In Five Years

Few books have startled me with the power of my own emotions. In Five Years is one  that certainly accomplished this. Though I knew Rebecca Serle is known for her young adult  romance novels which center around multifaceted heroines, I never could have predicted how stellar her impassioned protagonist, Dannie, would turn out to be. When corporate lawyer Dannie  Kohan lands her dream job and accepts a proposal from her doting boyfriend in the same night,  she feels on top of the world. Everything she has wanted and planned for—meticulously and  precisely, I might add—is coming to fruition, even if her best friend Bella leads a much more  thrilling and beautiful life (and begs her to do the same). But when she returns home after  accepting David’s proposal, she falls asleep early and has a premonition that changes everything.  Dannie awakens five years later in an entirely new apartment with a new man beside her. It is  December 15^th, 2025, and she cannot fathom how she ends up here. Upon waking beside David once again, she frets about this foreboding and seemingly inevitable outcome. It consumes her in  the years to come, and as that unavoidable date approaches, Dannie attempts to maintain the life  she knows and loves. In Five Years provides insight into the tumultuous life of a character who  is perpetually in search of logical explanations for her undeniable fate, perhaps overlooking crucial discoveries pertaining to herself in the process. Much of Serle’s acclaim as an author can be credited to the care and complexity with which she crafts women’s stories, and Dannie’s tale  is no exception. 

The book begins during an exciting time in Dannie’s life, but it soon becomes clear how  mundane her lifestyle and plans have become. Her premonition occurs early on, fueling a sense  of underlying urgency throughout her day-to-day life as the novel progresses. Every day is filled  with a sense of uncertainty for Dannie. Readers can only absorb this ambiguity as suspense. I  could not put the book down until I learned how this premonition came to be. And the ride was a  wild one, full of unexpected heartbreak, introspection, and love. 

I must mention a key aspect of In Five Years. In knowing about the premonition  throughout the story, I found myself judging and nearly disliking the protagonist, Dannie. How  does she end up with another man when David is so good to her? How could she betray others in  her life to end up where she does on December 15^th, 2025? However, I also came to understand  and sympathize with her. Serle’s expert construction of an imperfect yet quality woman—one  with an overwhelming capacity for consideration, confidence, resentment, loyalty, devotion,  ambition, and love—ensured a natural, realistic heroine toward whom I harbored complicated  feelings. Dannie is proof that you don’t always know people as well as you think you do,  including yourself. In this way, she is also an indicator of the importance of self-discovery. If  you do not truly know yourself, how should others expect to know and love you—truly, deeply,  and wholeheartedly? 

Much of In Five Years employs simple sentence structure and writing flair, mirroring Dannie’s prosaic life and thoughts as she settles into her job and her ongoing engagement to David. The mundane details and observations of her life—her repetitive work routine, her monotonous breakfast order, her standard dinners with David—are succinctly transcribed without much tonal excitement or ornate language. In contrast, when scenes with Bella take place, the writing takes on a whole new life. Bella’s unpredictability and zest for life is echoed in Serle’s sudden change in energy and wording. Just as life can begin to feel unbearably tedious before the unthinkable interrupts everything, Serle purposefully adapts her writing style to the situation at hand, swiftly adjusting from page to page. It is a brilliant tactic which hooks readers, keeping us interested and attached.

Ultimately, In Five Years is an eye-opening and beautiful exploration of true love,  friendship, and that point in your life when everything is supposed to be figured out, but nothing  is. (When does it all get figured out, exactly? Asking for a friend.) Serle’s characters are  empathetic, emotionally intelligent, and distinct, and they will make you cry. Her twisted yet  lifelike plot will drive you crazy and keep you guessing. Her core idea of fate—one which you  have very little control of but greatly contribute to—is terrifying yet promising. Two other things are true: This unforgettable story makes you yearn for that once-in-a-lifetime, whirlwind love,  and it makes you reach out to your best friend just to tell them you love them. It is a deep dive  into relationships and personal identity that leaves you reeling and wistful in the best way.