we are all completely beside ourselves summary

I honestly thought Fern The Human was dead, maybe murdered by the older brother (Lowell) who’s on the run from the law. I’m big enough to say it: I did not see that plot twist coming.

She wasn’t a pet: Rosemary’s hippie ’70s psychologist parents were literally raising Fern The Chimpanzee as a member of their family. Spoilers from We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves are to follow.īack out now if you’re planning on reading this one (which you really should, I can’t recommend it highly enough – get it here). Don’t get me wrong, the value of Fowler’s writing isn’t completely based on the “big reveal” – it’s just the dawning realisation, the moment of coming to an understanding while being completely bewildered at the same time, is so precious that I’m loath to steal it from anyone else. Still, it’s impossible to review this book properly without revealing its “secret”. The first plot twist is so (a) unexpected, and (b) central to what makes this book special, that it’s giving me pause. Even the newer books I’ve reviewed have been turned into movies that everyone’s already seen, or have plots so hackneyed that they seem impossible to spoil anyway. If I’m reviewing a book published over a century ago, I don’t really give a fuck if I’ve “ruined” it for you. Keeping Up With The Penguins is, after all, one big spoiler. Here’s the thing: this is the first time, in the history of this project, that I have hesitated in giving a spoiler. But why? That’s what you’ve got to read on to find out. Both of Roesmary’s older siblings are notably absent (one apparently in some kind of legal trouble, the other vanished mysteriously some time ago), and her relationship with her parents stinks. It’s hilarious, but quickly starts foreshadowing some ominous shit. It sounds banal as all heck, but it was beautifully done, and Rosemary’s deadpan humour won me over instantly. Rosemary, the protagonist, narrates a scene from her university cafeteria, watching a couple breaking up at a nearby table. Sitting down to start reading in earnest, I was literally lol’ing before ten pages had passed. It turns out there’s a very good reason for that. I learned from these pages that it was published in 2013, it was Fowler’s tenth novel, and it had clearly won legions of fans around the globe, but apart from a couple of vague references to “family” in the blurbs, I had no bloody idea what the book was actually going to be about. It was shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves has won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. The front of this edition is stuffed with pages upon pages of positive reviews and accolades. (And I’ll be beside myself with gratitude if you make a purchase through an affiliate link on this page – I’ll earn a small commission!) Buy We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves here.

We are all completely beside ourselves summary