Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for sharing a copy of The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer for review on Netgalley.

This one was much more literary than my tastes usually run so I don’t know how accurately I can review it. It was very heavily character driven and the only POV was in the head of a new college student who seemed very unenthusiastic and detached from life. Obviously the relationship was not one I was rooting for or even understood most of the time.
So for me, I’d say this one is a borrow from the library just to see if it’ll work for you first before you buy it. I’m sure that it has it’s audience out there as it’s well written, just not my taste.

The Adult is a mesmerizing debut novel that effortlessly captures the complexities of identity, love, and the alluring power of deception. Set against the backdrop of a young woman's first year at university, this engrossing tale delves into the depths of human emotions, intertwining them with a mysterious relationship that will leave readers spellbound.

Natalie, the introspective protagonist, is a relatable character whose journey of self-discovery resonates deeply. As she navigates the unfamiliarity of city life and the pressures of fitting in, her encounters with the enigmatic Nora become the focal point of her existence. The author masterfully crafts the evolution of their relationship, drawing us into a web of seduction and secrets.

The exploration of Natalie's longing for connection and the allure of adulthood is beautifully portrayed. The author's prose is evocative and poignant, immersing readers in Natalie's world and her conflicted emotions. The pages practically turn themselves as we become entangled in the narrative, craving answers to the mysteries surrounding Nora.

What sets this novel apart is its perceptive examination of the human psyche. It delves into the complexities of desire, insecurity, and the blurred lines between truth and falsehood. The Adult is an emotional rollercoaster that skillfully explores the multifaceted nature of relationships and the consequences of harbouring secrets.

With a startlingly gorgeous writing style, the author captures the essence of young adulthood and the yearning for a sense of self. This gripping debut novel is a testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to illuminate the intricacies of the human experience.

In summary, The Adult is a captivating and thought-provoking book that weaves an intricate tale of love, deceit, and self-discovery. It is a remarkable debut that showcases the author's talent for storytelling and leaves a lasting impression on the reader's heart and mind.

The Adult is a coming-of-age story about 18 year-old Natalie leaving her small, remote town in Ontario, Canada, to move to the big city to pursue studies.

This is a story about insecurities, self-confidence (or lack thereof), loneliness, and trying to find your place in a big, wide open world with endless possibilities. The Adult is poetic portrait of life transitions, of leaving the old and familiar behind for the unknown.

As a reader, the main character's voice truly conveyed her emotions and insecurities to me, as well as the feeling of alienation in your own body and the feeling of being on the outside, looking in.

As with many coming-of-age stories, the pace is slow. However, this was a rather quick read that I finished within 3 days. The writing style was fairly easy to understand, without too many hidden meanings or allegories. I do recommend this book to fans of Sally Rooney.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3/5⭐️

The Adult is a coming of age story that follows 18-year-old Natalie as she tackles her new life as a college student while also dating an older woman, all the while trying to discover who she is and who she is meant to be.

This novel covers some very important topics such as insecurities, anxieties, coming to terms with one’s queerness and navigating a relationship (among other things).

The story mainly centers around Natalie’s relationship with an older woman, Nora, and how that relationship impacted Natalie’s life and sense of self. While it isn’t explicitly stated, I believe the book 100% deals with the experience of grooming. Nora, freshly out of a serious adult relationship, takes advantage of young Natalie, who is desperately looking for any kind of guidance/companionship, by shaping her into the partner she wants. Nora takes advantage of this inherently unequal power dynamic for her own benefit and to Natalie’s detriment. I think Natalie’s POV is a great example of a young person in a relationship with an older person as they very rarely see it for what it is (grooming, toxic, etc.) as a result of their naivety, which is usually what the groomer wants.

In terms of the writing, it was very poetic and interesting to read but I don’t think it’s for me, personally. I prefer my books to be full of dialogue and storylines rather than inner monologue.

For a debut novel, I think the author did an excellent job of portraying what she wanted to but I’m not sure I would pick up another one of her books simply because of the writing style (no hate, just not my style).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All thought and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Adult is a book of imperfect people coming to terms with their own identities. Our main character Natalie starts a relationship with an older woman named Nora and discovers that their relationship isn’t the only secret that Nora is keeping.

Natalie is honestly a lot of us at 18; insecure, self-conscious and hyper-aware of her own actions. She puts so much thought into what she should say to sound intelligent and older, while also trying to figure out what being in a same sex relationship means to her.

A strange snippet into Natalie’s life, this was a pretty fast read and a different take on a coming-of-age story. Sidenote: I always enjoy when books are set in Ontario, it makes them feel so much more real to me!

I’m going to give my review in random thoughts I had while reading!

The writing style, to me, is like a YA version of Sally Rooney: very monotone. The reader has to read more I to the words being said than the tone of the book itself.

I was surprised to find out that Natalie was 18 y/o… the conversations she was having with their friends sounded like it was coming from 12 year olds.

Reading from Natalie’s perspective gave me so much anxiety. I thought I was a chronic over thinker but holy hell… every interaction was almost painful and exhausting. I can’t even imagine that being my constant state of mind!

I feel like I spent the whole book analyzing why Natalie was the way she was, why she thought the way she did, what was going on psychologically. Almost like I was reading a case study, a diary of a child who was seeking help. Why is she so insecure, why does she always feel so inadequate, why does she have such a lack of sense of self, why is she trying so hard to be everything she’s not? These are all questions I thought constantly while reading.

I really liked a lot of the aspects that show the transition between being a child/teen into adulthood.

I feel like I never really understood Natalie and Nora’s conversations or what was really going on between them.

Even after all of this, I still found myself so engrossed in the book, wanting to know where it’s going and how it will end.

I actually really liked the added aspect of the side characters, like Rachel/Jones relationship, and Natalie’s friendship with Clara. It added that extra something special to the story.

The ending disappointed me a little bit. It made me angry at almost all of the characters, like I’m so disappointed with how everything turned out and how little explanation there was.

All in all, I still enjoyed the book. I don’t think I’m the right audience for this, but it was a good read, especially during pride month!!

I always have a special place in my heart for books based in my hometown. This book was poetically written and I really liked the style despite sometimes being bored with the content.

Natalie is a first-year student at the University of Toronto who doesn't really know where she belongs yet. But she's intrigued by her Nature Poetry class and this turns out to be the catalyst for her meeting Nora, an older woman.

Nora and Natalie's relationship confused me a lot, but I suppose it confused Natalie quite often as well. I just couldn't really see how they fit together and the book often had me uncomfortable mostly because of how inexperienced Natalie was.

I think it's an important book to have read, but I won't be returning to it anytime soon.

This was good - not a new favourite unfortunately, but there are many aspects of this book that I liked that make it easy to hand sell at my indie bookstore.

Natalie was a really loveable and relatable character. She's 18, new to college, and out of her element. Fischer's writing felt very intentional and she wrote Natalie so honestly. A classic and authentic bildungsroman.

The Adult is a very tender, spare exploration of queer coming of age, queer romance, the fragile ways in which it can be taken advantage of. Fischer's prose is electric and elegant, and we both feel like we are Natalie and like we are watching her from a significant distance, begging her to see what we see coming, all while knowing that we have been in her shoes and didn't see it, either.

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this from Penguin Random House Canada, and I could not be more grateful!

I won't lie, this was tough for me to rate. This is a queer coming of age novel that centres young Natalie, an 18-year-old in her first year of university at the University of Toronto. Like most young adults, Natalie is insecure, and nail-bitingly anxious. She is filled with self-doubt and worry about what she says, looks like, and acts like. Quickly, she becomes entangled with a much older woman. The power imbalance is quite obvious, through Natalie's (rightful) immaturity, which is what made this so achingly sad and painful at times to read. I felt like I was watching her lose her young adulthood via their fleeting relationship, and it made my heart hurt. You see Natalie grappling with the idea of not being "adult" enough for Nora, and fighting herself for experiencing normal, adolescent feelings and self-anxieties. It made me think about who I was at 18, and also made me want to go back in time and hug myself.

Overall, this is a complicated but beautifully written book with a lot of nuances. I think this would be a stellar book club read, since there is so much you can disect when it comes to queer relationships, power dynamics, and the growth pain of adolescents. .

I can't wait to read more by Bronwyn Fischer!

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. Although what I read was well written, I just wasn’t able to connect to the story. I would be open to reading another book from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an opportunity to read this Penguin Random House Canada.

4.5 - 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I tore through it in a day, it was mesmerizing and unputdownable. Bronwyn Fischer’ debut is excellent. Smart, thoughtful, and beautifully written, with prose and lyricism, I was really impressed by the writing!

This book did a GREAT (maybe too great?) job of capturing the insecurity, uncertainty, and ennui of young adulthood; As well as putting to paper the yearning and messiness of first loves. Our main character Natalie was at times a bit too relatable (& honestly this book mostly made me feel a lot better about no longer being 18), but being in her head could be a bit unbearable sometimes, she was so unsure and so alien at times. Her thought processes and her thoughts would sometimes surprise me, and confuse me, moving away from relatability to a new kind of neuroses. This didn’t really take away from the story though, it was a story about infatuation and borderline obsession, while coming-of-age (& coming out). It was confusing and messy, and frustrating, but also smart and strange and serious.

This was an enjoyable read, and I hope to read more from the author!

I was very excited to read The Adult and wasn't disappointed but wasn't left completely satisfied either. It was compelling enough to keep me interested while reading but I'm realizing I haven't thought much about it since.

Worth checking out. 3 Stars.

A wonderfully crafted debut coming-of-age novel about a university student new to the big city who finds herself quickly falling for an older woman. The author perfectly captures the anxieties, insecurities and naivete of the main character Natalie, who has just left home for the first time and is vulnerable to Nora's advances. The central relationship dynamic is heartbreaking to me, although some of the events in the relationship come off as especially contrived and the dialogue between the two characters can feel rather stilted. Overall though, enjoyable reading experience and I love to support a Canadian!

This short novel is a paean to university poetry classes and obsessive love, through the intensely self-centric lens of a student away from home for the first time, groping her way toward adulthood as a queer woman in Toronto. As a deep-dyed introvert I know well the second-guessing and excruciating post-action analysis that can go into every encounter with another human.

This tale will surely speak to many young women exploring their sexuality once they’ve finally left their conservative small-town lives behind. However, the lack of development in any secondary characters may feel myopic if not claustrophobic. More mature readers may find the on-off-on relationship between the two adult women more worthy of interrogation than it receives at Natalie‘s hands. Her lack of curiosity about her lover’s life or interests--beyond 'Are you thinking about me when I'm not here?--and her occasional afterthought shows of interest in the doings of her friends and fellow students came across as selfish rather than sympathetic.

The writing is sometimes lyrical although reading about poetry the protagonist is reading, or wrote, or might write someday, is hardly as compelling as reading the poetry itself could be. While I appreciate the excavation of a slow coming-out process, I would have liked to see this introverted, largely oblivious protagonist gain some understanding of relationships deeper than “that is the one I was in then, and this is the one I’m in now.”

This is a great debut coming of age LGBTQIP+ novel by author Bronwyn Fischer. The perfect read for Pride month!
Her writing is sublime, and my feeling is that she will become a new Canadian author to keep an eye out for.
The story follows Nathalie to the University of Toronto, where she's trying to find herself as she's becoming an adult. Away from her northern Ontario town of Temagami, she feels overwhelmed by the big city. She meets an older woman named Nora, whom she starts a romantic relationship with.
She sometimes feels as if she's not mature enough to deal with a fully grown woman, and her inner monologue is very well detailed. As far as character development goes, I think Fischer nailed it.
I definitely recommend this book to people looking to read coming of age novels about the queer community.

Man, I'm glad I'm not 18 anymore. Unsure of myself. Always trying to fit in. Eager to grow up too fast.

These are some of the worries that plague our awkward MC Natalie in this Canadian (author and setting) character driven novel. Natalie has just started university, leaving her tiny middle-of-nowhere town, and she is lonely. She can't seem to say the right things, self-monitors and ruminates over every thought, has no sense of self, and doesn't know how to get close to her peers. She's also unsure of her sexuality. Enter Nora, a much older woman recently separated from her wife. A relationship ensues.

Most of the book is spent detailing the time spent between Natalie and Nora (whose exact age is never revealed). There is an air of foreboding and you know the other shoe is about to drop, but you don't know when and what and by whom. The whole thing is unsettling and you can't help but feel for Natalie as she struggles through a complex, unsettling relationship.

This isn't necessarily my favorite style of book, but Fischer's writing and prose reeled me in. It was very well-written with even pacing and Natalie's pain is almost tangible.

I could see this coming-of-age story being a coveted read for fans of Sally Rooney- mundane, messy and emotional.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my earc and finished copy in exchange for my honest review.

Natalie, an 18 year old, finds herself in a relationship with an older woman. It’s her first love, her first everything, really, and she is lost in infatuation. She is lost in her own identity, and aches to have one moulded for her. She doesn’t yet know who she is, which leads her to ignore what she could be, trying instead to be whatever will deem her worthy of this woman’s love.

Reading this book felt like falling back into your first real relationship. The fear of whether they suddenly hate you because they didn’t text you back for a few hours. The worry that one wrong thing said will make them leave you. The rose coloured glasses that make you see nothing other than someone telling you they love you, and that you are worthy of being loved.

This book follows Natalie’s own process of growth and self-identity beautifully, and reading it felt like I was in Natalie’s mind with her the entire time.

3.5 stars - I think I enjoyed this novel far more at the beginning than I did at the end. The Adult is one of those books that completely envelops you due to its writing style and complex main character. I really enjoyed reading from Natalie's perspective; she is just starting out college and really insecure about who she is - which made her the ideal main character to follow in this coming of age novel. I really enjoyed exploring Natalie's different relationships, and not solely the (extremely) questionable relationship with an older woman but also her friendships and complex relationship with her parents. I also really enjoyed Natalie learning "how to be an adult" and the novel asking that crucial question as to "who" is The Adult™ ? However, as we started to get towards the end, I was starting to pick up on the "twist" of the novel and while I do think it was an interesting one, I found it to be resolved so quickly! I feel like the novel ended so abruptly after that slow build up. I feel like I needed a bit more exploration of Natalie's feelings and acceptance for this novel to have been more successful for me.

This novel was a great debut! The Adult follows Natalie; she has just moved from her small town to start school at the University of Toronto. While she is sitting at the park one day, she meets an older woman named Nora, and they slowly begin a relationship. This book is has a definite slow burn, and not much of a plot, but mostly the inner feelings of Natalie as she navigates being a young adult. However, towards the end, the relationship reveals to get even more complicated as more people become involved.

I enjoyed reading this one, the prose flowed nicely and it felt like I was stuck with Natalie in her thoughts. I was enjoying the slow ride of this one, and was pleasantly surprised by how the storyline went. I also always love a book that takes place in Canada! Sometimes I felt like more emotion could be conveyed through the text, but regardless, this book was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.