Author: Cole Nagamatsu
Publication Date: 6 October 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Page Count: 416
Reading Method: Physical ARC
Synopsis:
Last summer, Link Miller drowned on dry land in the woods, miles away from the nearest body of water. His death was ruled a strange accident, and in the months since, his friends and family have struggled to make sense of it. But Link’s close friend Noemi Amato knows the truth: Link drowned in an impossible lake that only she can find. And what’s more, someone claiming to be Link has been contacting her, warning Noemi to stay out of the forest.
As these secrets become too heavy for Noemi to shoulder on her own, she turns to Jonas, her new housemate, and Amberlyn, Link’s younger sister. All three are trying to find their place—and together, they start to unravel the truth: about themselves, about the world, and about what happened to Link.
Unfolding over a year and told through multiple POVs and a dream journal, We Were Restless Things explores the ways society shapes our reality, how we can learn to love ourselves and others, and the incredible power of our own desires.
Review:
What a strange, interesting story. The story is told from several POV and follows the lives of our character as they deal with the loss of a friend, and the curious appearance of a mysterious lake in the middle of the forest.
I read this as a character driven story, rather than plot driven – which I sometimes struggle with. I felt as though many of our characters perspectives weren’t all that different from each other and there didn’t seem to be much growth or development for them. I will say, I enjoyed the diversity of our characters (wlw relationship and an asexual MC).
The writing is absolutely beautiful, almost poetic. I did enjoy the story overall, though it seemed to drag in places.
You can purchase a copy of We Were Restless Things here
