---
product_id: 20653230
title: "We Are Called to Rise: A Novel"
price: "£10.86"
currency: GBP
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20653230-we-are-called-to-rise-a-novel
store_origin: GB
region: United Kingdom
---

# We Are Called to Rise: A Novel

**Price:** £10.86
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- **What is this?** We Are Called to Rise: A Novel
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## Description

We Are Called to Rise: A Novel [McBride, Laura] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. We Are Called to Rise: A Novel

Review: If this book were a person, I would marry it. - I loved this book so much I started a book club with the sole intention of making everyone in my neighborhood read it. I'll let you know how our first meeting goes, and if everyone feels like I do about this baby. We Are Called to Rise has earned a physical place on my bookshelves - which is no easy thing to do, these days. Seriously, our bookshelves right now are stacked 3 rows deep. I prefer to check my books out from the library, and if I like them a lot, I will buy a copy for my iPad over getting a physical copy. But this book was so good I utilized desertcart.com's "1-click-to-buy" before I even really knew what was happening. When I first opened the book and started reading, I wasn't impressed. I almost quit reading after the first chapter. Oh, what a mistake that would have been. I'm so glad I stuck it out. I've read tons of alternating viewpoint stories before, but this is one of the first I've found where I've been invested in every single story, in every single character. McBride effortlessly switches between each character's voice, which when you have characters ranging in age from 8 to 58, characters running the gamut from being an young immigrant to being a wealthy, white female - her ability to follow each character's unique voice is pretty darn impressive. The stories do all come together in the end. I didn't know how that was going to work out, but it did. I should not have doubted. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Crash, only it was actually good. (If you loved Crash, I apologize.) This book, man. It lifted me up and threw me to the ground and ripped out my heart and gave me a hug and mugged me and held me up at gunpoint but also took me to the hospital and made me cookies. It reminds me of a tapestry. Each character has a story that interweaves with the character in front of them. Sometimes the weaving is with dark threads, and sometimes it is light. But the overall picture it creates is beautiful, masterful, and touching. Also, epic. It's not necessarily a happy book, this one. It's downright devastating in areas. I think I even cried once or twice (which never, ever happens with me. I don't cry. Except when I watch The Fox and the Hound. Because saddest. Movie. Ever.) But even though the book is tragic, the ultimate tone is hopeful. I'm not sure how McBride even pulled that off, but she did. And the title? I can't believe what a fantastic, well-chosen title this book has. The story made ME feel called to rise. This is easily the best book I have read in 2014. If you read nothing else for the rest of the year, read We Are Called to Rise. Just be prepared for one roller coaster ride of a book, complete with corkscrews and loops. Wowza. I will be eagerly awaiting more works by Laura McBride. And I almost even want to transfer to the university she teaches at, just so I can meet her geniusness in person. Oh, if it were a movie, I would probably rate it at PG-13. There is a some language and some violence (one character is an Iraqi War veteran, so most of it is related to his story.) There is also mention of an affair. Nothing was overtly graphic or over-the-top.
Review: Many plots converge / Into one satisfying / A fine summer read - There are quite a few great books out this summer, and although the "multiple character stories seem separate but build together" genre probably doesn't need new entries, there are a few reasons why We Are Called To Rise stands out in the current crop of fiction: 1. The opening scene, which involves a 50-something woman finding out that her marriage is ending is just wonderfully done. I am a 40 year old man, but that scene stuck with me for quite some time, and is worth reading in and of itself, even if you put the book down after that chapter. 2. Even though there were quite a few moral issues that were brought up in this book, I did not feel like the author was villianizing (or glorifying) any of the characters. They are all flawed, but also human. 3. When books are told in a style such as in this book, where there are chapters that alternate among 4 characters, I often find myself becoming more interested in one of the characters, and rushing through (or becoming annoyed with) the other sectioins. This book started out that way, but about halfway through I became very interested in all of the characters. I don't think this is a very easy thing for an author to do. 4. It is also not easy for any author to nail a childs voice, and McBride does an amazing job with the voice of a 10 year old Albanian boy. So those are four reasons why I would put We Are Called To Rise on your books to read list this summer. If you read it and don't like it, then I will buy you some nachos.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #299,002 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #2,007 in Mothers & Children Fiction #6,657 in Contemporary Women Fiction #12,693 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (2,607) |
| Dimensions  | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.38 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 1476738971 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1476738970 |
| Item Weight  | 9.8 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 320 pages |
| Publication date  | April 28, 2015 |
| Publisher  | Simon & Schuster |

## Images

![We Are Called to Rise: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71bPHGQAdAL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If this book were a person, I would marry it.
*by K***N on June 27, 2014*

I loved this book so much I started a book club with the sole intention of making everyone in my neighborhood read it. I'll let you know how our first meeting goes, and if everyone feels like I do about this baby. We Are Called to Rise has earned a physical place on my bookshelves - which is no easy thing to do, these days. Seriously, our bookshelves right now are stacked 3 rows deep. I prefer to check my books out from the library, and if I like them a lot, I will buy a copy for my iPad over getting a physical copy. But this book was so good I utilized Amazon.com's "1-click-to-buy" before I even really knew what was happening. When I first opened the book and started reading, I wasn't impressed. I almost quit reading after the first chapter. Oh, what a mistake that would have been. I'm so glad I stuck it out. I've read tons of alternating viewpoint stories before, but this is one of the first I've found where I've been invested in every single story, in every single character. McBride effortlessly switches between each character's voice, which when you have characters ranging in age from 8 to 58, characters running the gamut from being an young immigrant to being a wealthy, white female - her ability to follow each character's unique voice is pretty darn impressive. The stories do all come together in the end. I didn't know how that was going to work out, but it did. I should not have doubted. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Crash, only it was actually good. (If you loved Crash, I apologize.) This book, man. It lifted me up and threw me to the ground and ripped out my heart and gave me a hug and mugged me and held me up at gunpoint but also took me to the hospital and made me cookies. It reminds me of a tapestry. Each character has a story that interweaves with the character in front of them. Sometimes the weaving is with dark threads, and sometimes it is light. But the overall picture it creates is beautiful, masterful, and touching. Also, epic. It's not necessarily a happy book, this one. It's downright devastating in areas. I think I even cried once or twice (which never, ever happens with me. I don't cry. Except when I watch The Fox and the Hound. Because saddest. Movie. Ever.) But even though the book is tragic, the ultimate tone is hopeful. I'm not sure how McBride even pulled that off, but she did. And the title? I can't believe what a fantastic, well-chosen title this book has. The story made ME feel called to rise. This is easily the best book I have read in 2014. If you read nothing else for the rest of the year, read We Are Called to Rise. Just be prepared for one roller coaster ride of a book, complete with corkscrews and loops. Wowza. I will be eagerly awaiting more works by Laura McBride. And I almost even want to transfer to the university she teaches at, just so I can meet her geniusness in person. Oh, if it were a movie, I would probably rate it at PG-13. There is a some language and some violence (one character is an Iraqi War veteran, so most of it is related to his story.) There is also mention of an affair. Nothing was overtly graphic or over-the-top.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Many plots converge / Into one satisfying / A fine summer read
*by N***S on June 24, 2014*

There are quite a few great books out this summer, and although the "multiple character stories seem separate but build together" genre probably doesn't need new entries, there are a few reasons why We Are Called To Rise stands out in the current crop of fiction: 1. The opening scene, which involves a 50-something woman finding out that her marriage is ending is just wonderfully done. I am a 40 year old man, but that scene stuck with me for quite some time, and is worth reading in and of itself, even if you put the book down after that chapter. 2. Even though there were quite a few moral issues that were brought up in this book, I did not feel like the author was villianizing (or glorifying) any of the characters. They are all flawed, but also human. 3. When books are told in a style such as in this book, where there are chapters that alternate among 4 characters, I often find myself becoming more interested in one of the characters, and rushing through (or becoming annoyed with) the other sectioins. This book started out that way, but about halfway through I became very interested in all of the characters. I don't think this is a very easy thing for an author to do. 4. It is also not easy for any author to nail a childs voice, and McBride does an amazing job with the voice of a 10 year old Albanian boy. So those are four reasons why I would put We Are Called To Rise on your books to read list this summer. If you read it and don't like it, then I will buy you some nachos.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I am amazed that this is a debut novel
*by A***M on September 20, 2014*

I am amazed that this is a debut novel . The writing drew me in from the first page and then the descriptions , especially of Las Vegas life just blew me away . The story and characters are so skillfully drawn you would have thought that Laura McBride had been doing this for years . I was hesitant at first to write this because I'm not sure I can accurately express what an emotional read this was for me . It was just so damned sad ! Call me milk toast or whatever you want. I was so taken by this story and these characters that I cried through the last 100 pages. And then to make it even sadder , the author in her notes at the end of the book, tells us that her inspiration was an actual tragic event . McBride says in her notes, “The one thing that almost kept me from writing the story was that it was so unbearably sad. …. So the challenge I set myself was this: could I write a story that accepted the full unbearableness, and still left one wanting to wake up in the morning ? “ I’m telling you it was unbearably sad and if McBride is referring to the reader still wanting to wake up, I did, but I don’t feel the same as I did yesterday. It is narrated by four different people who are worlds apart but yet all in Las Vegas . Avis , the middle aged woman facing marital problems after 29 years of marriage has more to confront with her son's problems than with her failing marriage. Luis , the physically and emotionally injured soldier returns from Iraq and he’s a mess. Bashkim , the 4 th grade Albanian immigrant tries desperately not to be different or makes waves , but his family is very different . I loved Bashkim the most. Roberta is the child advocate who feels she can make a difference in the lives if the children she advocates for. You get to know her the least until the tragedy takes place. I love a book which allows me to care about the characters and this one did right from the start. But I didn't realize how much I would until the story unfolds So much is covered here - the toll that the Iraq war took on two vets with their physical and emotional scars; the difficulty of the immigrant experience for some; how an unstable childhood life shapes a middle aged woman and how in spite of her grief, she digs deep to find her strength. I knew at some point that the lives of these people would connect but I was not expecting the tragic event that brought these people together. If I have a criticism , it's that in all the narratives , except Bashkim's the author spent more time than necessary telling us what she wanted to convey - what matters , making a difference , accepting the adversity . The characters and their strength to get through the hard, very hard things that life dealt them could have spoken for themselves. Yet I can't give this book anything less than five stars. I have already read some criticisms of the neatly wrapped up ending and I could not disagree more. Nothing was neat about the ending . There's the feeling that life goes on , but no not a neat ending. Just a note: I requested this book from NetGalley because the description made me want to read this book . I was thrilled when I finally received an approval and totally disappointed when I found that the approval for some reason came after the book was archived and I was not able to download the galley. I kept thinking about this book and every time I read about it somewhere, I became more convinced that I had to read this book . So I bought it and it was worth every penny.

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*Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom*
*Store origin: GB*
*Last updated: 2026-05-20*