When We Were RealWhen We Were Real
What it's about
Seven years after the Announcement revealed that the world is a digital simulation, strange 'Impossibles' have appeared across North America: physics-defying glitches and geographic miracles. When JP learns his cancer has returned, his friend Dulin decides it's time for one last adventure, a week-long bus tour of the Impossibles.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Nebula Award finalist. Daryl Gregory writes funny, humane and inventive speculative fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
Spoonbenders
Dark Matter
The Midnight LibraryGood to know
It's told by a busload of different characters.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz72 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #208 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #317 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #360 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2080 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Daryl Gregory
If you like this, read next
The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
The Will of the Many
The Everlasting
Cloud Cuckoo Land
BabelExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is When We Were Real worth reading?
Yes. It was a Nebula Award finalist. It ranks #2,080 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is When We Were Real about?
Seven years after the Announcement revealed that the world is a digital simulation, strange 'Impossibles' have appeared across North America: physics-defying glitches and geographic miracles. When JP learns his cancer has returned, his friend Dulin decides it's time for one last adventure, a week-long bus tour of the Impossibles.
How long does it take to read When We Were Real?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after When We Were Real?
If you liked it, try Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch or The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.