown language and an unknown script. The thing about it is that no one's been able to decipher it, even though it's been around for hundreds of years. And I think this really piques Little Alien's interest. I think she can see some parallels between the Voynich manuscript and her own experiences. People don't really understand her either."
— Alice Franklin (04:10)

This parallel underscores the protagonist's feelings of isolation and her yearning for connection and understanding.

Author's Inspiration and Personal Connection

Franklin began writing Life Hacks for a Little Alien five years prior to its release, dedicating three years to its creation. She shares a personal connection to the protagonist, having been undiagnosed with autism during childhood and later diagnosed in adulthood. This personal experience fuels her portrayal of Little Alien's bewilderment and quest for identity:

"I wanted to write Little Alien as a character I could relate to. A large part of her sort of bewilderment comes from the fact that she is undiagnosed autistic."
— Alice Franklin (05:54)

Franklin's journey towards self-awareness and confidence is mirrored in Little Alien's development throughout the novel.

Conclusion and Takeaways

Life Hacks for a Little Alien is not only an engaging narrative but also a heartfelt exploration of neurodiversity and the human desire for connection. Franklin successfully weaves complex themes of language, identity, and empathy into a compelling story that resonates with both neurodivergent and neurotypical readers. As Franklin hopes, the novel serves as both a mirror and a window—reflecting the experiences of those who relate deeply with Little Alien and offering insight to those who seek to understand her world.

Listeners of NPR's Book of the Day episode are encouraged to explore Alice Franklin's debut novel for a profound and enjoyable literary experience that bridges gaps and fosters understanding.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Alice Franklin (02:13): "You won't be normal. Aliens can't be normal. You'll be normal enough though. And by this I mean you'll have just enough normal to seem normal without actually being normal."

• Alice Franklin (02:13): "Like normal human children, you'll disregard every grammatical irregularity that comes your way... I am not a prescriptivist. I am a descriptivist. And as a descriptivist, I applaud you."

• Alice Franklin (06:46): "If readers are neurodivergent, it would be nice if they read this story and felt like it resonated a bit. If they're neurotypical, perhaps it might shed some more light on what autism can be like."

• Alice Franklin (04:10): "The Voynich Manuscript is a medieval codex written in an unknown language and an unknown script... Little Alien's interest... parallels between the Voynich manuscript and her own experiences."

• Alice Franklin (05:54): "I wanted to write Little Alien as a character I could relate to... she is undiagnosed autistic."

About the Episode

Host Andrew Limbong skillfully navigates the discussion, balancing narrative description with insightful questions that allow Alice Franklin to elaborate on her creative choices and the novel's deeper meanings. Listeners are provided with a comprehensive understanding of Life Hacks for a Little Alien, making the episode a valuable resource for anyone interested in contemporary literature and the exploration of neurodiversity in fiction.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. If you've ever tried to teach someone English, you know that it's kind of a weird language. There are peculiarities to it that seemingly don't make any sense, especially if a different way of saying something gets the point across just as well. Which makes English hard to learn, sure, but that malleability also makes it a playful language too. That's how Alice Franklin uses it in her novel Life Hacks for a Little Alien. It centers an autistic character who is hyper aware of the grammatical irregularities that exist within English. Franklin tells NPR Scott Simon about how it's all about poking at and questioning what we think of as normal. That's ahead.

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[Scott Simon]

Alice Franklin's new novel is a story told by an often lonely little girl in the south of England who doesn't seem to see the world or hear its sounds, or speak and think in the way other children do. So when she hears on late night TV about a mysterious manuscript, an ancient document written in an unknown and alien language, she thinks at last these could be my people. Life Hacks for a Little Alien. It's the widely praised debut novel from Alice Franklin, who joins us now from the studios of the BBC in London. Thank you so much for being with us.

[Alice Franklin]

Thank you.

[Scott Simon]

What should we know about this unnamed little narrator?

[Alice Franklin]

Well, she's referred to as Little Alien by the narrator. I wrote her as a neurodivergent character, autistic, to be specific.

[Scott Simon]

The novel is told in the second person and let me ask you to read a section in which she speaks for herself to the reader, if I could.

[Alice Franklin]

Sure. It goes like this. You won't be normal. Aliens can't be normal. You'll be normal enough though. And by this I mean you'll have just enough normal to seem normal without actually being normal. Let me explain. Like normal human children, you'll disregard every grammatical irregularity that comes your way. You'll say things like I goed to school with my mum, I eated the orange and colouring in is funner than skipping. If I were a prescriptivist, I would lambast you for these flagrant over regularizations. But as it happens, I am not a prescriptivist. I am a descriptivist. And as a descriptivist, I applaud you.

[Scott Simon]

Tell us about your use of the word normal here.

[Alice Franklin]

The protagonist, Little Alien, is always trying to fit in with what is expected of her. But because she is undiagnosed neurodivergent, she doesn't know what's expected of her. It's all just guesswork.

[Scott Simon]

Yeah. And so the word normal becomes what?

[Alice Franklin]

Neurotypical, I guess.

[Scott Simon]

Why write this novel? What's your thought of writing in the second person?

[Alice Franklin]

Well, the whole novel is told. There's an unnamed narrator talking to an unnamed protagonist. So it's really like an I addressing a U. Also, I just quite like second person present tense. I find it quite easy to work from this perspective.

[Scott Simon]

Easy? You bring yourself into a certain frame of mind.

[Alice Franklin]

I don't know. I also kind of wanted the readers of this story to feel as much empathy as possible with this small creature.

[Scott Simon]

What do you think she senses in the Voynich Manuscript when she hears about it? I made a note. She says, since learning about the manuscript, you are on alive, kicking and awake.

[Alice Franklin]

The Voynich Manuscript is a medieval codex written in an unknown language and an unknown script. The thing about it is that no one's been able to decipher it, even though it's been around for hundreds of years. And I think this really piques Little Alien's interest. I think she can see some parallels between the Voynich manuscript and her own experiences. People don't really understand her either.

[Scott Simon]

And her profound good friend Bobbie, how do they support one another?

[Alice Franklin]

Bobby is exactly what Little Alien needs. He's a bit more intrepid, he's a bit braver than her. And so he's sort of courageous for her and is accepting of her differences in a way other people aren't. So that when they go on their little adventure together to see the Voynich Manuscript, he's sort of what enables that adventure and sort of gives her the courage to continue on her journey.

[Scott Simon]

Ms. Franklin, how much new language did you create to tell this story?

[Alice Franklin]

What do you mean by new language, please?

[Scott Simon]

Well, I think you just read a section where you talked about the words.

[Alice Franklin]

She uses, like goats to school, eat at the orange, that kind of thing.

[Scott Simon]

Yeah.

[Alice Franklin]

These are things that even neurotypical children do when they're acquiring language, when they're very young. They make everything more regular than it is because English is a quirky language.

[Scott Simon]

Is it kind of like a jazz style riff on the language we use?

[Alice Franklin]

I don't know.

[Scott Simon]

When did this character first begin to take up residence in you?

[Alice Franklin]

Well, I started writing this book five years ago. It took me about three years to write. I kind of got the voice of the narrator first, overly confident, playful, word loving, and then little alien came second a bit. It's 95% fiction, I'd say. I wanted to write Little Alien as a character I could relate to. A large part of her sort of bewilderment comes from the fact that she is undiagnosed autistic. And I myself was not diagnosed as a child. I had to wait till adulthood to be diagnosed.

[Scott Simon]

How is it for you now, may I ask?

[Alice Franklin]

I feel pretty. I'm a lot more confident now.

[Scott Simon]

What do you want people who read this novel to take away from it?

[Alice Franklin]

If readers are neurodivergent, it would be nice if they read this story and felt like it resonated a bit. If they're neurotypical, perhaps it might shed some more light on what autism can be like. For some people. It's hard to encapsulate it even just with a more novel. But also I just wanted to tell an entertaining, enjoyable story as well. So even if people learn nothing but enjoy the narrative, I think that's still valid. I'd still be pleased with that.

[Scott Simon]

Alice Franklin her debut novel Life Hacks for a Little Alien thank you so much for speaking with us.

[Alice Franklin]

Thank you.

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