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The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer
Released: 2023
Setting: Toronto, Canada
Genre: Fiction
Book # for author: 1st
The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer synopsis
I picked up The Adult in Barnes & Noble after reading the first two pages; the writing style drew me in. In the middle of the book I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but definitely wanted to know where it was heading. See The Adult on Amazon here.
In The Adult, Natalie is 18 and just starting college. She grew up in a small town and it seems this is her first time away from home. She is shakingly insecure and unsure of her every move. Early on in her year Natalie meets Nora, an older woman who sits next to her at the park as she’s working on her poetry writing for class. Instantly, Natalie feels a calling towards her. They date and the relationship consumes Natalie’s focus. But where is the relationship going? It’s not clear to Natalie and she doesn’t have anyone to talk to about it.
The Adult review *with slight spoilers*
The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer painted Natalie’s insecurity so well it was like its own character. This was a big part of what had me intrigued. At the same time it went on and on without much change. It would have been great to see Natalie take a look at her insecurity, wonder about it. I understand this is how it is a lot in real life, with insecurities lasting for years that we don’t take a glance at because they’re so deep inside us. But having them written out on the page so clearly meant they were up on the table already. Maybe she could have addressed it very indirectly.
Her insecurity also seemed to serve the purpose of showing the disparity between her and Nora. This imbalance was very important to note and feel. But I still felt it was pushed down our throats. People of all ages can be insecure like this.
There was something else in the plot that bothered me. Despite Natalie’s deep insecurities she expended so little effort to make and keep her friends. Imagine this. You’ve just arrived at college without knowing a soul, yet put out so little effort to connect with others even when they’re trying to connect with you. Chances that you’ll have a group of friends are slim, right? Yet, Natalie still had. The author usually took care to make sure events were realistic so this really grated on me.
Structure
Can we have more books with straight storylines like this one?! With a straight timeline we usually get the opportunity to know the characters so much more and get more invested this way. Multiple POVs and timelines cheapens a story in my opinion. Sure, I want to hear about the past. But weave in the memories like they’re woven into our real present lives.
The funny thing was here we didn’t get to know the characters as much as I would have thought. An exception to the rule. We didn’t hear too much of Natalie’s past and she had little insight into herself or life. We were still meant to be on her side though, like with Bella Swan from Twilight. I can’t decide if I like reading about those characters. It’s one thing if the author intended it that way but I’m not sure she did. With all that said, I still appreciated the straight storyline.
The ending *more slight spoilers ahead*
I actually liked the ending even though I saw parts of it coming. It showed some nice character development for Natalie. A breath of fresh air, even if circumstances weren’t her choice. What did you think of the ending?
My rating: 6/10.
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