How to Be Somebody Else

When Dylan begins her affair with Gabe, her life undergoes a significant transformation. Critics praise this captivating novel for its powerful prose, with Samantha Harvey admiring the vibrant sentences and the Sunday Times noting the literary depth of this debut about a thirtysomething's entangled desires. On the outside, Dylan seems to have everything she ever wanted—a life in New York. Yet, it doesn't fulfill her expectations. She chooses to leave behind her career, her apartment, and seizes an opportunity to house-sit for an unknown artist, without informing her friends, family, or her boyfriend Matt.Her new beginning leads her to meet Gabe at a party. Gabe, married to Kate, becomes the catalyst for an all-consuming affair. Dylan becomes determined to understand what in her life is permanent and what is adaptable. However, a surprising twist involving both couples forces Dylan to rethink her future choices. The novel is noted by Tessa Hadley as unsettling and unique, while Claire Powell finds it stylish, sharp, and genuinely humorous. Rebecca Wait also highlights its keen observations. The Observer commends it as impressive, and it has been recognized as one of Marie Claire's best books of 2024.