Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Conversations with Friends

Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

265 reviews

djenkin96's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I think it was just a story of repeated behaviours from all the main characters. There were sections of self development or self awareness with the intent to improve, but did any character actually develop ? In the end I didn’t even end up liking Bobbi or Frances or even Melissa. I’m not even sure I liked nick. A lot of loose ends at the end ? It’s Like the author got bored, undid all the self-awareness and ended the book ?

I did like the relevant topics And The nod to endometriosis.However I Feel the author glazed over a large amount of obvious body image issues and an eating disorder ?

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There is something about Sally Rooney's writing that just clicks with my brain! I've read many different things that try to do something similar, but somehow it doesn't resonate with me the way her writing does. There's something deeply (and sadly) relatable about each of her characters, and it highlights similarities many people have, particularly ones that we are ashamed of. Frances' inability to be honest with her emotions (and refuse to express them, then somewhat believing her to be superior because of it, only to conflict with her deep-seeded self-hatred) touches every relationship and leads her to make amoral, selfish, and insensitive decisions. She desperately wants to be loved and admired, and she hates herself for it. Did I particularly like her relationship with Nick? Not really. I wasn't rooting for them, but that wasn't really the point.

I can't believe (yet simultaneously absolutely can) the book ends with them starting the cycle all over again and getting back together.

They both have an inability to express their own thoughts that it is weird (and makes sense) that their relationship lasted for as long as it did. Everything each character did was a recipe for disaster. For the first part of the book, I didn't particularly like Bobbi. I oftentimes found her selfish and mean. Her relationship with Frances was so toxic (again, that is part of the point), but at the same time so sad because they do genuinely have great moments of friendship. Sometimes Bobbi misses the point when she calls Frances out, but other times (particularly that last time she does in the book) really hits the nail on the head.

I don't particularly think they should have restarted their "non-relationship", but it's messy and suits them both, I suppose. Although, the ending scene promises even more destruction.

The dialogue is always top tier, and the conversations on the world, privilege, and politics stood out to me as it was one of the things I liked the most about Beautiful World, Where are You (though of course I loved the constant opportunities to psychoanalyze each character the best). This is definitely a sad girl, hot girl book, where a mentally ill woman makes terrible, amoral, self-destructive decisions. I liked it a lot, particularly the dialogue, commentary, and writing style, but I wasn't obsessed with it.

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benteasm's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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monica_brown00's review against another edition

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mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

First of all, this book had no quotations when characters were talking which was honestly very confusing. I never knew if it was all in the main character’s head or actual dialogue. The book seemed to have a lot of hype for something that was actually mid.

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emiliaalice's review against another edition

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reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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littlelizzieborden's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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wildestreadsoffrancis's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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khanyisile13's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I have many feelings about this book because this book has many feelings. You really feel like you’re in Frances’ head, and a great deal of the time, it’s uncomfortable. I found myself wanting to sit down and talk to her, but knowing all too well that she’s the kind of person who wouldn’t take it well at any given moment. It’s such an interesting book, and none of the characters are loveable. They all kinda suck as people even though they speak so much about morality and ethics and politics. I would not like to know any of them in real life, but the entertainment values of their decisions keeps you reading. It was sad, and hilarious, and frightening, and I was on the edge of my seat, but then I would also not want to read anymore. I enjoyed reading this book, but in some ways this book was not enjoyable — because the feelings and the thoughts are such a sandstorm you can get caught in them, knowing very well they are not your feelings or thoughts. I both hated and loved how the characters communicated to each other, and was constantly confused about how they felt about each other. And then I remembered that this book is from a certain perspective and it’s up to the reader to decide whether or not to trust that perspective. I think that’s important to ask while you’re reading a Sally Rooney book, to ask yourself if you trust the realities of the person telling the story, because Rooney puts you deep inside their mind and you’re just along for the ride whether you like it or not. What a conflicting, extremely well written read. I’m glad to have read it.

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cindyhvn's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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katjayorke's review

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A dramatic story with an inconclusive end. Exciting and reflective but not as conceptually driven as Sally Rooney’s Normal People.

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