Cosmic

The protagonist of Cosmic, Liam Digby, is a 12-year-old boy who looks like a grown man because of his height and stubble. His height allows him to blur the boundaries between childhood and adulthood, both physically and emotionally. Liam is often mistaken for an adult, which leads him into one unlikely situation after another. His casual, self-aware narration filled with dry humor reflects his personality: “To be completely honest, I’m not exactly in the Lake District. To be completely honest, I’m more sort of in space” (3). This tone shows both the absurdity of his situation and Liam’s easygoing, impulsive nature.

As a child, Liam often acts before thinking, chasing thrills without considering the consequences. He’s drawn to excitement, particularly after riding the Cosmic ride. He wants his own future children to “think of the whole world as their thrill ride” (57), something he never really considered before having to fill out a form about it. Online gaming was a haven for him because there he was judged by skill rather than size. While his height makes the adult world accessible, his emotional journey illustrates the theme of Growing Up and Becoming Responsible by showing that it’s about more than looking the part.