We Are Not Ourselves - Matthew Thomas

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

 

This is the story of Eileen and her Irish-American family in New York. Describing several generations from her youth, her marriage to Ed and her son Connell. Life hasn't been easy on Eileen, even if it doesn't always show on the outside.

 

I think this is a novel we'll all hear a lot about in the coming months. I did a quick check and it's already available for pre-order even in a Dutch online bookstore (which most often means there are plans for translation already). It fits perfectly in the genre for books that depict a family and also the changes in the world around them through a longer period of time. I have to admit that I hadn't really read any of these novels yet, but I certainly liked We Are Not Ourselves and might pick up some others.

 

At moments I could really feel for Eileen as she was trying to do what she believed was best and encounters setback after setback. In hindsight, some of the decisions made by the characters become more logical. However, the book comes in at over 600 pages, and it felt a bit too long for me. I think the story could've been in one or two hundred fewer pages, adding to the readability of the book. Still, I enjoyed reading it, the prose read nicely and I would recommend it but you'll have to take some time to read it.