In Rochelly César‘s exciting literary debut, entitled “You can’t stop the girl”, we are introduced to the protagonist Freya, a young Brazilian girl who wins a scholarship at the prestigious University of Oxford. Upon arriving in the UK, she becomes involved with Scot, a charming and famous man, who transports her to a world of luxury and glamour. However, this novel puts her personal goals in check, triggering a major dilemma in Freya’s life.
At the age of 23, Freya devoted herself entirely to her studies and her dream of living in England, leaving little room for love experiences. Now, she finds herself facing the conflict between her first overwhelming passion and the fulfillment of her professional dreams. Making a difficult decision, Freya chooses to prioritize her career, triggering a journey of maturity, self-love and self-confidence.
With a fluid narrative, short chapters and engaging dialogues, “You can’t stop the girl” also introduces us to the presence of Rick, Freya’s new roommate. The connection between them awakens jealousy in Scot, throwing the protagonist into a deep reflection on abusive relationships and the internal transformations caused by these experiences abroad.
Although it is aimed at a young audience interested in light novels, Rochelly César’s book also captivates those who seek self-knowledge and reconciliation with self-esteem. And for those who were enchanted by Freya’s story, it is worth mentioning that this is just the beginning, as the author plans to continue the saga, exploring the consequences of Freya’s decisions in her quest for individuality.
Rochelly César, graduated in Visual Arts with a specialization in graphic design, found in literary writing a passion that has accompanied her since college. Now dedicated entirely to her writing career, she debuted in the market with “Profundo Sono, Esperado Sonho”. “You Can’t Stop the Girl” is her most recent work, and the author is already planning the next steps in this captivating story. Born and residing in Goiânia, capital of Goiás, Rochelly César shows all her literary talent in her engaging narratives.
How did you get the inspiration to write “You Can’t Stop the Girl” and explore Freya’s journey?
I used to say that I was a dream writer, because I wrote in the draft, that is, in the first written version of a dream of mine that probably would not come true. That’s how I realized myself, because I wrote as therapy. This book was no different, I think every reader or writer has wanted to study at some renowned college in the area, and I always wanted to study literature at Oxford, hence Freya’s dream. After nearly 20 revisions, all that’s left is Freya’s dream.
The protagonist Freya finds herself in a dilemma between love and professional achievement. How do you approach this theme in the book?
Freya is an innocent girl, she spent her life among books to fulfill her dream of winning a literature scholarship at Oxford. Incidentally, that’s all she knows: novels from books – after all, she’s never had a very active social life.
Upon arriving in London, she knows the power of first love, which is always strong, and she feels enchanted as if she were living a fairy tale. At a certain point, she has to choose between her professional dream and a new, somewhat unexpected and romantic dream. The decision is difficult, but she is strong and chooses to follow the dream of years that she dedicated so much to. It was not an easy choice to deal with, as she had to take the disappointment of losing a great love to Oxford.
The work also addresses the theme of abusive relationships. What is the importance of bringing this subject to the narrative?
I would say it’s an intense and even toxic relationship, but not an abusive one. It has a big difference, but both are harmful. I think it is a subject to be touched on and that it is very much in vogue. I wanted to talk about the subject lightly so that everyone, even the most sensitive readers, could read and see that they themselves could be living in a relationship like this without realizing it.
I’ve been through some toxic (not abusive) relationships, but I managed to get out of them with a lot of self-love. Indeed, this is the main theme of the work: without it, there are no healthy relationships for both parties.
In addition to the novel, the book brings reflections on self-esteem and maturation. How do you develop these aspects in the story?
I think that all maturation is gradual and so it is for Freya too. Throughout the story, she builds self-esteem and self-confidence, everything gradual and based on each situation to be resolved, through her choices and acceptance of their consequences.
What is the role of literature in Freya’s life and howinfluenceyour journey?
As an eternal romantic, she has her literary preferences: novels, of course, like those from Jane Austen to Alvares de Azevedo. But Freya’s biggest influence is her own mother; Dona Regina, who owns a used bookstore, where her daughter has spent her entire life. The protagonist’s own name is that of an English novelist, Freya North, of whom her mother is a fan. Literature is her experience, it is what she knows, it is where she draws the basis for life. Therefore, it was easy to fall into a “false love”, which suffocates who she is, taking away the freedom to be herself, until she finds herself far from books.
The book has a planned sequel. What can readers expect from the next chapters in Freya’s story?
If readers found the title “You Can’t Stop the Girl” a strong name, imagine when they pick up the sequel, titled “You Can’t Stop the World”? This second book tells the story of Freya discovering that a relationship love can be light and that friendships can surprise in many ways, both positive and negative. It’s about Freya discovering that the world is not just about living on romance, that life is not a literary novel. The world will keep turning, whether she realizes it or not. no.
How did your background in Visual Arts and graphic design contribute to the writing and visual construction of the work?
Majoring in arts was never my first choice, but the training would take me where I wanted to go: one of the visual arts, cinema. Design would lead me to animations. That was the focus of my training, but over the years I realized that writing was what I liked, my therapy. What fulfills me has always been imagination and creativity, and I bring that to my books. In this one specifically, I bring immersion in some acclaimed films that took place in London, through a character who loves visual arts.
How do you see the importance of portraying strong and independent female protagonists in contemporary literature?
I think our time has come, including myself for being a woman. The sexist world, still very present, is losing ground, one step at a time, and we still have a lot to fight with. These protagonists show what we came for, that we must be strong and independent as they are. An image to be followed, which shows that we can win and be who we are. Each woman with her overcoming story is an inspiration to another.
What are the main messages you hope to convey to readers through “You Can’t Stop the Girl”?
The main message is to love yourself first and then love your neighbor in a healthy way. That we should seek our self-esteem and our self-confidence to see who we are in a relationship with and get out of these toxic relationships. I also talk about the importance of family and friends in this journey of self-knowledge.
Besides writing, what are your future plans and projects in the literary field?
I want to be a best-selling author recognized in the Brazilian literary scene. One of the things I see are comments like, “Is this Rochelly’s new book? I’m going to read it right away”, and it is extremely gratifying to see this happening. I became a writer, I took on this career, and now I’m going to pursue this dream.
Follow Rochelly César on Instagram