we are all completely beside ourselves book review

The characters all feel unique and interesting, distinct enough from one another that you'll never got confused as to who is who. On the other hand, if you take well to slower-paced stories that take their time in exposing the world and its people to you, making you appreciate every single detail, then you'll find Karen Joy Fowler excels at that, at least in this work of writing. This is a slower-paced book, one devoid of much action and thrills, so if that's the stuff you're after I'm afraid this book won't suit you.

Rather unfortunately though, when Rosemary was about six years of age Fern was removed from the family, and through the following decade she managed to block out a rather surprising number of memories.Īnd so begins the journey to rediscover Rosemary's past, unearthing the countless memories of joy, sadness, wonder and despair that have marked her life until then.Īs you can already tell, the premise behind We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is a bit of a unique one, and it certainly serves it purpose in hooking you in from the start, making you wonder about all the unusual stories Rosemary may have hidden away in her memories. Indeed, we learn that the first eighteen years of Rosemary's life were defined by that one fact, that she was not only raised with a chimpanzee, but that she also ended up becoming her other, inseparable half. There was only one slight detail: Fern was a chimpanzee. She lived happily enough as one of the Cooke's, alongside her parents, brother Lowell, and her sister Fern. Rosemary, our narrator, begins her story somewhere in the middle while dangling a rather enthralling premise in front of us. When it comes to literature characters however, a calm and steady upbringing surely won't qualify you for the role of protagonist.something Rosemary seems to understand perfectly well in We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler. Many of us have the benefit of having been raised in normal families (well within the range of what is considered normal behavior), without too much unnecessary turmoil and drama.

We are all completely beside ourselves book review