“She thought about how strange time was - the sly way it had of making things precious.”― Grant Ginder, So Old, So Young

When reading, there are sometimes books that take you to faraway places and let you experience entirely different lives. Then there are books that act as a mirror—held up to you in a way that makes you confront parts of your own past, leaving you wondering if the story is secretly about you. So Old, So Young is that kind of book.

The novel takes place over five gatherings of six friends. You learn about their lives the same way you catch up with people from college—through verbal highlight reels. These six friends are millennials who all graduated from college in 2007. Through short tellings from each of their perspectives, the author highlights quintessential aspects of the millennial experience: starting careers during the recession, having children during the pandemic, and navigating the divide between women with and without children. The story also explores the idea that choosing what’s best for yourself—while it may appear selfish—can actually be necessary for healing and moving into the next phase of life.

The author masterfully writes using distinct points of view that feel unique to each character. At no point was I confused about whose perspective I was reading. Instead, I came to understand their individual personalities and quirks. The author shows, rather than tells, emotions and motivations through actions. For example, the group gathers for a destination wedding in Mexico. Each character describes the intense heat and humidity, but the weather mirrors their internal emotional states. When Mia, one of the six, learns that her ex-boyfriend Marco, also part of the group, is engaged, she is stunned and suddenly aware of the heat against her skin. The shock sharpens her senses, grounding the emotional moment in physical sensation.

What I appreciated most about this story is its depth. It captures something that isn’t often discussed so directly—the ongoing pains of adulthood. While many books explore coming of age and the transition into adulthood, fewer address the reality of living it. The ups and downs, the uncertainty, the quiet realization that everyone feels like they’re doing it wrong, when in truth, everyone is just trying to figure it out.

I highly recommend this book. It takes you on a journey that makes you confront and feel deeply, while also making you feel seen. My only hesitation is that it is very millennial in tone and experience. I’m not sure if someone outside of that generation will connect with it in the same way. Even the dialogue feels distinctly millennial. For those within the generation, it’s incredibly resonant—but I do wonder how meaningful it will feel to others.