The Bottom Line
When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale is a short, but powerful novel told from the perspective of a nine-year-old boy named Lawrence. As in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, When We Were Romans is told in the young narrator's voice, complete with run on sentences, misspellings and tangents about emperors and outer space -- two of Lawrence's favorite topics. Indeed, Lawrence is what makes When We Were Romans such a captivating book. Readers will feel his hopes and fears, and desperately route for a happy ending that our adult minds know is impossible.
Pros
- Kneale creates a convincing and likable child narrator
- The narrator and story are unique and engrossing
- The story moves through dread and hope well
Cons
- It takes some time to get used to the narrator's vernacular -- run on sentences and misspellings
Description
- 'When We Were Romans' by Matthew Kneale was published by Nan A. Talese.
- Published: July 2008
- 224 Pages
Guide Review - 'When We Were Romans' by Matthew Kneale - Book Review
When We Were Romans has a relatively simple plot: Lawrence's parents are divorced, and his mother is convinced that his father is planning to hurt them. The family packs quickly, and leaves England on a road trip to Rome in search of safety. Once in Rome, they struggle to create a new life, with the trouble they tried to leave behind pursuing them.
It is not, however, the plot that drives this novel; it is the endearing narrator. Lawrence is a convincing nine-year-old, but he is also wise beyond his years. His interactions with his mother and baby sister are believable and telling.
Ten pages into When We Were Romans, I was having trouble getting into the story, and thought there was a good chance I'd be let down. By page 30, I was hooked. When We Were Romans is a quick, engrossing read that has enough meat for a book club without requiring too much mental energy.
