Name: We Are Young
ISBN: 9781786540058

Cat Clarke

'Hard-hitting, heartbreaking and hopeful, We Are Young is a must read.' SARAH CROSSAN It starts with a wedding. And a car crash. 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 storm erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at loner stoner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist dad, 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. Raw and riveting, heartbreaking and hopeful: an unforgettable story from the author of Girlhood.

We Are Young

abbie j

. Unlike any other book, I read this book in two halves (100/250 spit) with a different book inbetween

. I wasn't very into the first half but I really enjoyed the second half. This may be because the story was being setup or because I'd read A LOT the previous days

. The family dynamics were a very interesting topic to explore 

. I liked the character of Harry. Also the inclusion of Evan calling Harry 'Dad' but eventually becoming more comfortable with it. It made the characters feel more real 

. I liked the mystery aspect of the plotline. It felt realistic with the inclusion of mental health issues. However I don't think some of the disorders were explored enough

. Lewis is another character I quite liked and seeing his character change without Tim putting him down was really nice

. Seeing how manipulative Tom was was interesting. Despite not having a stepfather myself, I think his character was really well-done 

Layla Gabica

. Unlike any other book, I read this book in two halves (100/250 spit) with a different book inbetween

. I wasn't very into the first half but I really enjoyed the second half. This may be because the story was being setup or because I'd read A LOT the previous days

. The family dynamics were a very interesting topic to explore 

. I liked the character of Harry. Also the inclusion of Evan calling Harry 'Dad' but eventually becoming more comfortable with it. It made the characters feel more real 

. I liked the mystery aspect of the plotline. It felt realistic with the inclusion of mental health issues. However I don't think some of the disorders were explored enough

. Lewis is another character I quite liked and seeing his character change without Tim putting him down was really nice

. Seeing how manipulative Tom was was interesting. Despite not having a stepfather myself, I think his character was really well-done 

Tegan Anderson

I got an eARC copy of this book from NetGalley ahead of the book’s release in exchange for an honest review.

Having read ‘Undone’ a few years ago (a book that’s had a pretty secure spot as one of my favourite books of all time), I knew that Cat Clarke was an author to keep an eye out for, and that’s a huge part of the reason why I requested this book. I enjoy how she doesn’t make a massive deal of LGBT+ representation and includes it casually, unlike many other YA authors. She also throws a lot of other major contemporary issues into her stories in a way that is neither romanticised or sugar-coated.

The other reason was the description. On the same night Evan’s mother marries the local radio DJ, her new step-brother Lewis becomes the only survivor of a horrific car crash, found unconscious and terribly injured. The media instantly points the blame at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone thinks the crash was drugs-related, but Evan and her journalist father aren’t buying it, so they decide to find out what really happened that night.

‘We Are Young’ is not a light book. The plot is heavily centred around death, a car accident, suicide, and mental health, along with scenes of abusive family relationships and a discussion of pressures on modern teenagers. And the characters are teenagers that actually behave like teenagers do, not shying away from the larger issues in the story (death, suicide, mental health) or the smaller ones, like drinking, drugs, and sexuality.

The only thing I disliked about this book – and it’s an extremely small thing – is that the opening chapter features a character called Vince witnessing and discovering the car accident. But then we never see him again. And I’m just wondering how he’s coping after seeing three dead teenagers and a living one with half his arm ripped off.

But, other than that, this book is close to flawless.

As well as the bad parts, ‘We Are Young’ is a book about finding support through the tough times and focusing on relationships that matter. The book ends with the contact information for many organisations if you need help or advice.

Rating: ★★★★★

We Are Young

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