The Grammarians, published in 2019, is an endlessly smart novel that shows a life in stages of twins Daphne and Laurel Wolfe. Identical both in appearance and in their love of language, Daphne and Laurel grow from precocious children into wordsmithing adults, navigating life both together and apart. More character-based than plot-based, this novel gives off a When Harry Met Sally vibe — we get snapshots of distinct eras, allowing us to see Daphne and Laurel’s relationship grow and change over the years. Because there are no huge twists or dramatic moments, this novel has a quieter air than most fiction I’ve read recently, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. Reading The Grammarians felt like sitting in someone else’s life for a while, watching them go through good days and bad, and I left the world of the twins feeling thoroughly charmed.

At times poignant and at times hilarious, The Grammarians is a wonderful mix of a coming-of-age and a comedy of manners. Cathleen Schine’s writing feels like that of a modern Jane Austen in the way she takes everyday life and somehow heightens it; she makes normal characters interact with one anther in these very normal situations, and yet some moments are so ridiculous and ironic and real that I found myself laughing out loud. Some of my favorite moments happened in the “era” of the twins’ young adulthood in New York. Schine paints New York City of the early ’90s with all the delightful nostalgia of a Nora Ephron film, and I loved watching the twins traverse the literary world as copyeditors, journalists, teachers, and poets. The Grammarians provided the perfect escape into a world of words, and I adored every second.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone who’s fascinated by sibling relationships… it’s similar in theme to Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Anyone who appreciates an author who chooses every word with care and precision… it’s similar in style to My Name is Lucy Bartonby Elizabeth Strout
• Anyone who loves quiet books that make you feel big feelings… it’s similar in tone to A Big Storm Knocked It Overby Laurie Colwin