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Reviewed by Essien Asian for Readers' Favorite
Henry Bradfield travels home with his family to visit his parents, only to find them clearing out all their old stuff in a garage sale. He isn't bothered until he discovers some of his most precious childhood mementos are the fastest-moving items. Trying to secure what remains of his childhood memorabilia, Henry’s attempts to recover some of his favorite pieces take him to the residence of an old friend and rekindle memories that are better left alone. With his fiftieth birthday a few days away, Henry wonders how differently his life would have turned out had he not made a series of unusual choices in James Bailey’s This Is Who We Are Now.
A midlife crisis strikes at the worst possible time in James Bailey’s novel. The cast of characters is well crafted, and their motivations are simple enough for the reader to piece together. The conversations are realistic and humorous even when the tone becomes somber. I especially like how Bailey captures the Bradfield family members’ complex dynamics, where the children and their parents have unresolved traumas that surface every time they are together. This fundamental aspect of the overall storyline combines with Bailey’s writing style to create immersive subplots as Henry, Margot, and Danny gradually open up on their respective issues. Henry’s antics with Erin and their subsequent effects on Denise may initially seem like a sideshow. Still, it accurately depicts most men’s reactions when coming to terms with growing old. Bailey's This Is Who We Are Now reads like a lighthearted comedy at first, but beneath the humor lies a message that many men will find thought-provoking.
