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Osu: A Coming of Age Novel

An Empowering Book of Self-Acceptance and Resilience

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Osu: A Coming of Age Novel

By: Sensei Sarhn
Narrated by: Jane Harber
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About this listen

In the dojo, Olive discovers her empowering strength. Outside, she faces her greatest challenge.

Sixteen-year-old Olive has always been an outsider and when her family uproots her from the bustling city to sleepy Buxton, she's sure her life is over. That is, until she stumbles upon a local martial arts, karate school.

The dojo becomes Olive's sanctuary, and her natural talent catches everyone's eye—especially Boyan, the enigmatic adopted son of her sensei. As Olive and Boyan's connection deepens, she realises he's fighting battles of his own.

But just as Olive begins to find her footing, a devastating secret threatens everything she's built. Now, she must summon every ounce of her newfound strength to fight for her place in a world that seems determined to push her out.

Osu is a gripping, empowering coming-of-age-tale of self-acceptance, resilience, and the transformative power of finding where you belong.

In this unforgettable debut, Sensei Sarhn reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves can be our greatest enemy—or our most powerful ally.

2025 Wishing Shelf International Book Awards - Silver Winner in the category of 'Teens'

©2024 Sensei Sarhn (P)2025 Sensei Sarhn Literature & Fiction Multicultural Politics, Society & Current Events Sports Fiction Sports Combat Sports Heartfelt Inspiring Feel-Good Martial Arts Resilience

Critic Reviews

"Sarhn compels Olive to rely on the emotional strength and discipline she's learned in karate to finally come to terms with who she is and who she can become, a sweet moment of victory that readers will relish being part of. Osu not only captures the struggles of adolescence—both silly and monumental—but also celebrates the victory of forging one's path."

- Publishers Weekly
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I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Osu by Sensi Sahrn. Being based in a local place made the setting vivid and easy to imagine, and the narration — with variations to voice for each character — made the story clear and engaging throughout. Highly recommend.

easy to listen to

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A beautiful story, with the right attitudes and values I'd like my children to be listening to

great listen for tweens

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I really enjoyed this book. It’s an easy read (targeted at teens) but still hits on some meaningful themes around growing up, resilience, and finding self confidence. The martial arts element adds something a bit different and gives the story a strong sense of discipline and personal growth. Overall, it’s a positive, uplifting story that I recommend to any pre-teen or teen.

The narration by Jane Harber suits the novel very well.

An uplifting read

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I found this book to be very engaging. It was descriptive in all the right places. All the main characters were well formed. There were a few twists I didn't see coming. I also loved that it was set in my home town. I could picture Olive walking down the road from me. The Narrator did a great Job, she was easy to follow, excellent at switching characters, especially the American accent. I would thoroughly recommend this book to Teens.

Full of raw emotion

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"Osu" by Sensei Sarhn is an inspiring and powerful piece that truly captures the essence of discipline, respect, and inner strength. The way Sensei Sarhn blends traditional values with modern expression makes this work stand out as both authentic and refreshing. It’s more than just a word—it’s a philosophy, and this piece conveys that beautifully. Whether you’re familiar with martial arts culture or simply seeking motivation, "Osu" resonates deeply and leaves you feeling empowered and focused. Highly recommended for anyone who values perseverance and positivity.

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