Review: "Big Chill" for a New MIllennium
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 8, 2013
This debut novel by British author R.J. Heald starts with an interesting premise - A group of university "mates" reconnect in their late twenties; some of them seem to have it all while others are floundering, but appearances can be deceiving. Goal-oriented Renee finds herself stunted both personally and professionally, formerly overweight Sam has the figure and the man she thought she wanted, but her happiness comes at a price, immature Dave is still every bit as irresponsible and unfocused as he was in school, successful entrepreneur Steve is lonely and has no life outside his work, free-spirited Katie has traveled the world, but has no direction, and new father James has a self-destructive way of dealing with life's pressures that he struggles to keep hidden. What happens to these friends over the course of a year will irrevocably change them, bringing some closer together and tearing others apart forever.27 is an incredibly well-written book. The story flowed beautifully and the characters were compelling, which kept me turning pages, anxious to find out how the different plotlines would be resolved. There were some pretty big shocks in this book; things definitely didn't turn out the way I thought they would for everybody and that unpredictability was refreshing. 27 is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it, making you contemplate how fragile life and relationships are. If there's a lesson to be learned from this thought-provoking novel, I think it's that we should all try to be a little less self-absorbed and pay attention to the people we care about so that we're there when they need us.I received a copy of "27: Six Friends, One Year" in exchange for an honest review.