Karen Joy Fowler

Coming of age in middle America, 18-year-old Rosemary evaluates how her entire youth was defined by the presence and forced removal of an endearing chimpanzee who was secretly regarded as a family member and who Rosemary loved as a sister. By the best-selling author of The Jane Austen Book Club.

We are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014 The Million Copy Best-Seller Rosemary's young, just at college, and she's decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. So we're not going to tell you too much either: you'll have to find out for yourselves, round about page 77, what it is that makes her unhappy family unlike any other. Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone - vanished from her life. There's something unique about Rosemary's sister, Fern. And it was this decision, made by her parents, to give Rosemary a sister like no other, that began all of Rosemary's trouble. So now she's telling her story: full of hilarious asides and brilliantly spiky lines, it's a looping narrative that begins towards the end, and then goes back to the beginning. Twice. It's funny, clever, intimate, honest, analytical and swirling with ideas that will come back to bite you. We hope you enjoy it, and if, when you're telling a friend about it, you do decide to spill the beans about Fern - it's pretty hard to resist - don't worry. One of the few studies Rosemary doesn't quote says that spoilers actually enhance reading.

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Melissa Palmer

Book #11 Read in 2015
We are Completely Besides Ourselves--Karen Joy Fowler

Rosemary grew up with a brother and sister...the sister just happened to be a chimp being raised in a human household. This non-traditional upbringing shapes the rest of Rosemary's life and causes her brother to go down a wrong path. It was an interesting read with interesting characters. They were complex and deep. The writing flowed and kept me engaged. I enjoy this read, but loved the author's book The Jane Austen Book Club.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

Jeff James

This review originally appeared at Full of Words.

Karen Joy Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is a family saga with a twist. Unfortunately, the marketing and summaries of the book don’t try very hard to hide that twist, so if you somehow manage to read the book without knowing it, I am very impressed.

The good news is that I knew the twist and it didn’t ruin the book for me, but I do wish I could have experienced it completely fresh. The bad news is that the fact I even mentioned that there was a twist is probably telling you more than you should know.

Fowler is an interesting author. Her early works and short stories are best described as “slipstream” or “magical realism”, but she’s most well-known for The Jane Austen Book Club, a bestseller later adapted into a movie. Nothing fantastical happens in that book or in her newest novel, but as I read them, my awareness of her history as a fantasist was always at the back of my mind.

Even when Fowler’s books are technically realistic, they seem to hover on the edge of the strange. Reality is thin wherever she turns her gaze, even if it’s only upon an overly personal discussion of the complete Austen. That sense of oddness is probably why I’m drawn to her books, regardless of the subject.

Rosemary, the narrator of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, is weird and broken and compelling in a million different ways. She barrels through life, trying to run from her past and her family, but never quite escapes from her many failures and disappointments. She’s an unreliable narrator disappointed by her inability to pin down the truth.

The problem is that she can’t actually remember what happened between her and her sister when they were young, but she knows that it broke her family apart, and isn’t that almost the same thing? Over the course of the novel, Rosemary unpacks her past, dancing towards truth and only veering away when she realizes that her own biases and imaginings have become more authoritative than factual.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is quietly devastating, but it’s also funny and strange and next door to the unreal. Reading it made me misty-eyed more than once, and I always consider that a point in favor of a book. I absolutely loved it.

Full disclosure: Although I received a free review copy of this book from Net Galley, I actually listened to the audiobook.

Amy Thibodeau

This book broke me open. It's about love and commitment and family and all the ways we hurt each other and ourselves and then work to make things right again. It's about how connected we all are to everything in the world no matter how badly we smash things up. This book made me weep and despair and then filled my heart up with hope. I loved it.

John Elbing

I got hooked, love the style and structure(starting in the middle). Somewhat reminded me of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (that I also loved). 
To not spoil it for the few who don't know what it's about, I won't say too much. But even if you do know the subject, it's not that simple. The one that is influenced is not who you think.

A Novel

Phil James

I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more if it hadn't been the audio version. Personally I didn't get on with the voice at all. A dreary monotone most of the time.

Irene Alegre

What can I say without saying much.


This book is about family, and what conforms a family
This book is about being awkward and not fitting in.
This book is about the choices we make, and how they affect our life.
This book is also about the choices we make, and how they affect other people’s lives.
This book is about being human, or just being
This book is about memory, and the tricks of the mind
This book is about love, most of all.
And this book is also about regret.

This is the story of three siblings -Lowell, Fern and Rosemary- who grew up together as children but somehow lost touch as adults. And it is Rosemary, the youngest of the three, the one in charge of their story. A narration that begins in the middle of things, goes to the beginning and then back to the end, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is a beautiful, well-observed depiction of family matters and the importance of being honest with yourself.

This book didn’t blow my mind, because having my mind blown –now that’s a strange phrase I just pulled- is getting harder and harder these days. But it didn’t leave me indifferent either, and that’s a very good sign. It left a mark. I even cried when I read the ending for the second time –I did that because I was feeling bad and soul-less, because everyone on Goodreads was saying how it makes everybody cry at the end, and if you didn’t cry you were soul-less, so I gave the ending another chance and cried. A little bit. So now I’m positive that I have a soul, even if not a very sensitive one-. We are all completely beside ourselves had me talking about the book to my family, friends, co-workers, random strangers (one of these is a lie). I spoiled it for everyone because I knew about the twist even before starting the book (I guess I read about it somewhere) but I didn’t know it was the twist because it comes up so early in the novel, so I thought there would be another twist, but there isn’t. That’s the twist. I want to think it really doesn’t matter that I told everyone about the twist, but what do I know. Hopefully by the time they read the book –if they read the book- they will have forgotten about it?

What can I say. I’m sorry. Sometimes I just can’t shut up.

Just come back to the review after you’ve read the book and you’ll understand the pun.

Just read it, ok?

http://bookmallows.blogspot.co.uk/201...

Sian Wadey

I can honestly say I've never read a book like We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. The blurb on the back was vague enough to not give anything away while still intrigue me. 
I really wanted to read something that was about families, and the relationships within them and this was a perfect 'family study'.
Without giving too much away this book follows Rosemary Cooke. We meet her while she is at university, not sure of which path to take and still struggling with the loss of her brother and sister. 
Right from the beginning her sister Fern is mentioned but it's not entirely clear what happened to her. Rosemary starts her story from the middle, so finding out Fern's fate is slowly unravelled. I must admit that's what kept me going through most of the book, the unknown, the mystery.
While I enjoyed Karen Joy Fowler's style of writing, and was easily swept into the story I didn't particularly care for any of the characters. I was inside Rosemary's mind but I didn't feel anything towards her, no sympathy, I didn't feel any fondness towards her brother and I found Harlow to be really irritating. 
Once the mystery was revealed I was still interested in Rosemary's story, as, like I said before, I'd never read anything about the subject matter. In all honestly, I wasn't aware that it happened. The way her parents reacted to certain things somewhat surprised me and I can't say I agreed with every decision but I think that's the point. This is the kind of book that's supposed to instigate discussion.
So overall I gave this book a three. Despite some reviews stating that they had great emotional reaction I found the book a bit hollow. But it didn't take me to long to zip through it. I may read some more of Karen Joy Fowler in the future.

Naomi J.

A fascinating book that a lot of people I know would enjoy. I can't tell you anything about it, though, or I'd ruin it - but trust me! The writing style didn't entirely work for me, but the story is intriguing and I couldn't stop thinking about the issues the book raised for me. Philosophies of being human, of language and thought, of family love and what it means are explored and taken in unexpected directions. Recommended.

Emma Friedheim

I really couldn't connect with this one. I loved the writing: the voice and the style and the structure. But I just did not connect with the plot. What a shame! I guess I'm just not a chimp girl.

Amani Zaha

AAAAAA I finished this book some time last week and I'm still thinking about it.

If you are planning to read this book, do so without reading anything about it online (or elsewhere) beforehand. There is a Reveal (pretty early in the book) that is So Delightful to experience. I'm surprised by the fact that Goodreads has included the reveal in the description of the book, but perhaps even the blurb on the physical book does (I read it as an e-book). Anyway.

The book is a wonderful, heartfelt experience on its own, even without the revelation that changes the reader's perspective on things. The main character and narrator - Rosemary, who I for whatever reasons picture as actress Florence Pugh - is funny, endearing and talkative. And importantly, her narration has so much personality! I'm impatient and tend to skim a lot while reading, sometimes more and sometimes less depending on the book. This is one of those that had my attention in such a hold that I skimmed nothing.

Beautiful funny emotional endearing amazing 5/5 would recommend. Chef's kiss

Fernando Andrade

This book destroyed me?

I completely wasn't expecting to be so moved, and I was just so oblivious to the "twist" at the beginning of the book, that it blew me away.

Great, great book.

ashwitherow

Reasonably high expectations going into this book, considering the praise it's received. However, whilst I enjoyed the beginning, around halfway I lost interest a little and found it dull and lengthy. My interest in the story picked up again towards the end, but it was a novel I wanted to finish so I could start reading something far more interesting.. The characters didn't fascinate me and that disconnect left me feeling it didn't really matter how the story ended as I wasn't emotionally connected anyway.

Melody Izard

Craig and I listened to this on the way back from our vacation at Pawleys Island. Starts off with an interesting story and then very slowly gets to the real story. Hard choices and sad outcomes. Great book.

Rosemary's young, just at college, and she's decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. So we're not going to tell you too much either: you'll have to find out for yourselves, round about page 77, what it is that makes her unhappy family unlike any other.Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone - vanished from her life. There's something unique about Rosemary's sister, Fern. And it was this decision, made by her parents, to give Rosemary a sister like no other, that began all of Rosemary's trouble. So now she's telling her story: full of hilarious asides and brilliantly spiky lines, it's a looping narrative that begins towards the end, and then goes back to the beginning. Twice.It's funny, clever, intimate, honest, analytical and swirling with ideas that will come back to bite you. We hope you enjoy it, and if, when you're telling a friend about it, you do decide to spill the beans about Fern - it's pretty hard to resist - don't worry. One of the few studies Rosemary doesn't quote says that spoilers actually enhance reading.

Esme

If you don't know the twist, I won't spoil it for you. But this book made me so unexpectedly emotional and was told in a really inventive way so. Highly recommend friends!!!! (also this is my first review hi. Might do a more in-detail one at a later date)

Elena Garcia Navarro

3.5*

I really liked the beginning and the end but it dragged a bit in the middle section of the story. I listened to the audio-book and overall I liked the experience, the narrator does a good job. However, there are parts of the book very heavy on science and psychology studies so if you are not focused 100% it's easy to lose track of what's going on. 

The book touches on so many interesting themes but I found it was such a good exploration of childhood memories and guilt, and the repercussions that childhood experiences have in your adult life. Also, it was very informative and eye-opening of some practices that psychologists undertook to understand human and animal behaviour (in particular apes); how we learn and how our brains and bodies work, adapt and develop when subjected to an specific upbringing.

I would check beforehand the trigger warnings if you suffer when reading about animal abuse and malpractices (specifically those linked to the science community).

Amanda Wells

I enjoyed this book. I loved the themes. I liked the narrator, and enjoyed the way she was darkly funny and flawed. 

But I wanted more. I kind of feel like I missed the punch. Maybe I've spoiled lately with stories that really don't hold back in fucking up their protagonists in order to fuck up their readers... however poorly written the book might actually be by other measures. But this book... it was well written! But it missed something for me.

That being said, I was really moved by the treatment of Fern, and by the plight of animals at the hands of scientists, and humans more generally. It is a hard subject to broach with subtlety... just ask PETA. This book acknowledges the complexity of the issue of animals in science, but ultimately the message is that, just as Fern is a sister to Rosemary - a real sister, not a pet, but a loved human sister - animals in general or more than just things.

Jessica Smith

The light-hearted, cheerful tone of this book belies the content, which is (in many parts) very dark. It deals with the serious issue of how our society treats animals; it also has a lot of comic relief that prevents this book becoming simply depressing. Overall, I thought it was brilliant, although if you don't care about animals then the entire point of the book will be lost on you.

Paige Morgan

Lots of people I know love this book, so I suspect I just read it at the wrong time, when it was not the sort of book that I wanted to read. The premise is interesting; even the narrator is interesting -- but I felt frustrated by the situations that she fell into (or sometimes, got herself into), and her inability to get out of them.

I suspect that my frustration is the point -- this isn't meant to be a comfortable read. But for me, it was just uncomfortable for a couple hundred pages, and then more or less wrapped up, for no reason other than that the book was long enough.

I haven't read Karen Joy Fowler's other works, and will certainly give them a shot. I think my advice re: this book is that if, when you read the first scene (in the cafeteria), and its initial aftermath, and you find it merely frustrating, then you should save this book for another time. If you find it frustrating and fascinating in equal measure, or just fascinating, then you are in the right state of mind to appreciate it.

Halsted Mencotti Bernard

This was an effortless read of a trying set of issues, and I say that with deep satisfaction and respect. Please don't keep reading reviews so you aren't spoiled on the central premise; I was spoiled, but loved it regardless. How does Fowler examine self-examination with such grace and skill? She is truly a masterful writer, and one I always enjoy reading. What a beautiful book!

Elad Schulman

I pretty much skimmed the last 100 pages. The concept was pretty interesting, but i just didnt care enough about any of the characters. I might reread it and see how I feel about it then, but it just wasn't the right book for me.

Jo H

2.5 ⭐️

Oh dear, what a total drag. This is frustrating because I was interested in the story of this unusual family and its third 'child' despite the fact that none of the humans were particularly compelling. 

However, as I sometimes find with lit-fic, and similarly to how I felt about The Handmaid's Tale but a tad worse, the execution totally overshadowed the otherwise interesting story and it was a struggle to get through. It seems to me that this was a typical example of literary style over substance, and veering on the pretentious because of some of the language choices, which I know is sometimes the whole reason for the literary style of writing. It was also very non-linear in style which I have seen work really well in some books but was very choppy in this one and hard to follow. And lastly, it was also somewhat boring which I think is odd given the inherently fascinating subject matter.

I kept reading on because I wanted so much to know about Fern and even Lowell, and had wish that I could have just DNF'd it instead as the payoff was not worth my while.

Neeti Choudhari

When someone recommends a book (ebook format) to me, I read it without looking up the blurb, without any reviews, without knowing what the book has in store for me. I simply read it. The drawback of this habit is, I often end up leaving the book as I don't have patience for a book with first two unlikeable chapters. Not anymore. I can't wait for the story to unfold, not in ebooks. This trait, however, surprisingly helped while reading this book. I had no idea what the storyline of this book was, only that I couldn't stop reading it. If I had an idea about the premise of this book, or even a tiniest spoiler, maybe it would have lessened my reactions while reading the first half.
I loved this book. I loved reading this book. I ended up making a complete fool of myself by laughing at public places. It's just the way it has been narrated, so beautiful and sad and heartbreaking and intelligent. Also, funny. So very funny. The first chapter had me laughing even when I simply thought about the scene! It has certainly captured my heart. I will admit, my eyes watered up while reading the last chapter.
As I thought about the ratings I would give this book, I had no complaints. It, obviously, is a 5/5 one!

We are All Completely Beside Ourselves

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