Member Review
Review by
Tracey B, Reviewer
Graduating from college, starting your first job, making those first important choices, negotiating friendships—all that and more waits for you between the pages of Who We Are Now by Lauryn Chamberlain. Well written and told from multiple points of view, the book stretches over fifteen years, beginning in 2006.
I especially liked the nostalgic atmosphere and the nuanced relationships Chamberlain created. While it was fascinating to get inside the heads of these four friends, I stayed a little disconnected because I didn’t relate to any of them personally. Maybe my age (I’m 63) or my personality or my preferences in friendships contributed to my disconnect. I do think the author did a good job of giving each a distinct personality. But their flaws—which all good characters have—made them a tad more dislikable than I would have preferred. I’m not sure I really rooted for anyone.
In the end, I give it four stars because I think Chamberlain pulled off the heart of the story—the subtle changes that occur in early adulthood and the tension of close friendship groups. While these weren’t “my” people, I enjoyed the honest portraits and the reminder of those early adult years when it was common to question everything and endlessly wonder if you were doing it “right.”
I appreciated the advance copy to review from NetGalley and Dutton Books.
I especially liked the nostalgic atmosphere and the nuanced relationships Chamberlain created. While it was fascinating to get inside the heads of these four friends, I stayed a little disconnected because I didn’t relate to any of them personally. Maybe my age (I’m 63) or my personality or my preferences in friendships contributed to my disconnect. I do think the author did a good job of giving each a distinct personality. But their flaws—which all good characters have—made them a tad more dislikable than I would have preferred. I’m not sure I really rooted for anyone.
In the end, I give it four stars because I think Chamberlain pulled off the heart of the story—the subtle changes that occur in early adulthood and the tension of close friendship groups. While these weren’t “my” people, I enjoyed the honest portraits and the reminder of those early adult years when it was common to question everything and endlessly wonder if you were doing it “right.”
I appreciated the advance copy to review from NetGalley and Dutton Books.
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