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emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Title: Firefly Lane
Author: Kristin Hannah
Series: Firefly Lane, #1
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: January 6, 2009
T H R E E • W O R D S
Unsurprising • Compelling • Moving
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Kate is a quiet, reserved eighth grader with a loving, close-knit and supportive family, yet finds herself lonely and without friends. During the summer of 1974, Tully moves in next door to Kate. Tully is the complete opposite of Kate - outgoing, driven and confident but who comes from a broken home and harbors a huge secret that haunts her. That summer they promise each other to be best friends forever. Firefly Lane follows Kate and Tully over three decades in a story of friendship and family, love and loss.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Kristin Hannah has quickly become one of my favourite authors after having read The Nightingale and Winter Garden, so I was looking forward to reading this one after a dear friend recommended it to me. Firefly Lane is a beautiful portrait of friendship told in alternating perspectives between two women. What I really liked was the lengthy time span of their friendship. But at times I found the characters behaviour predictable and I had issues with how Tully treated Kate. Maybe I didn't feel the connection to Kate or Tully because I've never had such a close and enduring female friendship.
With that said, Kristin Hannah has a gift! Her writing style is so enjoyable to read and she makes me feel so much while reading, which I absolutely love. Her writing here is captivating and beautiful. It captured my attention and pulled me into the story.
Although this was not my favourite Kristin Hannah book, I enjoyed my time with Kate and Tully, and look forward to reading the sequel Fly Away and anything else she writes!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Kristin Hannah fans
• readers who love stories about friendship
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Sometimes being a good friend means saying nothing."
"All she knew was that a voice could offer light in a dark place, and light could lead you out.
Author: Kristin Hannah
Series: Firefly Lane, #1
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: January 6, 2009
T H R E E • W O R D S
Unsurprising • Compelling • Moving
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Kate is a quiet, reserved eighth grader with a loving, close-knit and supportive family, yet finds herself lonely and without friends. During the summer of 1974, Tully moves in next door to Kate. Tully is the complete opposite of Kate - outgoing, driven and confident but who comes from a broken home and harbors a huge secret that haunts her. That summer they promise each other to be best friends forever. Firefly Lane follows Kate and Tully over three decades in a story of friendship and family, love and loss.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Kristin Hannah has quickly become one of my favourite authors after having read The Nightingale and Winter Garden, so I was looking forward to reading this one after a dear friend recommended it to me. Firefly Lane is a beautiful portrait of friendship told in alternating perspectives between two women. What I really liked was the lengthy time span of their friendship. But at times I found the characters behaviour predictable and I had issues with how Tully treated Kate. Maybe I didn't feel the connection to Kate or Tully because I've never had such a close and enduring female friendship.
With that said, Kristin Hannah has a gift! Her writing style is so enjoyable to read and she makes me feel so much while reading, which I absolutely love. Her writing here is captivating and beautiful. It captured my attention and pulled me into the story.
Although this was not my favourite Kristin Hannah book, I enjoyed my time with Kate and Tully, and look forward to reading the sequel Fly Away and anything else she writes!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Kristin Hannah fans
• readers who love stories about friendship
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Sometimes being a good friend means saying nothing."
"All she knew was that a voice could offer light in a dark place, and light could lead you out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Grief, Death of parent
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Pregnancy, Alcohol
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ugh. Broke me out of a HUGE reading slump. Sliced my heart in two. I love Tully and Kate <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Rape
Minor: Drug abuse
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this book in 3 days because I couldn’t wait to find out more about these characters. This is a love story about a friendship. As I went on to read it the more I disliked both characters. Maybe not them, personally, but their toxic relationship. Kate was a people pleaser, her poor life was just engulfed by Tully and Tully didn’t care. Of course they loved each other and were good for each other in ways, but they were toxic together too. Tully’s horrible behavior always got a pass because of her bad childhood. It pissed me off how much these grown adults just thought “Tully being Tully”. I’m not saying she’s evil. But the fact is it was unhealthy. It’s sad to me that the only respect Kate truly got was when she was dying. Her whole life was full of anxiety, comparison, and jealousy. She died before she got sick. Her dreams were dead, her desire to live.. it was sad and frustrating. The author left us wondering if Johnny really loved her until the final pages.
This was well written. It made me want to know everything about these characters, I cared for them and got pissed at them as if they were real. I only gave this 3.5 stars because I was left feeling as if life just sucks. No matter which road you choose.
But, the author tries to not make you feel that way within the last 30 pages.. but for the first 440 pages you’re taught life just sucks. 30 pages couldn’t redeem the feeling.
This was well written. It made me want to know everything about these characters, I cared for them and got pissed at them as if they were real. I only gave this 3.5 stars because I was left feeling as if life just sucks. No matter which road you choose.
But, the author tries to not make you feel that way within the last 30 pages.. but for the first 440 pages you’re taught life just sucks. 30 pages couldn’t redeem the feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Rape
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic friendship
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Terminal illness, Death of parent
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault, Abandonment
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Bullying, Infertility, Pregnancy
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book just hit all of my emotions. It paints a beautiful, fragile, heartbreaking and uplifting portrait of a friendship that spans decades. At times I looked on Tully and Kate's relationship with wonder, but it's also filled with miniature betrayals and truths untold.
But there was a magic to this enduring friendship, and something so comforting in it that it could still make me laugh at the most devastating moments. It felt like these women's divergent paths alienated them and brought them closer at the same time, highlighting how hard it was (and still is) for women to truly 'have it all'.
But there was a magic to this enduring friendship, and something so comforting in it that it could still make me laugh at the most devastating moments. It felt like these women's divergent paths alienated them and brought them closer at the same time, highlighting how hard it was (and still is) for women to truly 'have it all'.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Rape
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse