YOU THINK IT, I'LL SAY IT

by Curtis Sittenfeld

If reviewing Curtis Sittenfeld two months in a row doesn’t convince you of my love for her books, I don’t know what will. A collection of short stories, Sittenfeld published You Think It, I'll Say It in 2018. We often mention in our reviews that we take it as the sign of a good book when we find ourselves thinking about the characters or story after we finish reading. And for some reason I find short stories tend to pop up in even stranger ways. I keep remembering bits from this collection and it takes a moment to realize these are not things that happened to actual friends of mine.

The other reason I think I was so drawn into this book is that so many of the characters and conflicts seem to come from my exact demographic. One was even set at Dartmouth! The connecting theme seems to be relationships that should have been, or can’t be, for some reason. The title story follows two married people who often encounter each other at their children's school events. They form a connection through sharing unfiltered opinions on those around them. But when the man gets divorced and the woman starts to imagine a future together, things get complicated fast.

Sittenfeld has a gift for capturing the inner life of the ‘elder millennials,’ as we are now known, particularly when it comes to romance and relationships. Whether you read You Think It or Romantic Comedy (read review here), definitely pick up a Sittenfeld treat for yourself this summer. (Lily)

(Read Liz's review from April 2019 here)