A Fortunate Age deals with the universal theme (by universal, I mean urban cosmopolitan) of trying to ‘find your way’ in your post university years 

I don’t think you will find this section in your local book store, but I am going to call A Fortunate Age ‘contemporary, intellectual chick lit.’  Is that ironic? I don’t know, maybe we should ask Smith Rakoff, as she refers to things/situations/people as ironic in at least 200 of this 416 page novel.   

The novel follows the ‘Group,’ a bunch of friends living in the birthplace of the hipster, Brooklyn. There is Lil the poet, Beth the academic, Dave the musician, Tal and Emily the actors, and Sadie the publisher’s assistant. With the exception of Tal, we get inside the head of each of the characters as they navigate their way through their late twenties, struggling with money, work, relationships, the tech boom and the changing economic and political climate.  The characters are not overly complex and layered and it is a little hard at times to relate to them as bohemians when they all come from wealthy Jewish families (the exception is Emily, but she ends up marrying a nice Jewish doctor.) 

Despite safety nets, the story still pulls you in. Smith Rakoff has sharp insights about popular culture, provides astute social commentary and makes many a literary reference, which all steer the reader away from the nagging sense that what they are reading is a contemporary fairy tale.  So while the scope is larger than hunky boys and handbags, A Fortunate Age is still, in my view, good ol’ chick lit which serves its escapist purpose-who doesn’t want to get lost in a book when there are bills that can’t be paid, boyfriends who are stupid, jobs that suck and friends that hurt your feelings? 

At the end of the novel it’s not all sunshine and roses, but from beginning to end you feel safe, knowing that for the most part everything will be okay.  But hey, believing that is the only way to really get through your twenties, right?