"The Fortunate Ones" interested me with the themes of Southern cities, privilege, and complicated relationships. While I found the characters interesting, I felt that their choices were at times unbelievable and pulled on too many different threads, without delivering …more enough substance. The writing is clear, and I felt invested enough to finish the story to see where the characters ended up. This novel hints at some interesting themes, including sexuality, race, and private school culture, but I didn't feel like any of these were thoroughly explored. I would recommend this book if you want an easy read, have an interest in the intersection of Nashville/southern cities and privilege in a coming of age novel. (less)

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Sarah Broom did a remarkable job telling the story of her family, and her experience as a native New Orleanian. Her narrative was well told, it was compelling but told with such a natural voice that it was a really engaging read. I …more think this is a must read for anyone with a connection to New Orleans, or wants an inside look at what growing up there is like. (less)