A review by readswithnatalieb
The First Ten Years: Two Sides of the Same Love Story by Joseph Fink, Meg Bashwiner

3.5

Truthfully, I had never heard of the podcast, WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE, before, so Fink and Bashwiner were new humans to me. I was super intrigued by the title, with it being exactly what I thought it would be: two married people reminiscing on their first ten years together. Which, hello sappy Natalie, I was definitely in!

I really enjoyed the idea of hearing the two sides of the same love story. The chapters bounced back and forth between Fink and Bashwiner, with the specific stories they told, for the most part, following each other chapter wise. I liked being able to hear both sides, but there were definitely repetitive parts because they felt the exact same way. Which, would happen when you’re with someone that long since you’d probably have common interests. 

It was a quick, entertaining read that took you through different times in their lives as well as the world around them. From jobs, to political structure, and everything in between. It has me reflecting on what my partner and I would write about in our own first ten years.

Big thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy!

Content warnings: Eating disorder, mental illness, panic attacks, fatphobia, body shaming, death