Publishers Weekly
★ 02/24/2014
After the first chapter of this absorbing contemporary novel, readers will know two things about narrator Nell Golden, a high school freshman: she is extremely close to her sister, Layla, a junior at the same San Francisco school, and Nell is about to make an announcement that could drive the two of them apart. Written as a confessional, from Nell to Layla, the story goes on to tell how Nell’s idolization of her sister is challenged when rumors spread about Layla having an affair with the school’s hip art teacher. Stunned by the news, Nell is having her own romantic disaster, as well, falling for a boy whose lust she mistakes for love. Layla is quick to comfort her, but Nell has trouble offering reciprocal support. Reinhardt (The Summer I Learned to Fly) succeeds in capturing the full gamut of fluctuating adolescent emotions, including the intensity of first love, the disappointment of misjudgment, and the pain of losing one’s innocence. As Nell faces difficult choices, one of her emotions remains steadfast: her deep devotion to Layla. Ages 14–up. Agent: Douglas Stewart, Sterling Lord Literistic. (May)
From the Publisher
Publishers Weekly starred review, February 24, 2014
“Reinhardt (The Summer I Learned to Fly) succeeds in capturing the full gamut of fluctuating adolescent emotions, including the intensity of first love, the disappointment of misjudgment, and the pain of losing one’s innocence.”
“Reinhardt’s skillful exploration of the dynamics of sibling relationships and truly inventive narrative structure shine a light on the ordinary struggle of growing up.” ─ Kirkus Reviews
"Dana Reinhardt excels at creating complex, realistic family relationships and placing strong, provocative themes in the midst of engaging coming-of-age stories. We Are the Goldens is no exception; it’s a superbly crafted story that feels emotionally honest and expansive despite its tightly written style." ─ BookPage
"Reinhart beautifully captures the messy passage from adolescence to adulthood. Part of Nell wants to stay the child, while the other part knows she must follow her own moral compass. Is it her responsibility to keep her sister's secret? Or to protect her, perhaps against her wishes? Reinhardt gets this delicate balance just right, and leaves readers thinking long after the last page." ─ Shelf Awareness
"The haunting writing in this suspenseful contemporary YA will keep you up late into the night to finish. (No wonder we’re tired today!)" ─ I Heart Daily
One of BuzzFeed’s “15 YA Novels to Watch Out For This Spring
JULY 2014 - AudioFile
Nell is enthusiastic about her freshman year because she’ll attend the same school as her adored older sister, Layla. Julia Whelan narrates a first-person narrative that is voiced as a plea from Nell to her older sister. Nell’s characterization demands a nuanced reading, and Whelan’s layered portrayal is perfect. She emphasizes Nell’s longing to return to childhood, when she felt so united with her sister that she referred to herself as “Nellayla.” Whelan expresses the growing tension as Nell’s loneliness and frustration at their separateness turns to worry and then fear about Layla’s secret life—a hidden affair with the school’s most popular teacher. Whelan dramatizes the changes in Nell as she centers herself with sarcasm, suffers with the truth and ugly school rumors, and struggles to determine a proper course of action. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2014-03-17
Nell's discovery of her sister's secret tests the powerful emotional bond between them. When Nell starts high school in San Francisco, she plans to follow in the footsteps of her near-perfect sister Layla, whom she loves with a devotion that approaches adulation. Up till now their lives have been intertwined, particularly since their parents' divorce, but Layla is becoming distant. At first, Nell brushes off rumors that Layla's in an inappropriate relationship with City Day's young art teacher, but Layla's secretive behavior can't help but attract suspicion. In a blend of first- and second-person, past- and present-tense narration, Nell addresses her sister directly, spilling out her thoughts as she prepares to confront Layla and bring the secret out into the open. Nell's inner dialogue with two boys, brothers who died within a year of each other, is convincing as a framework for Nell to process the truth, while her best friend, Felix, provides real-life emotional support. Along the way, readers are kept in suspense about Layla's whereabouts, although the ending is somewhat anticlimactic. In the end, the story feels rather ordinary—as so much of life is. Reinhardt's skillful exploration of the dynamics of sibling relationships and truly inventive narrative structure shine a light on the ordinary struggle of growing up. (Fiction. 12-15)
