Books that follow the same characters from childhood to adulthood, realistic adult fiction

[Jessica]

Hello, I'm looking for character-heavy books that follow the same characters from childhood to adulthood. Think The Interestings or The Immortalists or In Some Other World, Maybe, which are all exactly what I'm looking for, or even Meddling Kids or It (thought I'm looking for books more in the realism / realistic adult fiction genre rather than horror or fantasy or anything else). The Goldfinch would fit too, but I'm moreso looking for books about a group of people, not just one.) Even better, if they were brought together as kids by one event, or at one place, then go off on their adult lives before meeting again as adults (and especially if they realizes that their lives have intercepted without them realizing it during that time, or if they've impacted each other more than they know). YA is also okay, but I would think most books that fit this would be under adult fiction. Thank you in advance :)

[Eric]

Have you tried IT by Stephen King ?

[Jessica]

Eric wrote: "Have you tried IT by Stephen King ?"

Yes! and I put that as one of my examples! It fit what I'm looking for pretty well but I'm looking for more realistic / contemporary books rather than horror :)

[...cats?]

Commonwealth
The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore
A Little Life
Never Let Me Go (has some sci-fi elements, but otherwise fits what you're looking for)
The Group (not contemporary, but I love this book for the same reasons I love the books you listed as examples)

[Jessica]

Thank you! I've been wanting to read 'a little life' and 'never let me go,' and I'll be sure to add the others to me tbr list!! 'The group' sounds particularly interesting! :)

[Eric]

How about SLEEPERS by Lorenzo Carcaterra .(Sorry I missed your IT )

[Rainbowheart]

Mystic River
The Gunners
The Duration
The Year They Fell
So Much Life Left Over
The Wisdom of Perversity
The Revolutionaries Try Again

[Moloch]

The Book of Ebenezer Le Page

[Jaye]

Stand by Me by Stephen King

[Andra]

Under Currents by Nora Roberts

[Rachel]

Kristin Lavransdatter mostly follows just Kristen, but also her family... It's obviously not contemporary, but it is realistic fiction.

[SamSpayedPI]

Sleepers for Eric's link; I second it.