What do you think?
Rate this book
27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year
Your 27th year is a turning point.
Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse. Janis Joplin.
They died at 27.
Six friends reunite in London. From the outside their lives are enviable; from the new father, to the rich entrepreneur to the carefree traveller. But underneath their facades, they are starting to unravel. Dave is made redundant, Renee's marriage is crumbling and Katie is forced to return home to her parents after six years abroad. In a world fuelled by social media and ravaged by recession, the friends must face up to the choices they must make to lead the lives they truly want to live.
“The characters are sharply observed and as I read, I quickly came to feel they were my friends too… All along we feel we are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller, and of course there is a satisfying climax.”
"Well written and interesting...this was great and I wanted to read more." - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Expert Reviewer
“This is a fantastic read for the summer holidays. A genuinely lovely warm surprising story. I loved the characters and felt part of their journey. Can highly recommend.”
“An enjoyable read for a generation who are obsessed with how others perceive them and who measure success in terms of job titles and relationship statuses.”
“27 is one of those books that you really want to finish so that you can find out what's happened but on the other hand, you want it to carry on so that you can stay with the characters that little bit longer!”
“The characters are realistic, their dramas riveting and the writing profoundly charming as Ruth Heald expertly takes you through a tumultuous year-long journey through the lives of the modern day
twenty-something.
Kurt Cobain. Amy Winehouse. Janis Joplin.
They died at 27.
Six friends reunite in London. From the outside their lives are enviable; from the new father, to the rich entrepreneur to the carefree traveller. But underneath their facades, they are starting to unravel. Dave is made redundant, Renee's marriage is crumbling and Katie is forced to return home to her parents after six years abroad. In a world fuelled by social media and ravaged by recession, the friends must face up to the choices they must make to lead the lives they truly want to live.
“The characters are sharply observed and as I read, I quickly came to feel they were my friends too… All along we feel we are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller, and of course there is a satisfying climax.”
"Well written and interesting...this was great and I wanted to read more." - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Expert Reviewer
“This is a fantastic read for the summer holidays. A genuinely lovely warm surprising story. I loved the characters and felt part of their journey. Can highly recommend.”
“An enjoyable read for a generation who are obsessed with how others perceive them and who measure success in terms of job titles and relationship statuses.”
“27 is one of those books that you really want to finish so that you can find out what's happened but on the other hand, you want it to carry on so that you can stay with the characters that little bit longer!”
“The characters are realistic, their dramas riveting and the writing profoundly charming as Ruth Heald expertly takes you through a tumultuous year-long journey through the lives of the modern day
twenty-something.
- GenresFictionContemporary
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2012
29 people are currently reading
619 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Heald
3 books64 followersRuth Heald is the author of two forthcoming psychological thrillers. The Mother’s Mistake will be released in June and her second thriller will be released in September. Both books will be published by Bookouture, part of Hachette UK.
The Mother’s Mistake is an eerie, twisty and atmospheric psychological thriller about a mother’s worst nightmare. When Claire Hughes and her young family move to the countryside in the hope of a fresh start, it seems the perfect life – and the perfect family – are just within reach. But it isn’t long before Claire’s past catches up with her … and her daughter’s life is in danger.
Ruth’s debut novel, “27: Six Friends, One Year,” published in 2012 by Dancing Parrot Press, is a relationship drama about the lives of six friends aged 27 who reunite in London. On the surface they lead enviable lives, but underneath the facades they are falling apart. “27” was selected as a Quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
Ruth grew up in a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. Seeking a more creative environment, she joined the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
The Mother’s Mistake is an eerie, twisty and atmospheric psychological thriller about a mother’s worst nightmare. When Claire Hughes and her young family move to the countryside in the hope of a fresh start, it seems the perfect life – and the perfect family – are just within reach. But it isn’t long before Claire’s past catches up with her … and her daughter’s life is in danger.
Ruth’s debut novel, “27: Six Friends, One Year,” published in 2012 by Dancing Parrot Press, is a relationship drama about the lives of six friends aged 27 who reunite in London. On the surface they lead enviable lives, but underneath the facades they are falling apart. “27” was selected as a Quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
Ruth grew up in a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. Seeking a more creative environment, she joined the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 15, 2013
A believable tale of a friends' reunion
I had seen this book tweeted about on Twitter for a few months and was so intrigued by it, I eventually asked the author if I could read it and review it. I was provided with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
27: Six Friends - One Year is the type of novel I would like to have written myself. If you liked One Day by David Nicholls, you will enjoy this.
We are taken through their initial meeting up again and shown how each character has progressed since leaving university. But don't be fooled. Life is never as simple as that. Those who appear successful may have other demons to contend with; those without courage find a deep-seated resolve when they most require it. What is clear is that the waters are muddied. Spanners are thrown in the proverbial works and the relationships between the friends become increasingly strained in some cases. Pedestals are there to be dismantled. Pretending to your friends in order not to lose face, is also a theme explored in the book, as well as hiding true feelings. I engaged with each of the characters and in particular applauded one who had a lot of guts in the end. Dave, though likeable, I found weak, although he went back up slightly in my estimation towards the end.
Although each character is 27, readers of any age would be able to relate to this (I'm 40 and left university a long time ago!) It reminded me slightly of when I met up with a group of friends 15 years after leaving university and we had to fill each other in on our lives - the good, the bad and the ugly.
I hadn't really envisaged a tragedy which occurred and thought it a better book for it. This is a novel full of dilemmas, which could happen to any of us and our friends. Very real, very believable and very refreshing. I will look out for more by this writer.
I had seen this book tweeted about on Twitter for a few months and was so intrigued by it, I eventually asked the author if I could read it and review it. I was provided with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
27: Six Friends - One Year is the type of novel I would like to have written myself. If you liked One Day by David Nicholls, you will enjoy this.
We are taken through their initial meeting up again and shown how each character has progressed since leaving university. But don't be fooled. Life is never as simple as that. Those who appear successful may have other demons to contend with; those without courage find a deep-seated resolve when they most require it. What is clear is that the waters are muddied. Spanners are thrown in the proverbial works and the relationships between the friends become increasingly strained in some cases. Pedestals are there to be dismantled. Pretending to your friends in order not to lose face, is also a theme explored in the book, as well as hiding true feelings. I engaged with each of the characters and in particular applauded one who had a lot of guts in the end. Dave, though likeable, I found weak, although he went back up slightly in my estimation towards the end.
Although each character is 27, readers of any age would be able to relate to this (I'm 40 and left university a long time ago!) It reminded me slightly of when I met up with a group of friends 15 years after leaving university and we had to fill each other in on our lives - the good, the bad and the ugly.
I hadn't really envisaged a tragedy which occurred and thought it a better book for it. This is a novel full of dilemmas, which could happen to any of us and our friends. Very real, very believable and very refreshing. I will look out for more by this writer.
December 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.
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.
August 24, 2013
BOY-MAN-BLOKE TO LOST-WOMAN-LOVER: 'YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY TO WATCH THE FOOTBALL' - REVIEW OF '27' A GENERATION FACEBOOK NOVEL
How do you judge a book?
Perhaps our feelings and responses to how a story ends are a reliable guide.
Most writers hurl grappling hooks into our eyes and swarm into us with their treasured creations in their opening graphs. But how many times have you read a book with a great opening, but never got to the end, or got to the end with a sense of relief?
So how did '27' end for me?
I was at the 98% mark according to my kindle, on a train heading through London. Such was my focus on reading those last 2% I swear to you I almost missed my stop and ended up hurtling to Gatwick airport. As I only had a few more minutes of reading left this would have been a double disaster as I would have been stuck on the train for an hour with nothing to read. As it was, I barged off the train through a crowd of people getting on and finished reding '27' as I walked down the platform towards the tube, again bumping into the odd person, including one who was also reading her kindle on the hoof.
This is the best of signs for '27' because it means I was engaged, committed and there for the author, just as I was when I started reading. So the book is a success.
So what is it about? Six university friends get together again when they are 27 and a sequence of events flows from their reunion because relationship issues remain active and aspects of their characters have become underscored with time.
Most readers will probably recognise something of themselves and their own university friends in the six characters. So, too, most readers will be familiar with how Facebook and TV provide backdrops to their own lives. All this is expertly captured in '27'.
The six face a host of normal problems. Problems caused by absent parents, expectant parents, romantic rivalries, disappointments in love and work, pressure, drink, choices, choices. All the issues are familiar and real.
The author puts her characters through the mill, too. I found myself liking laid-back Dave, then not liking him. I found myself wishing Katie would outdo Renee for a change. I was envious of self-made Steve when cupid scored what turns out to be a very dubious bullseye on him. I was impressed by how the author nails the deviousness of an alcoholic in his efforts to hide his little secret.
Yes, there were points in the story when I was chuckling happily at the way modern lives were satarised. I thought it was brilliant. The moral compass bearing of '27' is set firmly to LIFE'S A BITCH - DEAL WITH IT.
The six characters are not bad, none of them are evil. Yes, they all have their flaws. But they are OK. The most flawed character is arguably a highly compassionate care worker whose life was lived within such a narrow horizon as to make him derisibly dull.
I can't disclose the central plot theme which had my eyes going for it right to the end when my mind was screaching, 'Open the letter, Renee!' But I will say this: Dave the beta male pawn on the love board stands N O chance. But then a boy-man who says to a super-uber-mega distressed woman whose husband has just walked out on her and whom he has just had sex with, "You are welcome to stay and watch the football", is clearly destined for a shocking cumuppance.
So I enjoyed '27'. It is intelligent, amusing and moving contempoary read. The author won my curiosity and kept all her plates spinning, characterwise and storywise.
The best part of the story for me though was the outcome for an unpromising peripheral character, the social wallflower, Sam. Sam is not really one of the six. They can barely remember her. She is in the background of their photos, just as she is in the background of their memories. But.. It is the way she pursues a ridiculous dream of happiness against vicious odds and her excruciating social gaucheness that provides the setting for much of the story. I was extremely happy about how Sam ..
My lips are sealed. You will have to read '27' yourself to find out how the author lands her finely conceived story. The ending sets things up sweetly for about three more books, which I for one will happily read, as I want to know .. what .. happens .. next .. to Dave, Katie, Renee and daughter. 27
How do you judge a book?
Perhaps our feelings and responses to how a story ends are a reliable guide.
Most writers hurl grappling hooks into our eyes and swarm into us with their treasured creations in their opening graphs. But how many times have you read a book with a great opening, but never got to the end, or got to the end with a sense of relief?
So how did '27' end for me?
I was at the 98% mark according to my kindle, on a train heading through London. Such was my focus on reading those last 2% I swear to you I almost missed my stop and ended up hurtling to Gatwick airport. As I only had a few more minutes of reading left this would have been a double disaster as I would have been stuck on the train for an hour with nothing to read. As it was, I barged off the train through a crowd of people getting on and finished reding '27' as I walked down the platform towards the tube, again bumping into the odd person, including one who was also reading her kindle on the hoof.
This is the best of signs for '27' because it means I was engaged, committed and there for the author, just as I was when I started reading. So the book is a success.
So what is it about? Six university friends get together again when they are 27 and a sequence of events flows from their reunion because relationship issues remain active and aspects of their characters have become underscored with time.
Most readers will probably recognise something of themselves and their own university friends in the six characters. So, too, most readers will be familiar with how Facebook and TV provide backdrops to their own lives. All this is expertly captured in '27'.
The six face a host of normal problems. Problems caused by absent parents, expectant parents, romantic rivalries, disappointments in love and work, pressure, drink, choices, choices. All the issues are familiar and real.
The author puts her characters through the mill, too. I found myself liking laid-back Dave, then not liking him. I found myself wishing Katie would outdo Renee for a change. I was envious of self-made Steve when cupid scored what turns out to be a very dubious bullseye on him. I was impressed by how the author nails the deviousness of an alcoholic in his efforts to hide his little secret.
Yes, there were points in the story when I was chuckling happily at the way modern lives were satarised. I thought it was brilliant. The moral compass bearing of '27' is set firmly to LIFE'S A BITCH - DEAL WITH IT.
The six characters are not bad, none of them are evil. Yes, they all have their flaws. But they are OK. The most flawed character is arguably a highly compassionate care worker whose life was lived within such a narrow horizon as to make him derisibly dull.
I can't disclose the central plot theme which had my eyes going for it right to the end when my mind was screaching, 'Open the letter, Renee!' But I will say this: Dave the beta male pawn on the love board stands N O chance. But then a boy-man who says to a super-uber-mega distressed woman whose husband has just walked out on her and whom he has just had sex with, "You are welcome to stay and watch the football", is clearly destined for a shocking cumuppance.
So I enjoyed '27'. It is intelligent, amusing and moving contempoary read. The author won my curiosity and kept all her plates spinning, characterwise and storywise.
The best part of the story for me though was the outcome for an unpromising peripheral character, the social wallflower, Sam. Sam is not really one of the six. They can barely remember her. She is in the background of their photos, just as she is in the background of their memories. But.. It is the way she pursues a ridiculous dream of happiness against vicious odds and her excruciating social gaucheness that provides the setting for much of the story. I was extremely happy about how Sam ..
My lips are sealed. You will have to read '27' yourself to find out how the author lands her finely conceived story. The ending sets things up sweetly for about three more books, which I for one will happily read, as I want to know .. what .. happens .. next .. to Dave, Katie, Renee and daughter. 27
November 7, 2013
I was attracted to read this book by my underlying interest in the fact that 27 seems to be the age that so many promising young singers and artists crash and burn. I'd therefore half-expected that this might be the story of high-profile, high-achievers - the rock-star types notorious for early deaths - but its characters are ordinary people hitting this significant age.
Some of the characters I liked very much, others I just wanted to slap - which is indicative of how well they are drawn, to create such a strong reaction in this reader. Often their actual friendship seemed a bit thin to me - they seemed to be working against each other, more than as friends - but maybe that is the author's intentional comment on friendships made at university: dissimilar people tend to befriend each other simply because they are all in the same place at the same time, rather than because they have very much in common. It's quite an artificial way to build relationships, really.The novel handles some taboos subject bravely and touchingly, and I really liked the fact that some of the characters emerged from such adversity with great dignity.
I thought some of the tragedies were handled very sensitively, the enormity of one of them in particular (no plot spoiler here!) being unfolded very poignantly - and the outcome will certainly have made this pretty immature bunch of characters grow up more quickly, as, sadly, is often the way.
Two things that I wasn't so keen on. Firstly, the ending was rather abrupt - in fact, I was surprised to realise that I'd reached the end (I was reading it on Kindle, so didn't have the thickness of the book to give me a clue that this was the final page).
Secondly, I was slightly horrified to realise what an uncultured lot these characters were, spending their down-time, when not on Facebook, watching telly and in the pub. None of them ever reads a book, for example, or, with one exception, does anything vaguely intelligent outside of work, and that's the one who spends six years of travelling and working abroad. But rather than returning enriched and with a more mature world-view than the others, all she seems to have gained is a hippie-chick wardrobe, a stomach bug and an overdraft. That didn't ring true for me.
This is a sobering read, but a well-written, competent novel, perhaps with more appeal to readers in their 20s and 30s than to an older reader like me (soon to reach 27 for the second time!) I particularly liked its traditional structure: third person, past tense, in confident, competent prose. Many modern young authors would have been tempted to let each of the six main characters tell their own story, and to narrate it in the present tense, but that would have been far too exhausting, never mind technically difficult to pull off.
Well done, R J Heald. I'll be interested to see what you come up with next.
Some of the characters I liked very much, others I just wanted to slap - which is indicative of how well they are drawn, to create such a strong reaction in this reader. Often their actual friendship seemed a bit thin to me - they seemed to be working against each other, more than as friends - but maybe that is the author's intentional comment on friendships made at university: dissimilar people tend to befriend each other simply because they are all in the same place at the same time, rather than because they have very much in common. It's quite an artificial way to build relationships, really.The novel handles some taboos subject bravely and touchingly, and I really liked the fact that some of the characters emerged from such adversity with great dignity.
I thought some of the tragedies were handled very sensitively, the enormity of one of them in particular (no plot spoiler here!) being unfolded very poignantly - and the outcome will certainly have made this pretty immature bunch of characters grow up more quickly, as, sadly, is often the way.
Two things that I wasn't so keen on. Firstly, the ending was rather abrupt - in fact, I was surprised to realise that I'd reached the end (I was reading it on Kindle, so didn't have the thickness of the book to give me a clue that this was the final page).
Secondly, I was slightly horrified to realise what an uncultured lot these characters were, spending their down-time, when not on Facebook, watching telly and in the pub. None of them ever reads a book, for example, or, with one exception, does anything vaguely intelligent outside of work, and that's the one who spends six years of travelling and working abroad. But rather than returning enriched and with a more mature world-view than the others, all she seems to have gained is a hippie-chick wardrobe, a stomach bug and an overdraft. That didn't ring true for me.
This is a sobering read, but a well-written, competent novel, perhaps with more appeal to readers in their 20s and 30s than to an older reader like me (soon to reach 27 for the second time!) I particularly liked its traditional structure: third person, past tense, in confident, competent prose. Many modern young authors would have been tempted to let each of the six main characters tell their own story, and to narrate it in the present tense, but that would have been far too exhausting, never mind technically difficult to pull off.
Well done, R J Heald. I'll be interested to see what you come up with next.
April 3, 2014
27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year by R. J. Heald is a contemporary novel that follows a year in the intertwined lives of six college friends.
Dave, Katie, Renée, Sam, Steve, and James were chums at the university. After graduation, the inevitable drifting apart happens. Renée is entangled in a troubled marriage, and reaches out to her old college friends and suggests a reunion. Facebook shows her chums busy with exciting lives filled with world travels, successful careers, and fulfilling relationships. To her surprise, the group agrees to come together for a reunion.
Her friends’ lives are not as idyllic as first thought. They struggle with unemployment, inappropriate relationships, and destructive addictions. Some are still finding their way in life, and these lost souls are the most poignant of their combined stories.
Despite having six storylines, Heald’s story presents interesting players. One is a travelling teacher who seeks to settle down, while another wanders in his career. A third copes with a loveless marriage, while a fourth seeks a marriage at any cost. The fifth of these friends finds an inappropriate soul mate, while the last sad case has lost his soul.
27 is a complex story told with a deft hand. Some of the six characters were likable, others were not, but all were written with distinctive voices. Choices and their consequences played well in the mixed storylines.
This very good story could be made even better by reducing the complexity—perhaps remove a storyline and expand the remaining characters to keep the same overall length. Or the story could keep the six interesting characters and be lengthened to tell us more detail about these fascinating, and oh so human, college pals.
Dave, Katie, Renée, Sam, Steve, and James were chums at the university. After graduation, the inevitable drifting apart happens. Renée is entangled in a troubled marriage, and reaches out to her old college friends and suggests a reunion. Facebook shows her chums busy with exciting lives filled with world travels, successful careers, and fulfilling relationships. To her surprise, the group agrees to come together for a reunion.
Her friends’ lives are not as idyllic as first thought. They struggle with unemployment, inappropriate relationships, and destructive addictions. Some are still finding their way in life, and these lost souls are the most poignant of their combined stories.
Despite having six storylines, Heald’s story presents interesting players. One is a travelling teacher who seeks to settle down, while another wanders in his career. A third copes with a loveless marriage, while a fourth seeks a marriage at any cost. The fifth of these friends finds an inappropriate soul mate, while the last sad case has lost his soul.
27 is a complex story told with a deft hand. Some of the six characters were likable, others were not, but all were written with distinctive voices. Choices and their consequences played well in the mixed storylines.
This very good story could be made even better by reducing the complexity—perhaps remove a storyline and expand the remaining characters to keep the same overall length. Or the story could keep the six interesting characters and be lengthened to tell us more detail about these fascinating, and oh so human, college pals.
August 28, 2013
27 is an absorbing novel which revolves round a set of friends who met at university and have all now reached the landmark age of twenty-seven. What have they done with their lives? Have they reached the place they hoped they would by now? We follow them through a year which turns out to be momentous for each of them.
The characters are sharply observed and as I read, I quickly came to feel they were my friends too – I almost looked them up on Facebook! They are very different from each other in personality and in the problems that life throws at them. Among others there’s Katie, just back from teaching in India and wondering what to do next; Andy who has come to see that his marriage is no longer working; James the perfect one who seems to have everything, until his friends discover that he has nothing; and Dave – dear hopeless Dave; what can I say about Dave?
It is particularly enjoyable to see how they react with each other – some of them support each other, some are neglectful, and occasionally a character is quite unable to see why the others are so self-absorbed and wrapped up in petty problems. Because we know them all so well, we see every problem from several different points of view and we sympathise with each one of the friends.
The tension builds up over the year as we really need to know how their separate problems can be resolved. All along we feel we are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller, and of course there is a satisfying climax.
The characters are sharply observed and as I read, I quickly came to feel they were my friends too – I almost looked them up on Facebook! They are very different from each other in personality and in the problems that life throws at them. Among others there’s Katie, just back from teaching in India and wondering what to do next; Andy who has come to see that his marriage is no longer working; James the perfect one who seems to have everything, until his friends discover that he has nothing; and Dave – dear hopeless Dave; what can I say about Dave?
It is particularly enjoyable to see how they react with each other – some of them support each other, some are neglectful, and occasionally a character is quite unable to see why the others are so self-absorbed and wrapped up in petty problems. Because we know them all so well, we see every problem from several different points of view and we sympathise with each one of the friends.
The tension builds up over the year as we really need to know how their separate problems can be resolved. All along we feel we are in the hands of an accomplished storyteller, and of course there is a satisfying climax.
August 12, 2012
There was something very One Day about 27. A sort of everyday so far has come to this inevitability. Kind of the same predictability too, but because there were lots of different stories I didn’t mind that so much. Or maybe just because I had expected less from 27- One Day was so popular I expected to really like it. I did think I would like 27 but I wasn’t eager for it in the same way.
I knew 27 would be an easy read, and I wasn’t really expecting something…substantial…, it’s part of the reason I picked it in fact because I’ve been having a bit of trouble getting into books recently and I wanted something that would be easy.
Actually I enjoyed it more than I had anticipated. I think actually I am just about at the right stage in my life to read it, I identified quite well with some of the characters, and I think a lot of people my age would. It’s true that there are a lot of weddings and babies on my facebook feed now. You can’t helping thinking that everyone else is getting on with their lives while you’re living with your parents in a job you could have got without going to uni. Of course I have lots of friends in the same position but facebook doesn’t really show that does it?
I suppose that’s what I liked about 27 really. It was a kind of comparison of facebook life and real life, I man you don’t put your bad moments on facebook really, not in the same way anyway. Sam’s story I found particularly good at showing this.
I knew 27 would be an easy read, and I wasn’t really expecting something…substantial…, it’s part of the reason I picked it in fact because I’ve been having a bit of trouble getting into books recently and I wanted something that would be easy.
Actually I enjoyed it more than I had anticipated. I think actually I am just about at the right stage in my life to read it, I identified quite well with some of the characters, and I think a lot of people my age would. It’s true that there are a lot of weddings and babies on my facebook feed now. You can’t helping thinking that everyone else is getting on with their lives while you’re living with your parents in a job you could have got without going to uni. Of course I have lots of friends in the same position but facebook doesn’t really show that does it?
I suppose that’s what I liked about 27 really. It was a kind of comparison of facebook life and real life, I man you don’t put your bad moments on facebook really, not in the same way anyway. Sam’s story I found particularly good at showing this.
January 20, 2014
I was immediately attracted to the title as I’m a fan of so much of the music of the ’27 club’.
This book isn’t about Hendrix and the like, but about a group of uni classmates, now all 27 years old. If you thought it was easy being in your 20s, this story will soon put you right. These six are all struggling in one way or another, their lives punctuated by insecurity, alcoholism, fractured relationships, and more. I enjoyed the suspense of how things would turn out and read late into the night to find out, especially since I began to care deeply about some of the characters (though less so about one or two others because they manage their lives so badly). The situations are beautifully observed, and the dialogue is sharp and apt. Thank you, RJ Heald, for a very entertaining and thought-provoking read.
This book isn’t about Hendrix and the like, but about a group of uni classmates, now all 27 years old. If you thought it was easy being in your 20s, this story will soon put you right. These six are all struggling in one way or another, their lives punctuated by insecurity, alcoholism, fractured relationships, and more. I enjoyed the suspense of how things would turn out and read late into the night to find out, especially since I began to care deeply about some of the characters (though less so about one or two others because they manage their lives so badly). The situations are beautifully observed, and the dialogue is sharp and apt. Thank you, RJ Heald, for a very entertaining and thought-provoking read.
February 20, 2013
When I think about what I have enjoyed most about '27,' I think it must be the characters. They are all very real people dealing with very real situations. Marriage breakdown, alcohol abuse, new babies, revisited love affairs, tragedy and love, it's pretty much all there. But what is so brilliant is the way these seemingly difficult and at times, depressing, issues are bought to life so easily. That's where, in my view, the believable characters are important and give the book and it's plot, huge vitality. This book is an easy, enjoyable read that leaves you wanting more. What happened to Sam, how did Meera cope, how about Katie and Dave? I'd love to have had a snap shot 5 years later into all their lives. This book is a must read.
August 24, 2012
This is a well written book of literary fiction that follows the lives of a group of University friends and how their situations have pretty much all changed for the worse, even though Facebook suggests their lives are perfect. It's similar to Capital by John Lanchester in terms of the way it's written, although it's not multicultural in approach. The story is bleak and starkly realistic, with barely a glimmer of joy in the unsympathetic characters. It certainly made me feel that my life was amazingly brilliant compared to the people in the story, so it could be read as a kind of morality tale.
August 7, 2016
"27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year" by R.J. Heald is a well constructed and rounded story about six friends and their lives during exactly one year. Dave is made redundant on his 27th birthday which forces him to look closer at his life. At a reunion in London more of the six characters are brought in and the comparison of their lives and their entanglements illustrate the issues faced by their generation in a recession hit UK.
The characters are well chosen and their lives and fortunes were engaging and thought provoking. This is a slow burner with great substance and depth.
The characters are well chosen and their lives and fortunes were engaging and thought provoking. This is a slow burner with great substance and depth.
January 16, 2020
I read mostly to be entertained. This story is about a bunch of average people with average lives. I live this life so reading about it is pretty dull. The dialogue amongst these so-called friends consists of "okay" and "oh"; No witty banter, nothing to show that these people have any type of connection, to show us why they are friends. These people lack personality. They are interchangeable. It reminded me of a play where the casting director could basically cast anyone, even non actors, because the roles don't require much. Bland people, bland "plot". I didn't really get insight into any of the characters motivations, what made them tick. Once I closed the book, these non entities are gone from my mind.
March 19, 2020
It is true that age 27 is a turning point. I got engaged and married at that age myself. I found the story to be interesting with a lot of emotional ups and downs. I'm glad that Sam had the courage to take the action she did. But looks like a sequel is in the making because of what will happen with Renee and her baby. One drawback to the book is that I didn't like the characters very much; they seemed shallow and selfish. But I guess that is what led to all the drama.
August 20, 2021
Good fast read
Good fast read. I enjoyed the multiple stories all together linking and twisting into one. I felt character's point of view and how they saw this year through their eyes.
Good fast read. I enjoyed the multiple stories all together linking and twisting into one. I felt character's point of view and how they saw this year through their eyes.
March 16, 2022
Brilliant! You really get to know all the characters 😃
Once you start reading you just can't stop! Finished quite suddenly, certainly worth a read (stay in your pj's cos you will spend your day reading this book)
Once you start reading you just can't stop! Finished quite suddenly, certainly worth a read (stay in your pj's cos you will spend your day reading this book)
April 29, 2022
Friends, once close, but now mostly seen via social media
Picked this book at random (not my usual thrillers) following the seemingly perfect lives of 6, old university friends. an undertone of each envying the others lives, while they make sense of their own
Picked this book at random (not my usual thrillers) following the seemingly perfect lives of 6, old university friends. an undertone of each envying the others lives, while they make sense of their own
March 30, 2021
Not my usual read
But otherwise a great story. Easy to pick of need to stop and start . Would recommend this author as I have enjoyed so many other books
But otherwise a great story. Easy to pick of need to stop and start . Would recommend this author as I have enjoyed so many other books
August 18, 2012
Ruth Heald – 27
Disclosure: I stayed up way beyond my bed time on a working night to finish this novel – I had bonded with the characters and needed to know how their stories turned out.
Hook: “Dave’s twenty-seventh birthday started well, but then went downhill quickly.” He gets fired on page 2.
Summary: A group of university friends in London have all reached the age of 27 and find that their extended adolescence is coming to an abrupt end. Renee, a lawyer who loses her husband to divorce and gets a chance to find herself through various pleasant and less pleasant adventures did ‘everything right’ but has so far failed to get the promised reward. Although they all have a good education and what would generally be thought of as a good start in life, they are now somewhat unexpectedly (to them) faced with the underlying realities – career disasters, divorce, abuse, death and criminal activities of various kinds seem to hit them all at once.
The book is structured in short chapters of two or three pages, each told from the perspective of a different ‘27’, six of them altogether. This means that there is a minor cliffhanger every few minutes of your reading time, and then you get the surprise of which character takes up the narration. I was particularly captivated by the stories of James, a successful business man without a degree but with a fatal weakness and Sam, a shy librarian who cannot believe she is going to get married. Those two really run into life issues in a big, dramatic way, while others are able to navigate theirs a little more easily. But all stories have a dynamic progression and a classical outcome.
What I liked very much about this book was how the little things in life make all the difference. Food, weather, little annoyances, bad luck, near misses and regrets all influence the direction of people’s lives. Interestingly, the biggest of those little things turns out to be the London housing situation. Although many of the characters have good jobs (Dave is the exception), they are condemned to a miserable and somewhat unsavoury existence as unwanted guests or in shared houses if they leave the comfort of a double income mortgage. Their only other option is to go back and live with their parents who seem to exist in a different, much calmer universe. The 27s are thrown around between anxiety and giving up, but in most of the stories they are able to interpret what happens to them as life lessons and construct a better future.
One interesting result of making the age of 27 the main concept of the book is what it does to characters who are not 27. Apart from the ubiquitous parents who seem in some way to be semi-detached aspects of the 27s, the three main characters who are significantly older or younger than the 27s in whose stories they appear all are connected not just with disaster but with serious crime. This contributes to the feeling that life is somehow ordered into age grades and that relationships transgressing those grades are wrong , a theme which the author implicitly pursues in a slightly controversial subplot. Personally I am a little puzzled by that idea and I am also, more generally, not sure that the same stories could not have happened to characters aged 26 or 28. If there is a magical element to the age of 27 the book does not really make that case.
However, it does remind me of the so-called ‘quarter life crisis’ as described by Erikson and Goldstein, and my own period of feeling "lost, scared, lonely or confused" as they describe the typical experience of that crisis, in my mid-twenties when I realised that, among other unpleasant things, I was personally going to die.
This period in our psychological development is often overlooked but I agree with the author that it is significant and life changing, even without the dramatic events that befall some of her characters.
One of the reasons why I was able to read the book in one (admittedly hugely extended) evening was because of its accessible, entertaining style. Ruth Heald’s writing flows smoothly and always serves the plot. Her style is simple, subtle and quintessentially English. There are plenty of amusing observations but the book always stops short of outright comedy. Tragic events are told from a close, personal perspective and with a certain spare understatement that avoids sentimentality.
In spite of considerable earlier successes that could have opened some doors for her, the author has chosen to publish her first novel outside the traditional main stream publishers. There are many arguments for that in the present situation, including more artistic control and a fairer share of the revenue. She also has some experience with online publishing as editor and owner of onestopstory.com, a short story website and app, so it will be very interesting to see what happens to the book’s publishing journey.
I certainly enjoyed reading ‘27’ and am looking forward to Ruth’s next novel.
I just need to make sure I get mornings off.
Disclosure: I stayed up way beyond my bed time on a working night to finish this novel – I had bonded with the characters and needed to know how their stories turned out.
Hook: “Dave’s twenty-seventh birthday started well, but then went downhill quickly.” He gets fired on page 2.
Summary: A group of university friends in London have all reached the age of 27 and find that their extended adolescence is coming to an abrupt end. Renee, a lawyer who loses her husband to divorce and gets a chance to find herself through various pleasant and less pleasant adventures did ‘everything right’ but has so far failed to get the promised reward. Although they all have a good education and what would generally be thought of as a good start in life, they are now somewhat unexpectedly (to them) faced with the underlying realities – career disasters, divorce, abuse, death and criminal activities of various kinds seem to hit them all at once.
The book is structured in short chapters of two or three pages, each told from the perspective of a different ‘27’, six of them altogether. This means that there is a minor cliffhanger every few minutes of your reading time, and then you get the surprise of which character takes up the narration. I was particularly captivated by the stories of James, a successful business man without a degree but with a fatal weakness and Sam, a shy librarian who cannot believe she is going to get married. Those two really run into life issues in a big, dramatic way, while others are able to navigate theirs a little more easily. But all stories have a dynamic progression and a classical outcome.
What I liked very much about this book was how the little things in life make all the difference. Food, weather, little annoyances, bad luck, near misses and regrets all influence the direction of people’s lives. Interestingly, the biggest of those little things turns out to be the London housing situation. Although many of the characters have good jobs (Dave is the exception), they are condemned to a miserable and somewhat unsavoury existence as unwanted guests or in shared houses if they leave the comfort of a double income mortgage. Their only other option is to go back and live with their parents who seem to exist in a different, much calmer universe. The 27s are thrown around between anxiety and giving up, but in most of the stories they are able to interpret what happens to them as life lessons and construct a better future.
One interesting result of making the age of 27 the main concept of the book is what it does to characters who are not 27. Apart from the ubiquitous parents who seem in some way to be semi-detached aspects of the 27s, the three main characters who are significantly older or younger than the 27s in whose stories they appear all are connected not just with disaster but with serious crime. This contributes to the feeling that life is somehow ordered into age grades and that relationships transgressing those grades are wrong , a theme which the author implicitly pursues in a slightly controversial subplot. Personally I am a little puzzled by that idea and I am also, more generally, not sure that the same stories could not have happened to characters aged 26 or 28. If there is a magical element to the age of 27 the book does not really make that case.
However, it does remind me of the so-called ‘quarter life crisis’ as described by Erikson and Goldstein, and my own period of feeling "lost, scared, lonely or confused" as they describe the typical experience of that crisis, in my mid-twenties when I realised that, among other unpleasant things, I was personally going to die.
This period in our psychological development is often overlooked but I agree with the author that it is significant and life changing, even without the dramatic events that befall some of her characters.
One of the reasons why I was able to read the book in one (admittedly hugely extended) evening was because of its accessible, entertaining style. Ruth Heald’s writing flows smoothly and always serves the plot. Her style is simple, subtle and quintessentially English. There are plenty of amusing observations but the book always stops short of outright comedy. Tragic events are told from a close, personal perspective and with a certain spare understatement that avoids sentimentality.
In spite of considerable earlier successes that could have opened some doors for her, the author has chosen to publish her first novel outside the traditional main stream publishers. There are many arguments for that in the present situation, including more artistic control and a fairer share of the revenue. She also has some experience with online publishing as editor and owner of onestopstory.com, a short story website and app, so it will be very interesting to see what happens to the book’s publishing journey.
I certainly enjoyed reading ‘27’ and am looking forward to Ruth’s next novel.
I just need to make sure I get mornings off.
January 24, 2013
I was contacted by the very lovely author of this book, asking whether I would like to review it. She piqued my interest with the blurb – it’s based in London (which I am a sucker for) and is based on 27 being an important life-defining age. Not only is it the age that the likes of Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse die, but it was also the age I had my daughter – and the age I automatically THINK I am when people ask me.
I’m not. Obviously.
The story follows a group of six friends who met at University over the period of a year. Their lives have gone in very different directions since those heady, young, carefree days and we open with Renee flicking through their photos on Facebook and despairing that the rest of the group seem to have made so much more of their lives and are obviously so much happier than she is. We’ve all done that, haven’t we?
As we meet each of the circle, and gain a better insight into their thoughts and lives, we see that none of them seem quite as happy and successful as the image they try to portray.
I loved the whole premise of the book. I think 27/28 really is a turning point in life. In your teens, you’re expected to be little more than a kid really, there’s no expectations, your life is meant to be fun. Early to mid 20s, you’re generally leaving Uni, working out what direction you want to take, cementing the friendships that are mor elikely to last, having more serious relationships.
By the time you’re coming out of that and hitting your LATE 20s, it menas that 30 is just around the corner – another decade, and when you’re young 30 seems to be the age that you believe you should have your life all worked out by…so it’s no surprise when people hit 27 and start panicking that they’re nowhere near working it out!
This book totally captures that sense of panic. indecision and the totally unsubstantiated feeling that you’re the only one that hasn’t worked it all out — everyone else you know is doing it so much better than you!
Each of the characters has their strengths and flaws, drives and fears and they are so well written that they honestly feel like your own friends. Although I took hardly any time to speed through the book, I was hanging off towards the end as I knew that I would feel a real loss once they had gone forever.
Don’t mistake this book for run-of-the-mill chick-lit, it is far from it. It’s contemporary, it’s very ‘now’ and it isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects – and tackle them very well.
I’m not. Obviously.
The story follows a group of six friends who met at University over the period of a year. Their lives have gone in very different directions since those heady, young, carefree days and we open with Renee flicking through their photos on Facebook and despairing that the rest of the group seem to have made so much more of their lives and are obviously so much happier than she is. We’ve all done that, haven’t we?
As we meet each of the circle, and gain a better insight into their thoughts and lives, we see that none of them seem quite as happy and successful as the image they try to portray.
I loved the whole premise of the book. I think 27/28 really is a turning point in life. In your teens, you’re expected to be little more than a kid really, there’s no expectations, your life is meant to be fun. Early to mid 20s, you’re generally leaving Uni, working out what direction you want to take, cementing the friendships that are mor elikely to last, having more serious relationships.
By the time you’re coming out of that and hitting your LATE 20s, it menas that 30 is just around the corner – another decade, and when you’re young 30 seems to be the age that you believe you should have your life all worked out by…so it’s no surprise when people hit 27 and start panicking that they’re nowhere near working it out!
This book totally captures that sense of panic. indecision and the totally unsubstantiated feeling that you’re the only one that hasn’t worked it all out — everyone else you know is doing it so much better than you!
Each of the characters has their strengths and flaws, drives and fears and they are so well written that they honestly feel like your own friends. Although I took hardly any time to speed through the book, I was hanging off towards the end as I knew that I would feel a real loss once they had gone forever.
Don’t mistake this book for run-of-the-mill chick-lit, it is far from it. It’s contemporary, it’s very ‘now’ and it isn’t afraid to tackle difficult subjects – and tackle them very well.
February 3, 2014
First I must say, very well put together story and the author managed to handle six plus characters and plots without giving me a headache.
After reading two chapters, I was already into the story and connecting with the characters. Renee, the second character introduced, sets the story into motion. She’s looking at Facebook, something we all do, and decides to unite all her friends who look so happy with their lives.
But to loosely quote Portlandia, people on the internet don’t tend to be as happy as you think. We get inside the minds of her friends she was browsing on Facebook, they’re the other characters of this tale.
Anyway, Renee plans a reunion and when they all met up I was expecting a lot more excitement. I figured they hadn’t seen each other in months, but their gathering was sort of ho-hum.
This story covers every type of drama: marriage, divorce, dating, pregnancy, the elderly, death, cheating, unemployment, workplace issues, and etc.
To me, Steve’s plot was the most daring. Renee, Dave, and Katie were the core of the story and very interesting characters. Sam was basically a repeat of a Lifetime movie. And as for James, he was honestly forgettable.
Overall though, I’m a sucker for plots like this. It reminds me of TV Shows like Brothers & Sisters. Overall, great read. 5 out 5 stars.
After reading two chapters, I was already into the story and connecting with the characters. Renee, the second character introduced, sets the story into motion. She’s looking at Facebook, something we all do, and decides to unite all her friends who look so happy with their lives.
But to loosely quote Portlandia, people on the internet don’t tend to be as happy as you think. We get inside the minds of her friends she was browsing on Facebook, they’re the other characters of this tale.
Anyway, Renee plans a reunion and when they all met up I was expecting a lot more excitement. I figured they hadn’t seen each other in months, but their gathering was sort of ho-hum.
This story covers every type of drama: marriage, divorce, dating, pregnancy, the elderly, death, cheating, unemployment, workplace issues, and etc.
To me, Steve’s plot was the most daring. Renee, Dave, and Katie were the core of the story and very interesting characters. Sam was basically a repeat of a Lifetime movie. And as for James, he was honestly forgettable.
Overall though, I’m a sucker for plots like this. It reminds me of TV Shows like Brothers & Sisters. Overall, great read. 5 out 5 stars.
February 26, 2014
27 was a significant turning point in my life and for that reason the title caught my attention. The description interested me because I was curious to discover about other lives at age 27. However, I don’t generally like to read stories with multiple protagonists as there are too many people to keep track of.
More power to Heald for not putting me to sleep trying to keep on top of all those characters. Some of the characters interested me enough to want to know the outcome of the story. Also the human curiosity factor kept me reading to find out who ended with whom. The characters were relatable as one can see these people in our everyday lives.
Two of the characters annoyed me so much that sometimes I wanted to scream, “Oh go away.” Their lack of backbone irritated me.
It’s comical that everyone lives culminated into a predictable resolution in the end.
The beginning of the story slowed down for me mostly because I was too confused trying to remember who was who but it sped up in the end as the desire to know the outcome intensified.
I was glad to see some of the characters develop a backbone in the end.
More power to Heald for not putting me to sleep trying to keep on top of all those characters. Some of the characters interested me enough to want to know the outcome of the story. Also the human curiosity factor kept me reading to find out who ended with whom. The characters were relatable as one can see these people in our everyday lives.
Two of the characters annoyed me so much that sometimes I wanted to scream, “Oh go away.” Their lack of backbone irritated me.
It’s comical that everyone lives culminated into a predictable resolution in the end.
The beginning of the story slowed down for me mostly because I was too confused trying to remember who was who but it sped up in the end as the desire to know the outcome intensified.
I was glad to see some of the characters develop a backbone in the end.
July 26, 2012
27 tells the story of six university friends as they reconnect with each other several years after graduation. Their lives have all followed very different paths, from successful businessman James to unemployed Dave and long-term traveller Katie. However, the common theme that unites all of them is that their situations are not as straightforward as they appear on the surface, and between them the group face a complex range of relationship, financial and personal issues over the year in which the novel is set.
Despite the differences between them, all of the characters are realistically portrayed, and we feel as though we really get to know them over the course of the novel and come to be closely involved in their lives. The storyline is gripping from the start, with the viewpoint alternating between the different characters, allowing us to see the book’s events unfold from a number of different perspectives, and a number of unexpected plot twists keep the reader hooked until the very end.
Despite the differences between them, all of the characters are realistically portrayed, and we feel as though we really get to know them over the course of the novel and come to be closely involved in their lives. The storyline is gripping from the start, with the viewpoint alternating between the different characters, allowing us to see the book’s events unfold from a number of different perspectives, and a number of unexpected plot twists keep the reader hooked until the very end.
March 11, 2014
27 follows six friends from university and what their lives look like at the age of 27. One is a successful businessman with a beautiful wife and child, another is unemployed and living with others, another is in an abusive relationship, while another's seemingly perfect marriage is falling apart, another is an alcoholic, one gets knocked up by her significant other...or one of her college friends, another travels the world, one is planning a wedding with the man of her dreams, while another is on the brink of losing their job. Did you count more than six descriptions? Many of these intertwine.
What may look perfect on the outside, is not so perfect once you're living it. Social media only presents a one dimensional view of people's lives and the truth is, many are just lonely. This was a very well-written book which I found easy to read. It provides a good lesson to pay attention to those around us. When something seems off, don't ignore it. There are signs that people are suffering and sometimes all they need is someone to care.
What may look perfect on the outside, is not so perfect once you're living it. Social media only presents a one dimensional view of people's lives and the truth is, many are just lonely. This was a very well-written book which I found easy to read. It provides a good lesson to pay attention to those around us. When something seems off, don't ignore it. There are signs that people are suffering and sometimes all they need is someone to care.
January 31, 2014
27: Six Friends, One Year is one of those books that you can't put down because you truly care about all of the characters. Through the course of the year, each character is blindsided, figuratively and literally, but something that changes the way they view their lives. R.J. Heald describes the characters and their lives in vivid detail. The book is almost biographical.
My favorite thing about 27: Six Friends, One Year is that none of the characters are vampires or werewolves. I'm not really into fantasy novels. This story is based in reality. All of the characters are human, with good and bad traits. The characters are well-rounded and likeable.
If there is a sequel to this book, I would definitely read it. It would also make a great movie. One big bonus for readers in the USA, is the language. The book is set in the UK. I learned several new words and phrases while reading it.
My favorite thing about 27: Six Friends, One Year is that none of the characters are vampires or werewolves. I'm not really into fantasy novels. This story is based in reality. All of the characters are human, with good and bad traits. The characters are well-rounded and likeable.
If there is a sequel to this book, I would definitely read it. It would also make a great movie. One big bonus for readers in the USA, is the language. The book is set in the UK. I learned several new words and phrases while reading it.
December 25, 2013
I was very kindly sent a copy of this via the GoodReads First Read Scheme, in return for an honest review (it can also be seen on my Blog Post #403 in December 2013).
It seems strange to say this about a book, but I found it well written mediocrity .... by that I mean that the whole work was well written, and to some extent enjoyable, but the subject matter was about the mediocrity of lives.
I understand the author wanted to document what could happen when somebody reaches 27, but could it not just have been a tad more interesting in most cases - if all life had to offer was that level of boring, then the big guy above should help us all!
By no means to I mean any disrespect to the author's ability, just her subject choice, and I would love to see her really get her teeth into an exciting storyline.
So for me, just 3 stars I'm afraid.
It seems strange to say this about a book, but I found it well written mediocrity .... by that I mean that the whole work was well written, and to some extent enjoyable, but the subject matter was about the mediocrity of lives.
I understand the author wanted to document what could happen when somebody reaches 27, but could it not just have been a tad more interesting in most cases - if all life had to offer was that level of boring, then the big guy above should help us all!
By no means to I mean any disrespect to the author's ability, just her subject choice, and I would love to see her really get her teeth into an exciting storyline.
So for me, just 3 stars I'm afraid.
December 7, 2013
Four Seasons
In 27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year, RJ Heald explores the age of 27 among six people. The reader is drawn through the book in seasons: autumn, winter, spring, and summer.
The six friends live their twenty-seventh year, assessing their lives in terms of their careers, families, and status symbols. With social media a large factor in their grading systems, they draw unrealistic parallels in comparison to others. Such high standards are invariably difficult to meet or exceed, and neither allow nor reflect lost love, unemployment, addiction, or betrayal.
The book reflects a slice of life in today’s world. The characters reflect depth and breadth, and interact in believable ways. As the book progresses through the twenty-seventh year, it becomes apparent: what’s put on social media isn’t always a reflection of real life.
In 27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year, RJ Heald explores the age of 27 among six people. The reader is drawn through the book in seasons: autumn, winter, spring, and summer.
The six friends live their twenty-seventh year, assessing their lives in terms of their careers, families, and status symbols. With social media a large factor in their grading systems, they draw unrealistic parallels in comparison to others. Such high standards are invariably difficult to meet or exceed, and neither allow nor reflect lost love, unemployment, addiction, or betrayal.
The book reflects a slice of life in today’s world. The characters reflect depth and breadth, and interact in believable ways. As the book progresses through the twenty-seventh year, it becomes apparent: what’s put on social media isn’t always a reflection of real life.
October 12, 2013
Six friends, all now aged twenty seven, re-unite several years after leaving university. Life has treated them all differently since those days and the story is told through each individual character. Dave, coasting through life finds he is made redundant on his birthday. Andy and Renee are married. Katie has just returned from teaching in India. Steve has his own business. James, the most successful of them all, has a high powered job, a happy marriage and is the only one of the seven with a child, and is envied by the rest. But all is not as is seems, they all get invited to a wedding and you'll need to read the book to find out what happens!
This book was recommended to me and I enjoyed reading it. I liked the characters.
This book was recommended to me and I enjoyed reading it. I liked the characters.
September 27, 2013
As someone who hit the age of 27 not that long ago, I really related to the characters in this book! It was a great blend of wit, reality, and drama with characters that were well-developed and situations that could happen in real life. The pace was between a leisurely stroll and a jog, and the language was easy to understand (regardless of the fact that I'm American and sometimes don't understand "British-isms"). The best way I can think to describe this book is to liken it to the television shows "Friends" and "How I Met Your Mother" - just a look at a group of friends living their lives!
June 28, 2014
This novel follows six friends from uni (clearly set in the UK) who are 27 years old. All of them are generally miserable, unhappy people and have lots of problems but think their friends have it all under control. Overall, I would not have finished this if I hadn't been on a plane. The characters just were all unhappy and the story wasn't that great b/c the author was trying to jam six different problems into one story and it just didn't gel well.
I cannot believe the average review of this book is over 4 stars. I think the author's friends/family must have stacked the reviews.
I cannot believe the average review of this book is over 4 stars. I think the author's friends/family must have stacked the reviews.
October 17, 2013
***ARC***. Six Friends is a story about where life went for these friends after they left school. Each tells their story and each think the others life is better. At 27, they have a small reunion and get together. From fired, traveler, separated and very success full-see that it isn't always what it seems. I enjoyed this book but not my usual type. Enjoyed how each told their story and how the author put everything together. Nicely written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews