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We Are Young
On the same night Evan's mother marries local radio DJ 'Breakfast Tim', Evan's brand-new step-brother Lewis is found unconscious and terribly injured, the only survivor of a horrific car crash.
A media furore erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist father, Harry, she decides to find out what really happened that night.
As Evan delves deeper into the lives of the three teenagers who died in the crash, she uncovers some disturbing truths and a secret that threatens to tear her family - and the community - apart for ever...
A media furore erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist father, Harry, she decides to find out what really happened that night.
As Evan delves deeper into the lives of the three teenagers who died in the crash, she uncovers some disturbing truths and a secret that threatens to tear her family - and the community - apart for ever...
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2018
About the author
Cat Clarke
17 books1,152 followersCat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.
Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
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November 18, 2018Dark, low key thriller, slow-build. What you'd expect from a Cat Clarke book, basically! Appreciated the bisexual rep and the relationship between Evan and her father. There aren't enough family oriented stories out there. Loved how unapologetic this one was about it's content and it's heroine.
April 27, 2018
I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book by the publisher.
TW/ death, violence, suicide, explicit language
I can’t express properly how glad I am to have read this book. I started it not expecting much, and I left it changed, touched, moved even. It gave me something, and I can’t thank Cat Clarke enough for it.
I have only read Girlhood from her, yet I can say that We Are Young is her best work so far. It was so mature, pure and rough at the same time. It was everything I wanted in such a heartbreaking novel… I feel as if I am trying too hard here, but it truly is how I feel about it.
It begins with a crash…
Evan is a 17 years old stubborn and loving teenager. She is part of a band with her two exes and lives fully, isn’t scared to show who she is. When her mom marries Tim, a radio host, she doesn’t know how to feel, or even how to feel towards her dad who had a drinking problem. Things get complicated when Tim’s son, Lewis, is the only survivor of a car crash and is in a coma with an arm missing. Soon, the media are talking about the whole thing, about how four teenagers who didn’t seem to know each other got into this car and how Lewis may have given them drugs, which is false. Evan decides to investigate to know the truth…
Honestly, I loved everything about it. I loved Evan and how strong she was. I loved how she had two loving parents who actually listened to her and made her feel good, who trusted her. I loved that she was bi and that… it was it – she is bi, she doesn’t have to explain herself or to prove it and it’s a-ok. I loved that it actually was diverse, and that others characters were gay and didn’t have to prove it either – no sexualities were assumed in this book (meaning that it wasn’t because a character was a boy that he had a girlfriend, and if he had a boyfriend indeed it wasn’t shown as if something were off or as if it had to be explained, because heterosexuality isn’t the norm and the world is diverse and beautiful that way). The whole book wasn’t about sexualities – it was about the real world, real teenagers, and it was just perfect. I loved how music was such an important part of the story, and how family was too. I loved that it shows us some glimpses of friendship, of how we try to take care of others, how we can blame ourselves sometimes when we shouldn’t. I loved that it also dealt with the fact that teenagers have sex and that it’s okay. I loved that it said that teenagers are never taken seriously and that adults sometimes put too much pressure on them, that they are expecting too much from them.
At first, I thought about giving it only 4 stars but the end convinced to give it 5 because for once we had a beautiful message about mental illnesses, and something sad but also full of hope. It’s so different from everything that I have read…
The beautiful thing with We Are Young is how devastating but yet hopeful it is. I read tons of books about mental illnesses and about suicide because I suffer from a mental disorder and attempted suicide five years ago. Never one truly moved me, and most of them just made me feel bad. However, this book was different. It felt real. It showed under how much pressure teenagers are today, how people don’t take mental illnesses seriously because “we are young”, how people don’t take teenagers seriously at all and how suicide should be talked about because there are too many people out there suffering and keeping it quiet. This book made me feel better. For once I didn’t feel ashamed for attempting to kill myself. I wasn’t okay, I felt helpless and I can’t be judged for that. Yes, I was young. I was only 17. But I was still in a lot of pain and I tried and it’s okay. It doesn’t mean that I am selfish or weak. And even though I am still suffering today, even though I still have bad days, I know that there is hope and that I can still try to fight against it. And that’s what this book taught me.
This review isn’t really well made but that’s how I feel about it, and how much it taught me. I believe that We Are Young is a believe novel that should be talked about because it is so important. At least, it is to me.
TW/ death, violence, suicide, explicit language
“They call us lazy, irresponsible, dangerous, ungrateful.
You hardly ever see positive stories about teenagers. There’s the odd sporting or academic triumph, or a tragic battle with cancer. They only like us when we are excelling, or dying. No one’s interested in the between.”
I can’t express properly how glad I am to have read this book. I started it not expecting much, and I left it changed, touched, moved even. It gave me something, and I can’t thank Cat Clarke enough for it.
I have only read Girlhood from her, yet I can say that We Are Young is her best work so far. It was so mature, pure and rough at the same time. It was everything I wanted in such a heartbreaking novel… I feel as if I am trying too hard here, but it truly is how I feel about it.
It begins with a crash…
Evan is a 17 years old stubborn and loving teenager. She is part of a band with her two exes and lives fully, isn’t scared to show who she is. When her mom marries Tim, a radio host, she doesn’t know how to feel, or even how to feel towards her dad who had a drinking problem. Things get complicated when Tim’s son, Lewis, is the only survivor of a car crash and is in a coma with an arm missing. Soon, the media are talking about the whole thing, about how four teenagers who didn’t seem to know each other got into this car and how Lewis may have given them drugs, which is false. Evan decides to investigate to know the truth…
“Sometimes we’ll make mistakes. Arguments will be won and lost, tears will be shed and sorries will be said. But we will make it work. Even though.”
Honestly, I loved everything about it. I loved Evan and how strong she was. I loved how she had two loving parents who actually listened to her and made her feel good, who trusted her. I loved that she was bi and that… it was it – she is bi, she doesn’t have to explain herself or to prove it and it’s a-ok. I loved that it actually was diverse, and that others characters were gay and didn’t have to prove it either – no sexualities were assumed in this book (meaning that it wasn’t because a character was a boy that he had a girlfriend, and if he had a boyfriend indeed it wasn’t shown as if something were off or as if it had to be explained, because heterosexuality isn’t the norm and the world is diverse and beautiful that way). The whole book wasn’t about sexualities – it was about the real world, real teenagers, and it was just perfect. I loved how music was such an important part of the story, and how family was too. I loved that it shows us some glimpses of friendship, of how we try to take care of others, how we can blame ourselves sometimes when we shouldn’t. I loved that it also dealt with the fact that teenagers have sex and that it’s okay. I loved that it said that teenagers are never taken seriously and that adults sometimes put too much pressure on them, that they are expecting too much from them.
“Maybe if people woke up and realized that being a teenager is actually pretty fucking hard and it’s because we’re always on our phones or don’t know the meaning of hard work or any of those other bullshit things that people say.
At first, I thought about giving it only 4 stars but the end convinced to give it 5 because for once we had a beautiful message about mental illnesses, and something sad but also full of hope. It’s so different from everything that I have read…
The beautiful thing with We Are Young is how devastating but yet hopeful it is. I read tons of books about mental illnesses and about suicide because I suffer from a mental disorder and attempted suicide five years ago. Never one truly moved me, and most of them just made me feel bad. However, this book was different. It felt real. It showed under how much pressure teenagers are today, how people don’t take mental illnesses seriously because “we are young”, how people don’t take teenagers seriously at all and how suicide should be talked about because there are too many people out there suffering and keeping it quiet. This book made me feel better. For once I didn’t feel ashamed for attempting to kill myself. I wasn’t okay, I felt helpless and I can’t be judged for that. Yes, I was young. I was only 17. But I was still in a lot of pain and I tried and it’s okay. It doesn’t mean that I am selfish or weak. And even though I am still suffering today, even though I still have bad days, I know that there is hope and that I can still try to fight against it. And that’s what this book taught me.
This review isn’t really well made but that’s how I feel about it, and how much it taught me. I believe that We Are Young is a believe novel that should be talked about because it is so important. At least, it is to me.
“But it’s also for the rest of us. For anyone who’s ever felt voiceless and hopeless. Because we do have a voice, and there is hope. Even – maybe even especially – when it doesn’t feel that way.”
June 20, 2018
2.5 out of 5 stars!
T/W: Suicide, Self-Harm, Domestic Violence, Mentions of Eating Disorders, Mentions of Suicide Attempts
I've read a few books by this author in the past and personally have had mixed fortunes with them. Sadly for me, We Are Young was too graphic and triggering a plotline for me to fully take in and connect with the characters. Evan witnesses her Mum remarrying a man that works as a local DJ. During their wedding reception, a phone call comes in. Evan's new stepfather's son from a previously marriage has been in a severe car crash and left in a coma. All of the passengers have been pronounced dead. During this time, relationships between the new family start to fail as Evan's desire grows to find out what truly happened to Lewis and his friends. Evan also confides in her Dad, as the community is still in shock over the incident.
The storyline did have good pacing to it, the action starting straight away. My copy of the book did have helpline numbers in the back which I appreciated. It was hard-hitting but by far, a lot more graphic than I realised it was going to be. Please bare this in mind before you start reading, I had to physically stop a few times because the descriptions surrounding the car crash incident and breakdown of relationships was hard for me to digest.
T/W: Suicide, Self-Harm, Domestic Violence, Mentions of Eating Disorders, Mentions of Suicide Attempts
I've read a few books by this author in the past and personally have had mixed fortunes with them. Sadly for me, We Are Young was too graphic and triggering a plotline for me to fully take in and connect with the characters. Evan witnesses her Mum remarrying a man that works as a local DJ. During their wedding reception, a phone call comes in. Evan's new stepfather's son from a previously marriage has been in a severe car crash and left in a coma. All of the passengers have been pronounced dead. During this time, relationships between the new family start to fail as Evan's desire grows to find out what truly happened to Lewis and his friends. Evan also confides in her Dad, as the community is still in shock over the incident.
The storyline did have good pacing to it, the action starting straight away. My copy of the book did have helpline numbers in the back which I appreciated. It was hard-hitting but by far, a lot more graphic than I realised it was going to be. Please bare this in mind before you start reading, I had to physically stop a few times because the descriptions surrounding the car crash incident and breakdown of relationships was hard for me to digest.
January 17, 2019
Woooow, je ne m’attendais pas à ça ! Ça commence bien, tu te dis chouette un petit thriller émotionnel YA. Le début est un peu lent et d’un coup BIM, sans comprendre comment ou pourquoi, tu te retrouves à tourner les pages parce que tu as besoin de réponses ! Et surtout, tu abordes des sujets super importants et c’est infiniment poignant. Bref, une superbe lecture que je recommande ! (Attention par contre, les sujets abordés ne sont pas toujours faciles)
January 20, 2019
Un livre qui m'aura tenu en haleine jusqu'au bout ! De plus, il véhicule des messages forts et je vous conseille vraiment de le lire 😮
April 23, 2018
We Are Young is a book that once I started I could not put down so I ended up finishing it at 1am. This is without a doubt one of Cat Clarke's best books to date. I'd highly recommend this book to every young person living with mental illness in today's society.
January 20, 2019
Je pense être encore un peu sonnée. Les premières pages (une centaine) se lisaient bien mais ce n’était pas « extraordinaire » non plus. Puis, sans m’en rendre compte, je lis sans voir les pages défiler. C’est venu d’un seul coup et j’étais totalement.. « obsédée » par la quête de vérité.
Ce roman traite d’un sujet sensible, et le traite admirablement bien. L’auteur met des mots sur des émotions, des maladies, qui touchent directement les adolescents et ce que j’ai le « plus » aimé et qu’à la fin de son roman, l’auteure fait une liste de différents services pouvant aider les personnes ayant des pensées suicidaires, des personnes dans le besoin tout simplement.
Ce roman est criant de vérité, une vérité foudroyante, très brute mais il y a de l’espoir. Et c’est la bonne dose, celle qu’il faut.
Pour moi c’est un gros coup de cœur, je pense que ce roman fait ouvrir les yeux et nous pousse à nous remettre en question.
Ce roman traite d’un sujet sensible, et le traite admirablement bien. L’auteur met des mots sur des émotions, des maladies, qui touchent directement les adolescents et ce que j’ai le « plus » aimé et qu’à la fin de son roman, l’auteure fait une liste de différents services pouvant aider les personnes ayant des pensées suicidaires, des personnes dans le besoin tout simplement.
Ce roman est criant de vérité, une vérité foudroyante, très brute mais il y a de l’espoir. Et c’est la bonne dose, celle qu’il faut.
Pour moi c’est un gros coup de cœur, je pense que ce roman fait ouvrir les yeux et nous pousse à nous remettre en question.
May 29, 2019
You know what, I’ve really decided I like thriller/mystery books so much!
They’re just perfect to read quickly with all that adrenaline & great to accompany my fantasy addiction 😝
And I liked this one because it was new, it wasn’t about murder. It still had some seriously dark, messed up stuff in it though *cough* Tim *cough* it was interesting because it was about a real-life thing that’s devastating & yeah, sometimes it got a bit preachy but it was alright.
And a great family dynamic *cough* apart from Tim *cough* Evan’s mum was so sweet! And Billy was definitely my favourite character, Evan’s such a good big sis to him!
They’re just perfect to read quickly with all that adrenaline & great to accompany my fantasy addiction 😝
And I liked this one because it was new, it wasn’t about murder. It still had some seriously dark, messed up stuff in it though *cough* Tim *cough* it was interesting because it was about a real-life thing that’s devastating & yeah, sometimes it got a bit preachy but it was alright.
And a great family dynamic *cough* apart from Tim *cough* Evan’s mum was so sweet! And Billy was definitely my favourite character, Evan’s such a good big sis to him!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2019
Trigger Warnings: abuse, suicide, depression, alcoholism
Representation: Gay, M/M, African-American, sapphic, lesbian, bisexual, disability
Actual Rating: 3.5
Cat Clarke captures the feeling of powerlessness teenagers know all too well.
This is the second book by Cat Clarke I have read. I read Girlhood a couple of months ago. I liked it but was very disappointed and angered by the ending but hey, that happens sometimes. I liked it enough to be interested in what else Cat Clarke has to offer, though, and I wasn't disappointed this time.
Cat Clarke understands teenagers. That much was clear when I read Girlhood and it was proven once again in We Are Young. She gets that teenagers do dumb shit, how lost they feel, how desperate. She gets that the friendships teenagers have, often feel like lifelines keeping them tethered to this world.
But what happens when that isn't enough? What happens when accidents happen? And what happens when it was never really an accident?
Representation: Gay, M/M, African-American, sapphic, lesbian, bisexual, disability
Actual Rating: 3.5
Cat Clarke captures the feeling of powerlessness teenagers know all too well.
It's much harder to prove something isn't true than imply that it is.
This is the second book by Cat Clarke I have read. I read Girlhood a couple of months ago. I liked it but was very disappointed and angered by the ending but hey, that happens sometimes. I liked it enough to be interested in what else Cat Clarke has to offer, though, and I wasn't disappointed this time.
Cat Clarke understands teenagers. That much was clear when I read Girlhood and it was proven once again in We Are Young. She gets that teenagers do dumb shit, how lost they feel, how desperate. She gets that the friendships teenagers have, often feel like lifelines keeping them tethered to this world.
But what happens when that isn't enough? What happens when accidents happen? And what happens when it was never really an accident?
Sometimes we'll make mistakes. Arguments will be won and lost, tears will be shed and sorries will be said. But we will make it work.
We Are Young follows Evan as she searches for answers after her new stepbrother, Lewis, is in a car accident with three other teenagers he should never have had any association with. A car accident where Lewis is the only survivor.
Evan tries to balance life as a teenager, as a friend, daughter, and sister all while investigating the car accident alongside the journalist father she had long since dropped from her life.The truth is we have no idea what anyone else is going through, no matter how close we are to them. You can never really know. That's the problem.
All you can do is hold your loved ones close. And hope.
This book touches on some really tough subjects; it talks about depression, suicide, alcoholism, and abuse. It's easy to mishandle those types of topics and I would be lying if I said I hadn't been worried that was what was going to happen here but I needn't have because Clarke handled them all with sensitively and realistically.
She also did a great job at giving us complex characters, who for the most part, are incredibly lovable even though they get things wrong. The characters that stood out the most for me were Lewis and Evan's father, Harry. I wanted to hate Harry, I really did but he made it so goddamn hard to. And Lewis was so much more complicated and complex and interesting than I thought he would be, to begin with.
We Are Young looks at the way we as a society treat mental illness, especially among teenagers and challenges it. It shows how appearances are often wrong and that being kind to each other is so, so important especially when you're young As hard as it is to see sometimes, everyone around you is hurting and sometimes all it takes is some kind words and a shoulder to cry on to keep someone here.
I'm reading the article for the third time when it dawns on me that they hate us. The media. It's the only explanation for the way they talk about us. They don't understand us, and they hate us for it.
They call us lazy, irresponsible, dangerous, ungrateful.
You hardly ever see positive stories about teenagers. There's the odd sporting or academic triumph, or a tragic battle with cancer. They only like us when we're excelling, or dying. No one's interested in the in-between.
—
I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
___
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October 10, 2023
2.5*
This was fine, though not something I'd ever reread or honestly think about again. I really appreciated the bi representation, mental health aspect and dialogue around suicide. I felt like the "mystery" aspect regarding these topics wasn't really necessary though. This is definitely not a thriller as it is labeled under. The short chapters were a bonus and kept me engrossed to find out what happened to all the characters. Clarke certainly did a good job of making me hate "Breakfast Tim". I liked Evan and Harry's relationship, as well as her relationship with her younger brother, Billy. The family aspect was well done. It did feel a bit rushed at the end though.
This was fine, though not something I'd ever reread or honestly think about again. I really appreciated the bi representation, mental health aspect and dialogue around suicide. I felt like the "mystery" aspect regarding these topics wasn't really necessary though. This is definitely not a thriller as it is labeled under. The short chapters were a bonus and kept me engrossed to find out what happened to all the characters. Clarke certainly did a good job of making me hate "Breakfast Tim". I liked Evan and Harry's relationship, as well as her relationship with her younger brother, Billy. The family aspect was well done. It did feel a bit rushed at the end though.
May 3, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Evan’s mother marries the local radio DJ, ‘Breakfast Tim’, and on the same day, they get a call that her brand new step-brother is the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. A media frenzy starts and blame is placed on her step-brother Lewis – a stoner with no friends. Everyone thinks the crash was drugs-related, except Evan. Things don’t quite add up. So with the help of her journalist and recovering alcoholic father, she sets out to find out what really happened that night.
I read my first Cat Clarke book last year, which was Girlhood, and I adored it. So when I heard that another Cat Clarke book was to be released this year I was super excited, and We Are Young did not disappoint.
We Are Young is an outstanding contemporary novel. It featured a lot of heavy but important topics such as death, suicide, mental health, alcoholism, drugs, dangers from unprotected sex, emotional abuse, etc. So, while the cover makes the story appear lighthearted and fun – and while it does have it’s moments – it really is a darker story. A story about finding your way through bad times. The main focus of We Are Young was mental health in young adults. It didn’t romanticise depression or bipolar but it highlighted the dangers of not seeking help, or not having any support network.
We Are Young was pretty exceptional in the way that it had a heavy mystery aspect but also did have some pretty awesome character arcs with some really great development. Equally plot and character driven. I especially loved Evan, our foul-mouthed, fierce, determined, but kind protagonist. There were also some really great themes of friendship and I loved Evan and her dynamics with her two exes, Sid and Daze. I especially loved Evans relationship with her father, mother, and brother and her step-brother.
There was a little bit of romance, Evan is bisexual and her LI, Daze, is a lesbian, but it wasn’t at the forefront at all and it was very slow burn. It was sort of a lovers-to-friends-to-lovers kind of thing and I really loved it.
We Are Young is a raw, angry, and unflinchingly honest book about the lack of support for people with mental health problems. It’s a call to arms for more mental health support programmes for young adults. Overall, We Are Young is a powerful and gripping novel that I highly recommend.
Evan’s mother marries the local radio DJ, ‘Breakfast Tim’, and on the same day, they get a call that her brand new step-brother is the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. A media frenzy starts and blame is placed on her step-brother Lewis – a stoner with no friends. Everyone thinks the crash was drugs-related, except Evan. Things don’t quite add up. So with the help of her journalist and recovering alcoholic father, she sets out to find out what really happened that night.
I read my first Cat Clarke book last year, which was Girlhood, and I adored it. So when I heard that another Cat Clarke book was to be released this year I was super excited, and We Are Young did not disappoint.
We Are Young is an outstanding contemporary novel. It featured a lot of heavy but important topics such as death, suicide, mental health, alcoholism, drugs, dangers from unprotected sex, emotional abuse, etc. So, while the cover makes the story appear lighthearted and fun – and while it does have it’s moments – it really is a darker story. A story about finding your way through bad times. The main focus of We Are Young was mental health in young adults. It didn’t romanticise depression or bipolar but it highlighted the dangers of not seeking help, or not having any support network.
We Are Young was pretty exceptional in the way that it had a heavy mystery aspect but also did have some pretty awesome character arcs with some really great development. Equally plot and character driven. I especially loved Evan, our foul-mouthed, fierce, determined, but kind protagonist. There were also some really great themes of friendship and I loved Evan and her dynamics with her two exes, Sid and Daze. I especially loved Evans relationship with her father, mother, and brother and her step-brother.
There was a little bit of romance, Evan is bisexual and her LI, Daze, is a lesbian, but it wasn’t at the forefront at all and it was very slow burn. It was sort of a lovers-to-friends-to-lovers kind of thing and I really loved it.
We Are Young is a raw, angry, and unflinchingly honest book about the lack of support for people with mental health problems. It’s a call to arms for more mental health support programmes for young adults. Overall, We Are Young is a powerful and gripping novel that I highly recommend.
March 8, 2019
Trop prévisible, c'est dommage. L'histoire est un peu longue à démarrer aussi, malgré un thème intéressant et très bien traité - comme toujours avec Cat Clarke. Par contre, je n'ai pas aimé Evan. J'aurais aimé avoir des chapitres du POV de Lewis, ou des flashbacks.
Loin d'être le meilleur de l'autrice, alors qu'il commençait pourtant très, très, très bien.
Loin d'être le meilleur de l'autrice, alors qu'il commençait pourtant très, très, très bien.
January 26, 2019
Que c’était beau. Puissant. Douloureux. J’aurais aimé plus de profondeur et de développement à la fin parce que le sujet me touchait beaucoup et du coup la première partie était un peu trop longue et prévisible ...
Mais j’ai adoré les personnages et l’écriture toujours juste de Cat Clarke.
Mais j’ai adoré les personnages et l’écriture toujours juste de Cat Clarke.
July 30, 2019
Such a quick and addictive read ! I really loved it !
May 23, 2022
Book was okay, easy read and interesting message. I enjoyed the fact it is meant to spread awareness!
May 3, 2024
DNF like 30-40%
I honestly had no idea who each character was tbh 💀
I honestly had no idea who each character was tbh 💀
May 4, 2018
"We are old
They say that we shouldn't cry
We are young
They say that we're too young to die"
4.5/5 stars
Reminiscent but not derivative of contemporary YA novels like The Hanging Girl and Genuine Fraud, We Are Young is a gutsy, compelling read that hooks you in and refuses to let go. With well-developed characters and conflicts that feel close to home regardless of your own experiences, Cat Clarke's new novel was a pleasant surprise.
We Are Young's emotional suspense is infused with startling intimacy, marrying an intriguing car crash mystery with an introspective domestic drama. For Evan Page, the achingly relatable protagonist, there's no conflict between the two: it's her newly minted, unsociable half-brother Lewis who's the sole survivor of the crash. With Lewis in a coma, it's up to Evan to dig up the truth--the entire nasty, shocking truth.
The mystery side of the novel doesn't disappoint. Red flags and textual clues gave me solid suspicions of how it would all pan out, but what actually happens is much better. We Are Young refuses to devolve into a cheap crime whodunit where the protagonist foils the villain at the eleventh hour; it's much more nuanced than that. In retrospect, the answer to what happened that night shouldn't be as shocking as it was for me, but maybe that's part of the problem: that we in general are still unable to fully grasp that something like this could happen.
Clarke doesn't leave it there, either; she has so many relevant things to say about contemporary issues affecting adolescents that are frequently brushed under the rug, from mental health to family pressures. She covers an impressive amount of ground in a relatively short novel, making every page count. It's the same good use of words that makes We Are Young hard to put down.
On the personal side of things, inter-character dynamics are splendidly written. In essence, this is an author who gets how people work. The unconventional trio of Evan, Daze and Sid (unconventional mainly because Daze and Sid are Evan's exes and best friends) are already head and shoulders more positive than most YA portrayals of friendships in its frank integrity, both in its faithfulness to real life friendships and the actual trust that defines it. This isn't a group who play games with each other, and they don't need grand gestures to show their love.
Conversely, the disquieting strain present in Evan's family is a fine portrayal of a situation that appears plenty in our world. Traditionally, there haven't been nearly enough YA novels focusing on the relationships between characters and their parents, not to mention divorced parents. After all, dead parents have long been a staple in YA fiction and don't look likely to go away anytime soon. But We Are Young doesn't shy away from tackling its fractured household head-on, providing a gritty and oftentimes painful family narrative that's every bit as important as the awaiting mystery.
In addition, Evan's sexuality is handled adroitly, written to be no more and no less than one part out of many comprising her personality. She's bisexual and nobody makes a big deal out of this, because it isn't a big deal. We Are Young is also one of those rare or nearly nonexistent YA books that explores its main character's sexuality without involving romance. While there's a time and place for romance, it was largely a wise choice not to force it into a book that aimed to put a spotlight on so many other pressing issues.
There are many, many characters who appear briefly throughout We Are Young and are later referred to again. Sometimes it's easy to get confused or forget who someone is, but it doesn't take much time to go back and find their first mention. None of the characters are wasted; practically everyone who appears feels like a complete person while still fulfilling a role in the story.
Timely, perceptive and emotionally mature, We Are Young is not to be missed.
*Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley for providing a review copy of this book! All opinions represented remain my own.*
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March 8, 2023
Ce livre est au dessus du 3 étoiles, mais je ne pouvais pas non plus le ranger aux côtés des 4 étoiles. C'est pourquoi il est 3,5 à mes yeux :)
J'ai au début été un peu dubitative. Ce livre est un thriller émotionnel et je n'ai réussi à ressentir ni l'un ni l'autre. Le côté thriller était assez présent mais il ne me motivait pas du tout, j'étais presque désintéressée de ce qu'il se passait, comme si je regardai un simple fait divers dont les tenants et les aboutissants ne seraient pas très importants. J'aimais bien les personnages mais ils me semblaient assez plats, avec un trait de personnalité par personnage. Ce n'était pas parti pour être une mauvaise lecture, mais plutôt un livre sans grand intérêt que j'aurais apprécié lire sans que ce soit exceptionnel.
Pourtant, à la moitié du livre, un retournement de situation en rapport avec un personnage m'a totalement fait changer mon avis. J'ai soudain compris toute l'ampleur du problème et j'ai surtout compris les personnages. A partir de là, j'ai adoré. Les retournements de situation n'était pas si exceptionnels et pourtant je n'ai pas pu lâcher l'histoire avant d'en arriver à la fin.
La relation entre Harry et Evan olala tellement intéressante ! Et Eva et Daze aussi waw j'adore. Tout était super bien mené, il n'y avait plus de moments de creux ou alors très courts et c'était vraiment très intéressant. L'enjeu n'était toujours pas énorme, on voulait juste comprendre. Je ne le qualifierai pas de thriller pour autant. Je dirai que c'est un contemporain avec un peu de policier ? Je ne sais pas trop.
En tout cas c'était une très bonne lecture que je recommande (et même si le début est un peu long il n'est pas forcément ennuyeux pour autant et la suite vaut le coup !
J'ai au début été un peu dubitative. Ce livre est un thriller émotionnel et je n'ai réussi à ressentir ni l'un ni l'autre. Le côté thriller était assez présent mais il ne me motivait pas du tout, j'étais presque désintéressée de ce qu'il se passait, comme si je regardai un simple fait divers dont les tenants et les aboutissants ne seraient pas très importants. J'aimais bien les personnages mais ils me semblaient assez plats, avec un trait de personnalité par personnage. Ce n'était pas parti pour être une mauvaise lecture, mais plutôt un livre sans grand intérêt que j'aurais apprécié lire sans que ce soit exceptionnel.
Pourtant, à la moitié du livre, un retournement de situation en rapport avec un personnage m'a totalement fait changer mon avis. J'ai soudain compris toute l'ampleur du problème et j'ai surtout compris les personnages. A partir de là, j'ai adoré. Les retournements de situation n'était pas si exceptionnels et pourtant je n'ai pas pu lâcher l'histoire avant d'en arriver à la fin.
La relation entre Harry et Evan olala tellement intéressante ! Et Eva et Daze aussi waw j'adore. Tout était super bien mené, il n'y avait plus de moments de creux ou alors très courts et c'était vraiment très intéressant. L'enjeu n'était toujours pas énorme, on voulait juste comprendre. Je ne le qualifierai pas de thriller pour autant. Je dirai que c'est un contemporain avec un peu de policier ? Je ne sais pas trop.
En tout cas c'était une très bonne lecture que je recommande (et même si le début est un peu long il n'est pas forcément ennuyeux pour autant et la suite vaut le coup !
May 19, 2018
Another Cat Clarke success, but at a heavy cost. It’ll put you through the full range of emotions, but the messages are so important to be heard.
When Evan’s mum marries new partner Tim it should be a happy moment. But on the same night his son, Lewis, is involved in a car accident.
Three teens die and Lewis is in a coma. Rumours about the crash are rife, and people are curious about why four people who don’t know each other were together.
With the help of friends, her father and a bit of luck, Evan decides to pursue the truth behind the rumours and find out what really happened. Along the way she has some issues of her own to deal with, and gets to expose her new step-father’s controlling behaviour before things get too bad.
There’s a lot going on, and there were times everything felt rather too easily resolved. That aside, there’s definitely plenty to think about here.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my thoughts.
When Evan’s mum marries new partner Tim it should be a happy moment. But on the same night his son, Lewis, is involved in a car accident.
Three teens die and Lewis is in a coma. Rumours about the crash are rife, and people are curious about why four people who don’t know each other were together.
With the help of friends, her father and a bit of luck, Evan decides to pursue the truth behind the rumours and find out what really happened. Along the way she has some issues of her own to deal with, and gets to expose her new step-father’s controlling behaviour before things get too bad.
There’s a lot going on, and there were times everything felt rather too easily resolved. That aside, there’s definitely plenty to think about here.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my thoughts.
March 6, 2018
When Evan and Billy attend their mum's wedding to Tim, they never expect the night to go how it does.
The evening turns sour when their new stepbrother, Lewis has been in a car crash with strangers and is in intensive care. What's even more strange is that Lewis doesn't ever hang out with anyone else so just who died?
This is a gripping book with mystery being the heart of the story as Evan tries to piece together just why the crash involved all people she knew and just what they were doing together. Evan is a likeable character and also a realistic teenager dealing with sex and relationships alike most teens do along with new step parents to deal with as well. There are references to drugs and suicide raising awareness of how they can go unnoticed but not without consequence.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
The evening turns sour when their new stepbrother, Lewis has been in a car crash with strangers and is in intensive care. What's even more strange is that Lewis doesn't ever hang out with anyone else so just who died?
This is a gripping book with mystery being the heart of the story as Evan tries to piece together just why the crash involved all people she knew and just what they were doing together. Evan is a likeable character and also a realistic teenager dealing with sex and relationships alike most teens do along with new step parents to deal with as well. There are references to drugs and suicide raising awareness of how they can go unnoticed but not without consequence.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
January 29, 2023
4.2/5 ⭐️
I knew this was going to be right up my street as I love mystery/thriller novels. The setting up of the car crash offers up your typical, ‘who dunnit’ questions, but i was refreshed to find that it wasn’t about a murder at all but steered towards the mental health side of things and how it can drive you to the edge.
The themes of suicide, family issues and eating disorders i felt were dealt with very sensibly in this book and it was refreshing to see a book talk about such themes like this without over exaggerating or downplaying them.
Also Tim is the worst cretan ever, so glad he got what he deserved.
I knew this was going to be right up my street as I love mystery/thriller novels. The setting up of the car crash offers up your typical, ‘who dunnit’ questions, but i was refreshed to find that it wasn’t about a murder at all but steered towards the mental health side of things and how it can drive you to the edge.
The themes of suicide, family issues and eating disorders i felt were dealt with very sensibly in this book and it was refreshing to see a book talk about such themes like this without over exaggerating or downplaying them.
Also Tim is the worst cretan ever, so glad he got what he deserved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2018
I really loved the story of this, and Cat Clarke still blows me away with her writing. Such an important message, done in such a wonderful way 💕
June 12, 2018
One of the best books I’ve read in 30 years. I know I will regret staying up this late to complete it in one sitting, but, no, actually, no regrets.
June 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this one! Full review to come soon on the blog!
April 8, 2018
I'm quite confident that I'm one of Cat Clarke's biggest fans. And this book is her best yet. I was so IN it for the best part of 3 days; trying not to gobble it all up at once, but finding myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Important themes covered, wonderful diversity, and a genuinely brilliant story. *Review to come on almostamazinggrace.co.uk*
October 27, 2022
3.5⭐️
May 13, 2018
I've come to expect great things from Cat Clarke and she has yet to disappoint. This is a highly readable book and I would recommend it to any reader looking for a contemporary mystery with strong family themes.
June 6, 2018
"The truth is we have no idea what anyone else is going though,no matter how close we are to them.You can never really know.That's the problem.
All you can do is hold your loved ones close. And hope."
CW: death,mentions of suicide&suicidal thoughts,depression,bipolar disorder,emotional abuse
3.5/5 (???)
I find it a little bit hard to rate this book because as far as I was concerned,it really walked that fine line between using mental illness related issues as a plot device and trying to portray the way mental illness can often go unrecognised and therefore come as a shock to those outside. I had a look through quite a few other reviews and saw nobody seemed to feel the same way about it so it might be me feeling a little touchy about it,but I thought I would mention it nevertheless.
Besides that,I thought Cat Clarke had a very complex story to tell and for the most part did so artfully.Her writing style is very powerful and most certainly packs a punch.I thought the way she managed to display the way people contain multitudes was very well executed and I was impressed by the way she made it so clear that people (&therefore characters) are more complex than meets the eye. Her characters all felt like well rounded,realistic people with highs and lows.The way she pushed the importance of mental health as well as the way it affects teens specifically and often goes unnoticed was outstanding.
Overall,this novel was rather good and I truly appreciated the messages it was trying to send.I look forward to reading anything else that Cat Clarke puts out in the future.
All you can do is hold your loved ones close. And hope."
CW: death,mentions of suicide&suicidal thoughts,depression,bipolar disorder,emotional abuse
3.5/5 (???)
I find it a little bit hard to rate this book because as far as I was concerned,it really walked that fine line between using mental illness related issues as a plot device and trying to portray the way mental illness can often go unrecognised and therefore come as a shock to those outside. I had a look through quite a few other reviews and saw nobody seemed to feel the same way about it so it might be me feeling a little touchy about it,but I thought I would mention it nevertheless.
Besides that,I thought Cat Clarke had a very complex story to tell and for the most part did so artfully.Her writing style is very powerful and most certainly packs a punch.I thought the way she managed to display the way people contain multitudes was very well executed and I was impressed by the way she made it so clear that people (&therefore characters) are more complex than meets the eye. Her characters all felt like well rounded,realistic people with highs and lows.The way she pushed the importance of mental health as well as the way it affects teens specifically and often goes unnoticed was outstanding.
Overall,this novel was rather good and I truly appreciated the messages it was trying to send.I look forward to reading anything else that Cat Clarke puts out in the future.
January 10, 2019
Absolutely adored this, probably my favourite Cat Clarke book I've ever read. I didn't see the ending coming at all and I just thought the writing was phenomenal. Genuinely don't have a negative thing to say about it, just read it.
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