Grown Ups: A Novel

This book is written in short chapters, nearly every one with a different style. Some are told in a stream of consciousness, some are text exchanges, like scripts, some are little vignettes. Taken as a whole, they paint a picture of the life of Jenny, a young woman who’s trying to get by in life. She’s quirky, addicted to her phone and social media, and she hasn’t found the right guy yet. Her best friend, Kelly, has a life of her own that Jenny seems none too interested in. Jenny also has a tumultuous relationship with her mother.

The structure of this book is almost like its own character. Not knowing from one chapter to the next how the story will be told is both interesting and aggravating. Jenny herself is relatable, if a little crass. She reads like an edgy comedian telling a self-deprecating story. It seemed like the short chapters and brief writing style would make for a fast read, but it was hard to get grounded in the story and I found my attention waning just as Jenny’s did. I’d expected a funnier, more light-hearted take on the pitfalls of modern adulthood. This was more acerbic and angsty. Not a bad read.