review: not working by lisa owens

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Not Working by Lisa Owens is told in vignettes of varying length—some read more like chapters while others are no more than a sentence or two—which made the novel initially difficult to become engrossed in, but the style eventually begins to work and feels appropriate for the scattered nature of Claire’s life. Claire is a main character who definitely suffers from first world problems (she quit her job because she wasn’t feeling passionate about it, but now is adrift still unsure of what to do with her life), but she’s surprisingly likable (and funny) as she seeks to create a fulfilling life and tries to spend time with her cantankerous grandma while also feuding with her mom over a misunderstood comment. Not Working feels quite representative of those like Claire and the “problems” they create for themselves.
4/5
Review copy from Amazon Vine.