Versions of Us by Laura Barnett: Book Review

If you are a sucker for a chick-lit novel then this debut by Laura Barnett certainly does not disappoint.

However, she uses the seemingly inconspicuous occurrence of a woman riding her bicycle as a pivotal point, from which she guides the reader down three alternative paths. The rest of the novel follows Eva and Jim, the two protagonists, over the next sixty years or so, encouraging the reader to think about whether certain things happen in our lives as a result of fate or destiny.

Personally, I loved the book and its characters, particularly Eva. She remains calm and collected, even in the darkest of times, and her quiet, unadulterated strength is admirable. The novel, as a whole, is beautifully written; I struggled to put it down, and that speaks volumes. The romances of the novel are quite pared down compared to other contemporary novels, but I love it – I feel as though it brings a somewhat vintage air to a text published only last year.

The main difficulty I had was trying to keep up with the three different storylines at the same time, so it may be beneficial to make notes as you read. That being said, I was moved to tears by each of the conclusions, so perhaps not one to finish in public, but for me any work that can provoke that much emotion is a winner. This book will keep you thinking long after you turn the final page.