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You've Changed
The eagerly awaited follow-up novel from the Giller prize-winning author of Reproduction, You’ve Changed is a daring and clever dissection of a crumbling marriage between two people who are morphing in ways that confound each other.
Middle-aged and recently dumped from his construction job, Beckett is not feeling his best—especially since he was already under pressure to improve himself from his wife, Princess, a fitness instructor devoted to looking and feeling her best and helping others do the same. Still, they both think their marriage is basically fine, until a couple of friends show up for a visit, their far more affectionate marriage and sexual chemistry loudly on display. In one weekend, they upset the tenuous balance between Beckett and Princess, throwing them into parallel midlife crises.
Princess thinks the problem is physical, and attempts to revive Beckett's interest with relentless surgical alterations and bodily enhancements that have the opposite effect on her husband. Beckett tries to woo Princess back to him by relaunching his contracting business, laying his manly accomplishments at her feet. Then, while Princess is away pursuing even more drastic beauty measures, Beckett meets Gluten, an energetic and erratic man devoted to living in the moment, whom Beckett feels drawn to in ways that surprise him. Beckett is changing, Princess is what will happen to their already stressed marriage?
Sharp, inventive and absurdly funny, You’ve Changed is a wild ride exploring identity, insecurity, intimacy and desire, and who individuals become when they unite, and how they change despite promising not to.
Middle-aged and recently dumped from his construction job, Beckett is not feeling his best—especially since he was already under pressure to improve himself from his wife, Princess, a fitness instructor devoted to looking and feeling her best and helping others do the same. Still, they both think their marriage is basically fine, until a couple of friends show up for a visit, their far more affectionate marriage and sexual chemistry loudly on display. In one weekend, they upset the tenuous balance between Beckett and Princess, throwing them into parallel midlife crises.
Princess thinks the problem is physical, and attempts to revive Beckett's interest with relentless surgical alterations and bodily enhancements that have the opposite effect on her husband. Beckett tries to woo Princess back to him by relaunching his contracting business, laying his manly accomplishments at her feet. Then, while Princess is away pursuing even more drastic beauty measures, Beckett meets Gluten, an energetic and erratic man devoted to living in the moment, whom Beckett feels drawn to in ways that surprise him. Beckett is changing, Princess is what will happen to their already stressed marriage?
Sharp, inventive and absurdly funny, You’ve Changed is a wild ride exploring identity, insecurity, intimacy and desire, and who individuals become when they unite, and how they change despite promising not to.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published August 26, 2025
20 people are currently reading
1079 people want to read
About the author
Ian Williams
8 books118 followersIan Williams is the author of Personals, shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize and the Robert Kroetsch Poetry Book Award; Not Anyone’s Anything, winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award for the best first collection of short fiction in Canada; and You Know Who You Are, a finalist for the ReLit Prize for poetry. He was named as one of ten Canadian writers to watch by CBC.
Williams completed his Ph.D. in English at the University of Toronto and works as an English professor.
In 2014-2015, Williams was the Canadian Writer-in-Residence for the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program at the University of Calgary. He has also held residencies or fellowships at the Leighton Artists’ Colony at the Banff Centre, Vermont Studio Center, Cave Canem, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, and Palazzo Rinaldi in Italy. He was a scholar at the National Humanities Center Summer Institute for Literary Study. His writing has appeared in several North American journals and anthologies.
He is currently working on his first novel.
Williams completed his Ph.D. in English at the University of Toronto and works as an English professor.
In 2014-2015, Williams was the Canadian Writer-in-Residence for the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program at the University of Calgary. He has also held residencies or fellowships at the Leighton Artists’ Colony at the Banff Centre, Vermont Studio Center, Cave Canem, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, and Palazzo Rinaldi in Italy. He was a scholar at the National Humanities Center Summer Institute for Literary Study. His writing has appeared in several North American journals and anthologies.
He is currently working on his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 23, 2025
✨ Rating: 3⭐️
🫧 Vibes: self-reflection meets discomfort
🎶 Song: talk - hozier
📚 Would I recommend? meh
💬 tldr thoughts: It didn’t fully deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for.
In the package:
📦 quiet rage
📦 social commentary
📦 polite chaos
Plot: This book is a social commentary on identity and relationships and explores the shift of power dynamics as people evolve. We follow Beckett and Princess, who are in a crumbling marriage and changing in ways that confounds them.
Thoughts: This book just wasn’t for me. It was a little strange and not typically the type of book I read but hey at least I tried going out of my comfort zone 🙂↕️ My biggest issue is how the book is written, it was hard to follow at times with the unfinished sentences and inner thoughts. I get what the author was trying to do but I don’t think it worked effectively. He did capture the awkwardness between the characters very well, I was so uncomfortable at times 💀
Both characters were also insufferable so I didn’t find myself rooting for anyone. They were both insanely superficial and only cared about appearances in different ways.
Thank you Random House Canada for a finished copy of this book!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: self-reflection meets discomfort
🎶 Song: talk - hozier
📚 Would I recommend? meh
💬 tldr thoughts: It didn’t fully deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for.
In the package:
📦 quiet rage
📦 social commentary
📦 polite chaos
Plot: This book is a social commentary on identity and relationships and explores the shift of power dynamics as people evolve. We follow Beckett and Princess, who are in a crumbling marriage and changing in ways that confounds them.
Thoughts: This book just wasn’t for me. It was a little strange and not typically the type of book I read but hey at least I tried going out of my comfort zone 🙂↕️ My biggest issue is how the book is written, it was hard to follow at times with the unfinished sentences and inner thoughts. I get what the author was trying to do but I don’t think it worked effectively. He did capture the awkwardness between the characters very well, I was so uncomfortable at times 💀
Both characters were also insufferable so I didn’t find myself rooting for anyone. They were both insanely superficial and only cared about appearances in different ways.
Thank you Random House Canada for a finished copy of this book!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
September 19, 2025
The ups and downs of a marriage where the two people in question are obsessed with superficial labels and appearances. This novel didn’t hit hard like REPRODUCTION, but I still enjoyed the playfulness of the writing. But yeah, these two characters were so vapid, it made it hard to care about all the hijinks.
September 27, 2025
Interesting marriage study
October 7, 2025
I didn’t finish this book, I found it difficult to stay engaged. The dynamics within the central couple were frustrating and irritating. The obsession with appearance and manliness quickly became tedious, and I didn’t feel the payoff was worth pushing through.
I can appreciate that others might find value in the book’s themes, but it just didn’t work for me.
I can appreciate that others might find value in the book’s themes, but it just didn’t work for me.
September 7, 2025
You’ve Changed follows Beckett and Princess, a married couple whose lives are quietly unraveling. Beckett, a recently fired construction worker, struggles to rebuild his sense of self-worth while clinging to his marriage. Princess, a fitness instructor obsessed with reshaping her body through plastic surgery, believes she’s giving Beckett what he wants. Told through shifting perspectives—including a clever move from third person to first—the novel explores self-image, intimacy, and the complexities of a marriage in quiet crisis.
This was an interesting read, though I quickly realized it wasn’t meant for me. I don’t think it’s a bad book. In fact, for the right reader, it has a lot to offer, but it didn’t fully land in my sweet spot.
On the positive side, I appreciated the unique narrative style. The shift from third person to first was such an effective choice, reflecting Beckett’s state of mind. From drifting outside himself to being more present in the reality of his marriage. The characters are also layered with quirks and flaws that made them feel real: Beckett’s search for self-image, Princess’s fixation on plastic surgery, and the quiet tension between them.
That said, the humor didn’t click for me, and I found the writing style a little too dry. At times, the characters’ decisions were frustrating, though I suspect that was the point because they’re written as complicated, imperfect people.
If you like literary fiction that digs into the messiness of relationships, self-image, and the quiet unraveling of an unhappy marriage, this might be for you. It’s sharp, complex, and true to life, even when the characters aren’t always likable.
This was an interesting read, though I quickly realized it wasn’t meant for me. I don’t think it’s a bad book. In fact, for the right reader, it has a lot to offer, but it didn’t fully land in my sweet spot.
On the positive side, I appreciated the unique narrative style. The shift from third person to first was such an effective choice, reflecting Beckett’s state of mind. From drifting outside himself to being more present in the reality of his marriage. The characters are also layered with quirks and flaws that made them feel real: Beckett’s search for self-image, Princess’s fixation on plastic surgery, and the quiet tension between them.
That said, the humor didn’t click for me, and I found the writing style a little too dry. At times, the characters’ decisions were frustrating, though I suspect that was the point because they’re written as complicated, imperfect people.
If you like literary fiction that digs into the messiness of relationships, self-image, and the quiet unraveling of an unhappy marriage, this might be for you. It’s sharp, complex, and true to life, even when the characters aren’t always likable.
September 15, 2025
I did not read Williams’s prize-winning Reproduction, but if the prose is anything like what I saw in this book I’m glad I didn’t attempt it. Not a good fit between the author and this reader. I found the writing—apparently intended to be clever, humorous, and sardonic—tedious and insufferable.
November 2, 2025
WOW! I loved this book! It’s super emotional and extremely moving. The style of writing also was really unique. Consider me a new Ian Williams fan!
The exploration of marriage and love and the ambiguous sides were really well portrayed and real. Highly recommend.
The exploration of marriage and love and the ambiguous sides were really well portrayed and real. Highly recommend.
September 1, 2025
Beckett and Princess are instantly recognizable. Obsessed with homes and bodies, they live in a contemporary world where people renovate themselves for resale and being desirable is a blood sport. In fresh, exciting prose, You’ve Changed cracks open a modern marriage, and the scrambled contents are alternately hilarious and horrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed this funny, tragic tale.
October 6, 2025
I picked this book up because the concept of people changing throughout a relationship (both physically and psychologically) in an "absurdly funny" way (as was marketed) appealed to me. I do enjoy social commentary and books that deal with heavier themes within marriages and mid-life identity crisis'.
However, this was a book about people I could not bring myself to care about and it was neither funny nor about love. I read in a different review that at its core this was a love story and I disagree. There was fondness between the characters, but as it unravelled, they were actively resentful of each other. Finding comfort in each other because it was familiar instead of wanted.
This would be fine if we cared about the characters, but everyone was unlikeable except maybe Viv. I did not care about Princess or her black fishing, body dysphoria or her husband who could barely stomach touching her but refused therapy. She felt like a caricature. Beckett was endearing in the beginning, a man who placed his value on his work and his obsession with home improvement mirrored Princess' obsession with 'people' improvement. His repressed feelings and questions about what makes him a man were all interesting and intriguing, however, mid way through I drastically lost interest in his hypocrisy and bizarre mid life crisis.
I wanted to like the concept, I really did. The first portion had me wanting more and the style was fascinating. The only thing I found myself liking in the second part was the swap in perspective. In terms of style, it is a captivating book. However, one major thing I need is to care about the characters. I don't have to like them, but I need to care about what happens to them. I did not care about Princess of Beckett. I was more curious about the cat and Viv's permit than Beckett's mental breakdown by the end.
However, this was a book about people I could not bring myself to care about and it was neither funny nor about love. I read in a different review that at its core this was a love story and I disagree. There was fondness between the characters, but as it unravelled, they were actively resentful of each other. Finding comfort in each other because it was familiar instead of wanted.
This would be fine if we cared about the characters, but everyone was unlikeable except maybe Viv. I did not care about Princess or her black fishing, body dysphoria or her husband who could barely stomach touching her but refused therapy. She felt like a caricature. Beckett was endearing in the beginning, a man who placed his value on his work and his obsession with home improvement mirrored Princess' obsession with 'people' improvement. His repressed feelings and questions about what makes him a man were all interesting and intriguing, however, mid way through I drastically lost interest in his hypocrisy and bizarre mid life crisis.
I wanted to like the concept, I really did. The first portion had me wanting more and the style was fascinating. The only thing I found myself liking in the second part was the swap in perspective. In terms of style, it is a captivating book. However, one major thing I need is to care about the characters. I don't have to like them, but I need to care about what happens to them. I did not care about Princess of Beckett. I was more curious about the cat and Viv's permit than Beckett's mental breakdown by the end.
Read
September 29, 2025I am DNF’ing this at approx 50% of the way through it. We should probably just say that “I am not the reader for this title” and move on.. But I’m not content with that.
While I haven’t felt like hurling the book across the room neither do I feel any compulsion to continue reading.
I neither like nor care about either Bekcett or Princess. Yes, we don’t have to like our characters, but… it helps if you have some kind of strong reaction to a character one way or the other. I don’t - they are both “meh”... As is their story of their unravelling relationship nothing more than “meh.” I just so don’t care.
Then there is the fact of the physical book itself. It’s very odd - and I started out wondering whether it’s just the copy that I have.
There are different colours of text and also “mis-alignments” in the line and sentence structure. They appear to be intentional, in which case call me stupid, because I can make no sense of what the intention is.
Then, in the second “part” of the book all of a sudden there are words blacked out. At first, I thought that perhaps it was a prior reader who had blacked them out as I could tell that the first few words blacked out were “ass” and “lesbian.” OK - somebody is prudish… except that “vagina” and some other words are not blacked out. Hmmm.
As it continues though it is not always obvious what the blacked out words are… and, the black outs are too perfect - they have clearly been printed as opposed to someone marking the pages up by hand with a black marker. So again, what is this all about? Again, call me stupid - but I can make no sense of this.
While I haven’t felt like hurling the book across the room neither do I feel any compulsion to continue reading.
I neither like nor care about either Bekcett or Princess. Yes, we don’t have to like our characters, but… it helps if you have some kind of strong reaction to a character one way or the other. I don’t - they are both “meh”... As is their story of their unravelling relationship nothing more than “meh.” I just so don’t care.
Then there is the fact of the physical book itself. It’s very odd - and I started out wondering whether it’s just the copy that I have.
There are different colours of text and also “mis-alignments” in the line and sentence structure. They appear to be intentional, in which case call me stupid, because I can make no sense of what the intention is.
Then, in the second “part” of the book all of a sudden there are words blacked out. At first, I thought that perhaps it was a prior reader who had blacked them out as I could tell that the first few words blacked out were “ass” and “lesbian.” OK - somebody is prudish… except that “vagina” and some other words are not blacked out. Hmmm.
As it continues though it is not always obvious what the blacked out words are… and, the black outs are too perfect - they have clearly been printed as opposed to someone marking the pages up by hand with a black marker. So again, what is this all about? Again, call me stupid - but I can make no sense of this.
June 17, 2025
Calling all Sally Rooney fans, this one’s for you. If you swoon over awkward intimacy, razor-sharp banter, and emotionally stunted characters making bad decisions in beautiful prose, You’ve Changed is about to wreck you.
Meet Beckett, a middle-aged construction worker who’s convinced hard work can fix anything, including his slowly crumbling marriage. His wife, Princess, is a gym-obsessed beauty with a penchant for cosmetic enhancement and a deeply buried sense of discontent. They think they’re fine until a weekend with a disgustingly affectionate couple exposes the cracks in their foundation.
Princess suspects the issue is sex appeal. Beckett blames money. So she heads off for a BBL, and he dives into his business only to meet a man who is basically the human mirror of his wife. Cue an identity crisis with unexpected emotional plumbing.
By the time Princess returns, everything is up for demolition—desire, loyalty, and who they thought they were to each other.
You’ve Changed is a biting, humorous exploration of what happens when love stops being easy, and self-discovery begins mid-reno. Bring on the emotional sledgehammers!
Meet Beckett, a middle-aged construction worker who’s convinced hard work can fix anything, including his slowly crumbling marriage. His wife, Princess, is a gym-obsessed beauty with a penchant for cosmetic enhancement and a deeply buried sense of discontent. They think they’re fine until a weekend with a disgustingly affectionate couple exposes the cracks in their foundation.
Princess suspects the issue is sex appeal. Beckett blames money. So she heads off for a BBL, and he dives into his business only to meet a man who is basically the human mirror of his wife. Cue an identity crisis with unexpected emotional plumbing.
By the time Princess returns, everything is up for demolition—desire, loyalty, and who they thought they were to each other.
You’ve Changed is a biting, humorous exploration of what happens when love stops being easy, and self-discovery begins mid-reno. Bring on the emotional sledgehammers!
August 25, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
This was odd from start to finish. I am not totally sure what the author was trying to accomplish. I think he wanted to convey a confused married man who was unsure of his marriage, his sexuality and his importance in the world. However, there did not seem to be a genuine conclusion to the problem.
His relationship with Gluten was at times fun and interesting and at other times too odd and too out there for me.
This is a modern novel in all of its presentation. It is dealing with themes that were not out there 20 years ago. It has a social media role that could not have been in books 10 years ago. And, it stomped all over generally accepted writing techniques.
I am in the middle with this book, I did not hate it but I also did not love it. Something kept me reading, but many moments had me wondering WTH I was reading.
I think some will like this book, while others may not even finish it.
I will sit on the fence with it and let others be the top contributors to value of this book.
This was odd from start to finish. I am not totally sure what the author was trying to accomplish. I think he wanted to convey a confused married man who was unsure of his marriage, his sexuality and his importance in the world. However, there did not seem to be a genuine conclusion to the problem.
His relationship with Gluten was at times fun and interesting and at other times too odd and too out there for me.
This is a modern novel in all of its presentation. It is dealing with themes that were not out there 20 years ago. It has a social media role that could not have been in books 10 years ago. And, it stomped all over generally accepted writing techniques.
I am in the middle with this book, I did not hate it but I also did not love it. Something kept me reading, but many moments had me wondering WTH I was reading.
I think some will like this book, while others may not even finish it.
I will sit on the fence with it and let others be the top contributors to value of this book.
September 17, 2025
This novel delivers a hilarious yet biting look at one of the biggest challenges in long-term relationships: outgrowing the people you were at the start. Insufferable in their own ways, Princess throws herself into self-improvement—through fitness, business ventures, and even some (okay, many) questionable surgical tweaks. Beckett wallows in self-pity, jeopardizes their finances, embarks on a shocking affair, and does nothing to actually strengthen their marriage.
The writing style is quirky and original (though the dialogue can be tricky to follow at times), and I couldn’t help but root for Princess the entire way. I only wish we had seen part of the story from her perspective.
Overall, it’s a witty, thought-provoking read—and a great reminder that life’s too short to put up with a Beckett or a Princess. It's a novel that brings forth questions about the practicality of marriage, whether soulmates are real or just people we're compatible with for a time, and how our personal history influences the choices we make. This book was just nominated for the Giller Prize long list so definitely worth checking out. Thank you to Random House Canada for the ARC!
The writing style is quirky and original (though the dialogue can be tricky to follow at times), and I couldn’t help but root for Princess the entire way. I only wish we had seen part of the story from her perspective.
Overall, it’s a witty, thought-provoking read—and a great reminder that life’s too short to put up with a Beckett or a Princess. It's a novel that brings forth questions about the practicality of marriage, whether soulmates are real or just people we're compatible with for a time, and how our personal history influences the choices we make. This book was just nominated for the Giller Prize long list so definitely worth checking out. Thank you to Random House Canada for the ARC!
September 5, 2025
Princess and Beckett are content in their marriage. That is until married friends stay over and they get a glimpse into what a marriage could look like. Both become obsessed with making changes. Princess focuses her looks with surgeries and fillers. Beckett focuses on work and tries to discover his lost libido. What we get is a messy portrait of a failing marriage between two self absorbed people.
I enjoyed this one. I did not know where it was going and was invested despite both main characters having many unlikable qualities. I'm a sucker for quirky traits so a side character really made this book for me.
I enjoyed this one. I did not know where it was going and was invested despite both main characters having many unlikable qualities. I'm a sucker for quirky traits so a side character really made this book for me.
October 13, 2025
I could tell this novel was written by a poet. It’s complex in the paragraphs but simple in plot.
A relationship is at a comfort point and naturally unravels through a series of events in the first half (with a few dream-like scenes), the second half is the hurt, anger and uncertainty of forgiveness that follows.
I’ll admit much of the style went over my head but I understood the relationship intricacy. The ending leaves things unresolved, but in this case, the ambiguity feels right.
A relationship is at a comfort point and naturally unravels through a series of events in the first half (with a few dream-like scenes), the second half is the hurt, anger and uncertainty of forgiveness that follows.
I’ll admit much of the style went over my head but I understood the relationship intricacy. The ending leaves things unresolved, but in this case, the ambiguity feels right.
October 14, 2025
I found the first half of this book (in third person) very slow to get through, but things really picked up when the narration shifted to first person for me.
I did not identify with, or especially care for, Princess and Beckett, but there are some interesting ideas to consider that come out of their struggling relationship and their individual renovations.
It can't be too bad because it left me thinking, but it is definitely not for everyone.
I did not identify with, or especially care for, Princess and Beckett, but there are some interesting ideas to consider that come out of their struggling relationship and their individual renovations.
It can't be too bad because it left me thinking, but it is definitely not for everyone.
November 14, 2025
I guess I can see what the author was doing with all the stylistic choices in the text, and I would have found them more tolerable if this book was at least a little more interesting. I just felt like I wasn’t in on the story most of the time, like I was supposed to understand the tone but wasn’t getting it.
October 4, 2025
2.5/75
There’s a weird fixation on Black ppl in this book that’s weird n not necessarily explained in its fullest. Yes I understand Princess is African born but white and that Kay come w complexities but the main character himself has a weird fixation on Black ppl too. It was unsettling in a way
There’s a weird fixation on Black ppl in this book that’s weird n not necessarily explained in its fullest. Yes I understand Princess is African born but white and that Kay come w complexities but the main character himself has a weird fixation on Black ppl too. It was unsettling in a way
October 22, 2025
An overly long satire about highly unlikable characters from an image obsessed generation.
While eliciting the occasional smile, it descended into tedium and I'm left questioning why I decided to finish it despite my earlier intention to abandon it.
While eliciting the occasional smile, it descended into tedium and I'm left questioning why I decided to finish it despite my earlier intention to abandon it.
September 30, 2025
I found the writing style a bit challenging, but I did like when the pov changed abruptly from third person to first person, as it became almost confessional.
October 13, 2025
This is a light read with some parts of the book more fastmoving. However, the surprise factor is missing and it is easy to guess how the characters will progress early on.
November 2, 2025
2.5 stars. This started strong but the switch in perspective really tanked it for me. The style was interesting and innovative but it dragged, lost its punch along the way.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews