# When We Were Bad

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{{short description|2007 novel by Charlotte Mendelson}}
{{Infobox book
| name           = When We Were Bad
| author         = [Charlotte Mendelson](/source/Charlotte_Mendelson)
| language       = English
| country        = United Kingdom
| genre          = Literary fiction
| publisher      = [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt](/source/Houghton_Mifflin_Harcourt)
| isbn           = 978-0-618-88343-1
| image          = File:When_We_Were_Bad_(novel_cover).jpg
| release_date   = 13 August, 2007
| pages          = 366
| dewey          = 
| congress       = 
| oclc           = 
}}
'''''When We Were Bad''''' is a novel by British author [Charlotte Mendelson](/source/Charlotte_Mendelson), published in 2007 by [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt](/source/Houghton_Mifflin_Harcourt). Mendelson's third novel, it was shortlisted for the 2008 [Women's Prize for Fiction](/source/Women's_Prize_for_Fiction).

==Summary==
The story follows a Jewish family led by a female rabbi. Although the family appears perfect to outsiders, each family member hides a secret.

==Reception==
''When We Were Bad'' received mostly positive reviews from critics. Writing in ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian),'' [Viv Groskop](/source/Viv_Groskop) said the book was "as intelligent as it is funny" and praised the plot structure and characters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Groskop |first=Viv |date=May 13, 2007 |title=Don't get me to the church on time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/may/13/fiction.features3 |access-date=April 26, 2024 |website=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |quote= |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192411/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/may/13/fiction.features3 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''[Kirkus Reviews](/source/Kirkus_Reviews)'' praised the novel's "astute, affectionately mocking prose" and "wicked but merciful intelligence".<ref>{{cite web |date=June 15, 2007 |title=The Outcast, by Sadie Jones |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/charlotte-mendelson/when-we-were-bad/ |access-date=April 26, 2024 |website=[Kirkus Reviews](/source/Kirkus_Reviews) |quote= |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192423/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/charlotte-mendelson/when-we-were-bad/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The ''[Jewish Book Council](/source/Jewish_Book_Council)'' called the book "a good read" but said it was sometimes overwritten.<ref>{{cite web |last=Metsch |first=Penny |date=November 14, 2011 |title=When We Were Bad |url=https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/when-we-were-bad |access-date=April 26, 2024 |website=[Jewish Book Council](/source/Jewish_Book_Council) |quote= |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192412/https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/when-we-were-bad |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Awards==
In 2008, ''When We Were Bad'' was shortlisted for the [Women's Prize for Fiction](/source/Women's_Prize_for_Fiction).<ref>{{cite web |title=Charlotte Mendelson |url=https://www.womensprize.com/book-author/charlotte-mendelson/ |access-date=April 26, 2024 |website=[Women's Prize for Fiction](/source/Women's_Prize_for_Fiction) |quote= |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192412/https://www.womensprize.com/book-author/charlotte-mendelson/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

* ''[https://www.charlottemendelson.com/when-we-were-bad When We Were Bad]'' at the author's website

Category:Houghton Mifflin books
Category:2007 British novels

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [When We Were Bad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_We_Were_Bad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_We_Were_Bad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.