The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett

I recently read the New York Times Bestseller, The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett. This is an incredible debut novel. This is definitely a secular novel, but the prose was amazing and the story line kept you thinking. I didn't want to put this one down.

It tells the story of Eva and Jim throughout their lives. It actually tells the story three different ways (which if you have a poor memory like me can be confusing - I had to keep going back to remind myself what was going on in that particular version). The only thing that happened for certain was that they met in college and that there is a lasting connection between them. After that, their lives took radically different paths depending on what they chose to do next, although their lives do intersect in various places.

Like life itself, all three versions had their joys and pains, but it made me think about the choices we make in life and how seemingly inconsequential decisions as well as the bigger choices can have long-lasting implications. One can often only see in insight how the road diverged.

Barnett is an incredible writer and this is a book well-worth reading not only for the story but for the study of the writing craft.


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