Beautiful World, Where Are You

Four thirty-something people and their relationships are the focus of this novel. The plot is told like stage directions—this person wakes up, gets dressed, walks into the kitchen, tells the other person goodbye—from a slightly removed point-of-view, and these scenes are alternated with emails that two of the characters frequently send back and forth to each other.

I'm always being told that I don't know what life is like for young adults today, and, after reading this book, I feel like I now have a better idea of what it's like. The relationships push forward and then suddenly one or the other people in the relationship stops or even steps back. People are deeply reluctant to express themselves or commit or meet in person or even answer the phone. Some people can't make enough money to make it through the month and others never think about money. It's a picture of modern young adults that feels very true.