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A review by bethanymiller415
You Know Who You Are by Ben Dolnick
3.0
2.5 stars
You Know Who You Are is a coming of age novel that chronicles the life of Jacob Vine from childhood to young adulthood. Jacob’s relationships with friends, girlfriends and his family - his brother Will in particular - are at the heart of the book. When Jacob’s mother dies of cancer, his father falls into a deep depression. Jacob is in denial of his father’s deteriorating mental state, but his older brother Will recognizes that something is wrong. He tries to convince Jacob that they need to help their father but Jacob refuses, which causes a widening in the already present rift between the two boys. Jacob continues to stumble through adolescence – losing his virginity, going off to college, moving to New York City - mostly without the interference of a parent. In the end Jacob comes to the realization that only he can decide who he wants to become.
Though it is well-written, the story and characters in You Know Who You Are are not very unique or engaging. Jacob Vine is a realistic though not very likable character. Dolnick accurately depicts the trials and tribulations of suburban adolescence, but it is hard to muster much sympathy for Jacob who, like many adolescents, is extremely self-centered and spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself. The book is frustrating at times because Jacob seems to make the same mistakes over and over again without learning anything from them. Again, this is not unrealistic, but it makes for frustrating reading. The plot is focused on the minutiae of the life of an adolescent, so this is not for the reader who is looking for action and suspense. Recommended as an additional selection for public libraries.
You Know Who You Are is a coming of age novel that chronicles the life of Jacob Vine from childhood to young adulthood. Jacob’s relationships with friends, girlfriends and his family - his brother Will in particular - are at the heart of the book. When Jacob’s mother dies of cancer, his father falls into a deep depression. Jacob is in denial of his father’s deteriorating mental state, but his older brother Will recognizes that something is wrong. He tries to convince Jacob that they need to help their father but Jacob refuses, which causes a widening in the already present rift between the two boys. Jacob continues to stumble through adolescence – losing his virginity, going off to college, moving to New York City - mostly without the interference of a parent. In the end Jacob comes to the realization that only he can decide who he wants to become.
Though it is well-written, the story and characters in You Know Who You Are are not very unique or engaging. Jacob Vine is a realistic though not very likable character. Dolnick accurately depicts the trials and tribulations of suburban adolescence, but it is hard to muster much sympathy for Jacob who, like many adolescents, is extremely self-centered and spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself. The book is frustrating at times because Jacob seems to make the same mistakes over and over again without learning anything from them. Again, this is not unrealistic, but it makes for frustrating reading. The plot is focused on the minutiae of the life of an adolescent, so this is not for the reader who is looking for action and suspense. Recommended as an additional selection for public libraries.