We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt (review)

There may be two Golden sisters, but Nell has always felt like part of her beloved older sister, Layla; it’s logical to freshman Nell that her soccer jersey is labeled “N. Golden” while senior Layla’s just reads “Golden” (“We both know,” says Nell, “that you are the Original Golden”). When Layla’s behavior becomes secretive and deceptive, though, and gossip about Layla and a teacher circulates around school, Nell begins to realize that her idol is actually a flawed human, and that she may need to break Layla’s trust in order to help her. Reinhardt astutely structures Nell’s narration as being directed entirely toward Layla, the second-person address underscoring the centrality of the older girl in her sister’s life. Nell’s voice is fluid yet authentic as she puzzles out Layla’s changing behavior and moves to define herself with the boy she’s adored from afar and the boy who’s long been her friend. Other elements are less effective, unfortunately: Nell’s obsession with teenaged brothers who died within a few months of each other is narratively distracting despite its thematic relevance; while Nell’s separation from Layla is important, the emphasis on her telling Layla’s secret is overdramatized, with an abrupt cliffhanger ending. Nonetheless, it’s an eloquent and concise story, and younger siblings may recognize Nell’s transformation from wide-eyed fan to clear-eyed sister.