WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES

by Karen Joy Fowler
 
I loved this novel and am recommending it to everyone I know who reads fiction.  I picked it up because it was a Man Booker Prize finalist.  What an amazing find!
 
Despite knowing from the book cover’s blurb that Rosemary Cooke was raised with a chimpanzee, I forgot that and was completely drawn into the narrative as Rosemary reflects on her childhood in the first part of the novel.  She lovingly portrays a family of quirky characters.  As the story evolves, however, the author cleverly moves between Rosemary’s memories of childhood and the present as she tries to unravel how her family was torn apart.  What happened to her sister? Why was she sent away?  Why did her brother leave, never to return?  What were her academic parents doing as they raised Rosemary and her siblings?   As the novel progresses, the answers to these questions will captivate you.
 
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves tells a compelling story, with memorable characters. Fowler expertly captures family relationships with realistic dialogue and astute observations of individuals’ interactions.  There are so many levels to this story, all of which will remain with you long after you have finished reading. (Liz)