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emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"They had the music and the memories, and in those, they would always, always be together."
Firefly Lane was a beautiful, relatable, and all too realistic novel about friendship, motherhood, and family. Tully and Kate are two friends who become inseparable in their childhood and the novel follows them through high school, college, jobs, and motherhood.
Seeing female friendship so rawly portrayed was quite lovely. No matter what Kate and Tully stuck it out through their friendship and you knew that they had a deep love for each other (even if they did not say it out loud).
Kate ends up becoming a stay-at-home mom while Tully solely focuses on her career in news and broadcast journalism. The paths they both take are very different but it is interesting to see how both crave more even with their differences.
I thought the portrayal of motherhood was gut-wrenching. Kate and her daughter Marah start to have issues once she reaches her teen years, a common issue I would say when your child goes through adolescence. You give everything to your children only for them to disrespect you and not apologize for their actions. Many times though coming out of adolescence and as we grow older we begin to be friends with our parents and the relationship changes.
"Please God, she prayed, let me get old enough that someday we're friends."
An aspect of the novel that frustrated me was how Tully tried to be a friend to Marah instead of being a friend to Kate. This frustrated me but then again it also made me sad because we know that Tully did not have a good relationship with her mother and so she is seeking from Marah her idolization and respect. Tully as a character, in general, seemed to frustrate me and towards the end of the novel when I had figured out what was going to happen I felt sad for Kate. Luckily though we see Tully finally apologize for her actions (after never actually taking responsibility for her actions or apologizing pretty much her entire life) at the end of the novel which was great character development.
Overall, the last third of this book had me shedding silent tears and thinking deeply about life and how we choose to go about it. Kristin Hannah always seems to tug on my heart strings.
Firefly Lane was a beautiful, relatable, and all too realistic novel about friendship, motherhood, and family. Tully and Kate are two friends who become inseparable in their childhood and the novel follows them through high school, college, jobs, and motherhood.
Seeing female friendship so rawly portrayed was quite lovely. No matter what Kate and Tully stuck it out through their friendship and you knew that they had a deep love for each other (even if they did not say it out loud).
Kate ends up becoming a stay-at-home mom while Tully solely focuses on her career in news and broadcast journalism. The paths they both take are very different but it is interesting to see how both crave more even with their differences.
I thought the portrayal of motherhood was gut-wrenching. Kate and her daughter Marah start to have issues once she reaches her teen years, a common issue I would say when your child goes through adolescence. You give everything to your children only for them to disrespect you and not apologize for their actions. Many times though coming out of adolescence and as we grow older we begin to be friends with our parents and the relationship changes.
"Please God, she prayed, let me get old enough that someday we're friends."
An aspect of the novel that frustrated me was how Tully tried to be a friend to Marah instead of being a friend to Kate. This frustrated me but then again it also made me sad because we know that Tully did not have a good relationship with her mother and so she is seeking from Marah her idolization and respect. Tully as a character, in general, seemed to frustrate me and towards the end of the novel when I had figured out what was going to happen I felt sad for Kate. Luckily though we see Tully finally apologize for her actions (after never actually taking responsibility for her actions or apologizing pretty much her entire life) at the end of the novel which was great character development.
Overall, the last third of this book had me shedding silent tears and thinking deeply about life and how we choose to go about it. Kristin Hannah always seems to tug on my heart strings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, Rape, Terminal illness, Grief, War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Rape, Death of parent, War
Moderate: Miscarriage, Alcohol
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was good, I enjoyed the writing, but there were quite a few plot points/character interactions that regularly irritated me so I am only rating this a 3.25. I did cry though so Kristin certainly did her job:)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, War
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
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
One of the saddest books I have read, had me sobbing on the floor, but do read it, I promise it’s worth it.
A beautiful coming of age novel about two friends that couldn’t be more different, and yet mutually thrive when together. Beging when Kate and Tully are in eighth grade and following their lives for over three decades, this book features incredible character development and personal growth.
Desperate to be seen and heard after a childhood of neglect, Tully attempts to fill her life with success and romance, pulling Kate along for the ride. Tully dreams of being on television and becoming a star, while Kate secretly yearns for a quiet life filled with laughter and love. As these friends embark on wildly different life journeys, their friendship is tested many times, through jealousy, betrayals, and secrets, it prevails through all of the hardship. Tully and Kate have been faced with all of the challenges the world can dump on them, and yet get through it together.
Recommend for those who live a good coming of age friendship-centered tale, and a good cry.
A beautiful coming of age novel about two friends that couldn’t be more different, and yet mutually thrive when together. Beging when Kate and Tully are in eighth grade and following their lives for over three decades, this book features incredible character development and personal growth.
Desperate to be seen and heard after a childhood of neglect, Tully attempts to fill her life with success and romance, pulling Kate along for the ride. Tully dreams of being on television and becoming a star, while Kate secretly yearns for a quiet life filled with laughter and love. As these friends embark on wildly different life journeys, their friendship is tested many times, through jealousy, betrayals, and secrets, it prevails through all of the hardship. Tully and Kate have been faced with all of the challenges the world can dump on them, and yet get through it together.
Recommend for those who live a good coming of age friendship-centered tale, and a good cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism, Miscarriage
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
reflective
sad
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
Graphic: Cancer, Rape, Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Mental illness
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a fucking roller coaster ride. I laughed and I wept and did everything in between. Tully & Kate are lovable and detestable at the same time, which is to say they are human. The story arc is so pleasant. The subtle nods to different music was a nice bonus for me as a music lover. The end is devastating, though, so prepare with loads of tissues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was quite disappointed after watching the tv show. Their friendship is not near as nice and I don’t even truly understand how they are friends in the book. They don’t communicate and hold resentment over each other constantly. I liked the ending though, the last 50 pages truly showed the best in their relationship and if the whole book were like that I would be OBSESSED with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness
Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief
Minor: Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Drug abuse
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was kind of a weird one. On the one hand, it deals with some emotionally heavy topics, but on the other hand, the whole vibe feels very sitcomy. The conversations between characters felt too snappy, like they would never happen naturally. It reminded me a little of Gilmore Girls, in that I was somewhat taken out of the story by how idyllic it was, but I was equally ready to just go along for the ride. It felt repetitive at times, especially their fights, but I suppose that's to be expected in a friendship spanning decades. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out in the show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Miscarriage