The People I Know Now

Lyla decides to go and spend the summer with her Aunt Caroline in the sleepy seaside town of New Brooke after her annus horribilis, so that she can relax and get herself together before starting university in the new year. As she makes new friends, we unpack all the things that made the year so awful for Lyla, and she begins to understand that her friends back in Auckland weren’t as supportive as the people she’s known for mere days. And one friend, in particular, makes quite an impression on her. Lyla must navigate a multitude of issues—not all her own—to work out which friends are worth keeping, and how to protect friendships while staying true to her own goals and ideals. Then. there’s a mystery for her to solve!

Donaldson crafts a range of believable characters in this small town, who each have something that sets them apart. Her language is beautifully evocative, taking time for moments where the characters stop and notice clouds, the water, or each other. The medical events which occur are described so as to be dramatic and realistic, but not overly technical. Overall, 'The People I Know Now' is a great debut novel and I recommend this to anyone who likes a feel-good book about friendships, relationships and summer.