Beautiful World, Where Are You? is a 2021 novel by Sally Rooney. The story follows two friends Alice and Eileen; they were flatmates in university and, now approaching 30, write to one another on everything from sociopolitics to updates on their relationships.
Tropes present in Beautiful World, Where Are You? include:
- Big Sister Bully: Lola was unkind to Eileen when they were growing up and is quick to insult her even in adulthood.
- Epistolary Novel: Parts of the novel are made up of Alice and Eileen's messages to one another.
- Friends with Benefits: Eileen insists on remaining friends with Simon even as they're hooking up.
- Hollywood Atheist: Felix gives Simon flack for his Catholic religious beliefs and practices.
- Insecure Love Interest: Alice and Eileen both have negative opinions of themselves and engage in a lot of Heroic Self-Deprecation. Alice appears to have social anxiety causing her to assume people dislike her, whilst Eileen feels unworthy of love.
- Intimate Telecommunications: At least twice.
- You Are What You Hate: Alice, a successful contemporary author, confesses she can't read contemporary novels as they try to be "ordinary" when the authors are often privileged and not ordinary at all, and gloss over real issues people face. She admits to being guilty as well, but she considers quitting writing over it.
