My fellow Debs have (QUITE RIGHTLY) extolled the many virtues of The Ones We Choose. They have talked about how relatable and well-drawn Julie’s protagonist, Paige, is as well as the brilliant and fascinating science in the book, and how easy it is to sink into this gorgeous novel. I want to talk about it on a craft level.
Julie Clark has written one of the most brilliantly paced, beautifully written novels I’ve read this year. I read it while I was editing, which is a really hard time for me to read because I just pick apart all the problems in what I’m reading. Not so here. The Ones We Choose flung a jacket around my editorial brain’s shoulders and pushed it, ever so politely, out the front door, leaving me furiously flipping pages and staying up way too late.
I was so impressed with how deftly Julie disseminated information about Paige’s life and choices, and how flawlessly her story unfolded. Not only that, but Julie writes gorgeous sentences.
I loved this, from an interaction between Paige and her mother. “My mother’s hand has been a constant in my life, smoothing my hair, drying my tears, yanking me into the dentist’s office or across the street. But as I stare at our intertwined fingers, I notice how swollen and bent hers are and remember that she too is getting old.”
This story will sweep you off your feet, and I know for a fact that you’ll love it just as much as I do.
