Book Review: In Five Years
"In Five Years" by Rebecca Serle is a book you could read in one sitting. I would have if this month was not as busy as it was. The main character Dannie Kohan is a strong goal-oriented woman who is very focused on her career makes calculated decisions throughout her life. Everything is perfect and right. She is climbing the ladder at work, has the most support, and is just a driven as her boyfriend, David. Everything is going as planned. Her best friend, Bella, the polar opposite of her. When Dannie has a very strange dream, she tries her best to avoid it from coming true because it is not part of her plan. Things unfold and unravel in this wonderful story of friendship, love, and grief.
It is well written. I like how I as the reader felt like I could see things that Dannie was oblivious to and you get the feeling of what is really happening yet can't do anything about it but read on.
***Spoilers***
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Dannie is a lawyer and a strong independent woman. Basically, the type you are told to be growing up. *wait, was I the only one who got this message?* However as the reader, I felt like I was one of those friends who see what is really happening, and yet what do you say you are just the reader? Very cleverly written in my opinion. Little hints here and there that she was doing everything right and necessary but it wasn't really. Very early on in the book, it was clear as day to me as the reader and to her friend Bella. THANK GOD, she says something to Dannie. I was thinking about it the whole time as a reader. I read in bed while my husband reads his book. Poor man. I would sigh and put the book down and stare at him. Distracting him from his sci-fi book to tell him how frustrated I was for David. The ending is very sad in my opinion a bit awkward but understandable. I think it is a good lesson in being true to yourself. Sometimes we get so fixated on goals we forget to enjoy the journey to them. There is a lot of emphasis nowadays to have it all as a woman and if you don't you are failing somewhere, somehow. I think this Dannie is a relatable person for those women who choose their careers and family even over in a sense a romantic person/dream, "the one". She also handles it all very well. You can take the ending other ways. In my opinion, Bella was the one. Her friend, her family, her love. They were both focused on wanting Dannie to have the stereotypical love that "everyone" should have. Maybe Dannie will get that again in a different form but that isn't the point of the story nor was it the time. They had it already and they always will.
