Loved this thoroughly modern book that felt classic and fresh simultaneously. The two main characters navigate their emergence into adulthood in messy, realistic ways and the storytelling is seamless though there are time jumps. Rooney's sparse and lovely prose gives life to their relationship over time, letting us watch them grow with their scars, shared histories, and emotional inner workings. It's set in Ireland and spans a cavalcade of topics affecting the world and people today from minor to grand—it's almost hard to explain, so I'll stop trying to. I'd recommend this because it's great (a new favorite!), but also because it is one of those books that's hard to put down once you're in its snare. I finished it off in a couple of days.

I've talked with my book club in past meetings about how it seems that there are authors who don't quite know how to handle contemporary culture in writing. Many writers I think revert to times before the internet or cell phones, and I keep saying I want someone who knows how to write about what life can be like TODAY. Well, enter Sally Rooney. Finally, someone who can write about young people today without condescension, and without technology being intrusive. Rooney is captivating, and I was struck by how deftly she crafted this tale.