February brings us Kiley Reid’s latest novel, Come and Get It. As big fans of Such a Fun Age, we were excited to have this one in our hands and we hope you are too!
Come and Get It drops you into the heart of the University of Arkansas for what seems like a classic college campus drama. Capturing student life in all its vapid and anxiety-inducing glory – equal parts nostalgic and cringeworthy – Come and Get It is a reminder of the fleeting and all-consuming concerns of 20-somethings living in close quarters.
With money and class at the centre of its narrative, the novel follows three very different protagonists as their lives gently intertwine, diverge again and then, ultimately, careen towards disaster.
Comparing debut and sophomore novels can be a futile exercise, and while Come and Get It differs greatly from its predecessor, Reid’s sharp observational skills are on full display once again. Luring you in with their histories and complexities, Reid helps you make up your mind about characters, before slowly unravelling everything you thought you knew. At every step, you’re left wondering whether your own sense of judgement can be relied on as seemingly simple decisions spiral beyond control.
As the tension slowly builds, we found it increasingly difficult to put this one down and we hope you feel the same.
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