A review by emilyinherhead
We Play Ourselves by Jen Silverman

hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

We Play Ourselves is a story about Cass, a bisexual playwright who, on the heels of a mysterious incident within the theater community, has moved from New York to Los Angeles to escape public scrutiny and make a fresh start. In LA, she meets her next door neighbor, a filmmaker named Caroline, and quickly becomes entangled in Caroline’s next project—which turns out to be A Whole Thing that I won’t even try to summarize here.

This is a story about creativity and failure, longing and contentment, how it feels to get knocked down and slowly rebuild. As someone who was long ago labeled “gifted” and “promising,” and who now frequently doubts her path in life, I found it incredibly comforting and encouraging.

Even if you’re not where you ultimately want to be right now, it’s possible to feel okay with that.

The point, of course, is to be—not happy, but content. With the small things, the brief victories. The details, banal as they are. A paycheck. Unburnt coffee. A warm croissant from the bakery. A clean dishtowel, a freshly washed sweater. A satisfied customer. The light falling on your face in the morning; all your cells respond to that warm slant. (280)

And in that sense of peace, there is also a quiet optimism for what comes next.

My father looks at me then, and I can see something in his eyes that is both a kindness and a sadness. “There are so many lives ahead of us all.” (302)

I highly recommend this one if you like reading about messy protagonists, if you’re a creative and/or queer person, or if you’re an elder millennial figuring out what’s next. I feel very tenderly toward Cass and I’ll be thinking about her for a long time.