Attachments - Rainbow Rowell

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Plume
Publication Date: March 27, 2012
Source/Format: Bought || Paperback

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say...? (from Goodreads)

Attachments is one of those books that I’ve been putting off for what feels like forever – and now I seriously want to kick myself in the butt for waiting so long to read it! It is a seriously delightful adult contemporary novel, showcasing Rainbow Rowell’s signature writing style wonderfully. A simple story populated by complex characters, Attachments is certainly worth checking out.

My favorite thing about Attachments is main character Lincoln. He is introduced as a computer expert who works the graveyard shift for a local newspaper, handling security and other IT concerns. From that statement alone, you can tell that (1) Lincoln is good with computers, (2) he’s a bit of a nerd and (3) he leads an unusual life, since he doesn’t have the same schedule as majority of people in the world. And unusual it is, from living with an overbearing mother, to a decided lack of social interaction (with the exception of D&D games with some pretty awesome friends). 

But then, he starts reading emails between two of the newspaper employees, Beth and Jennifer… and things start to change. Even though he knows it’s not right, he can’t help being fascinated by these vibrant, funny, interesting women – particularly Beth, who he starts to develop a crush on. Those feelings are one of the catalysts for change in his life, everything from going out more, to going to the gym and even pushing himself to be more social at work.

Attachments fascinated me as it chronicled Lincoln’s gradual transformation. He goes from living a stale, uneventful existence, where he’s comfortable but bored, to really living, complete with learning to take care of himself, valuing his independence and reaching out to others. It’s not always easy or successful, and sometimes, it can be plain harsh or sad or embarrassing. But even as he fumbles, or loses hope, or gets disappointed, I was definitely rooting for him to find his own two feet.

Still, the novel does not only revolve around Lincoln. It also manages to weave in the stories of Beth and Jennifer, the two girls whose email trail fascinates him so. Both are going through difficulties in their relationships – Jennifer dealing with her husband and pregnancy, Beth dealing with her rock star boyfriend – which comes across clearly in their emails. It’s also pretty cool how Rowell manages to help us get to know them through secondhand observation, just the way they type or their reactions to one another or Lincoln’s interactions with them (whether direct or not).

Then, of course, there’s the romance in Attachments. I was rooting for Lincoln and Beth even before there was anything to officially root for, clinging to each email and hoping against hope that it would work out. Sure, it was decidedly a little creepy that Lincoln had been reading all their emails and knew a lot about her, but it could still work out, right? Well, I’m here to tell you that I had basically no idea where it was going – but that Rowell definitely wrapped it up in just the right way.

Clearly, I enjoyed reading Attachments. It is such a well-written adult novel, with a unique format. With a fun, unusual story, it feels like the type of novel that many other readers will enjoy (as I’m well aware many of my friends already have!), and I’d highly recommend it too.