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ampersandread22's review against another edition
3.0
Read this and other reviews at Ampersand Read.
Friendship is a book you think you’ve read before. It’s a plot that gets used a lot: modern day friendship or family-hood, the tracking of a handful of lives as they figure out their place in the world. So a book that does this has to bring something unique to the table.
And Friendship does. Up to a point.
For starters, it’s relatable. I can point to a lot of instances that brought me back to specific memories from my own female friendships. And, as someone brought up in a technology-rich time period, those instances where Bev and Amy blogged and texted their way to understanding made a lot of sense to me. Social media and messaging equipment at your beck and call make it easy to decimate a person’s feelings or ask your friend to bolster you up during your lunch break at the touch of a finger. Friendship does a great job slyly pointing out how both dangerous and useful this can be.
This book also captures the utter helplessness that entire people’s lives, whether twenty-something or thirty-something (and beyond). When we meet Amy and Bev, one of them is a wreck, the other barely hanging on to what seems like a pretty decent life: work, housing, love, etc. Then we watch as the tables turn, and how each woman uniquely adjusts to
I liked the way Friendship dealt with time. There weren’t dates or time stamps (“SIX MONTHS LATER,” or “THE NEXT WEEK”) that told you what to feasibly expect. Instead, the passing of time comes across in the writing. It’s been a couple months since Amy has talked to Bev. Three months after this, this is how her job is doing. It’s a subtle, realistic portrayal of the slippery aspect of time. How many months has it been since I talked to so-and-so? Wait, that girl I was friends with in high school has two kids now? Where did the years go? That’s the kind of thing I think Friendship is illustrating well.
But it does slip. When the focus slides from our two main characters – the friendship backbone in a book called Friendship – the book loses focus. Sally, a woman the two girls house-sit for in the beginning of the novel, and become inextricably and confusingly entwined with as the novel closes, draws away from what should be the story’s central focus. Some chapters are told jarringly from her point of view, when she’s not as compelling as Amy or Bev. Her role in one of their lives particularly (sorry that’s vague – it’s a little spoiler-y) I found to be pretty unrealistic. I suppose she’s there to simplify one of their lives and complicate the other, but it was just distracting. I wasn’t a fan of Ms. Sally.
It’s a nice story. Not groundbreaking, but it had some lovely moments. Even heartbreaking, for those of us who haven’t spoken to a friend for a while, for whatever reason.
Friendship is a book you think you’ve read before. It’s a plot that gets used a lot: modern day friendship or family-hood, the tracking of a handful of lives as they figure out their place in the world. So a book that does this has to bring something unique to the table.
And Friendship does. Up to a point.
For starters, it’s relatable. I can point to a lot of instances that brought me back to specific memories from my own female friendships. And, as someone brought up in a technology-rich time period, those instances where Bev and Amy blogged and texted their way to understanding made a lot of sense to me. Social media and messaging equipment at your beck and call make it easy to decimate a person’s feelings or ask your friend to bolster you up during your lunch break at the touch of a finger. Friendship does a great job slyly pointing out how both dangerous and useful this can be.
This book also captures the utter helplessness that entire people’s lives, whether twenty-something or thirty-something (and beyond). When we meet Amy and Bev, one of them is a wreck, the other barely hanging on to what seems like a pretty decent life: work, housing, love, etc. Then we watch as the tables turn, and how each woman uniquely adjusts to
I liked the way Friendship dealt with time. There weren’t dates or time stamps (“SIX MONTHS LATER,” or “THE NEXT WEEK”) that told you what to feasibly expect. Instead, the passing of time comes across in the writing. It’s been a couple months since Amy has talked to Bev. Three months after this, this is how her job is doing. It’s a subtle, realistic portrayal of the slippery aspect of time. How many months has it been since I talked to so-and-so? Wait, that girl I was friends with in high school has two kids now? Where did the years go? That’s the kind of thing I think Friendship is illustrating well.
But it does slip. When the focus slides from our two main characters – the friendship backbone in a book called Friendship – the book loses focus. Sally, a woman the two girls house-sit for in the beginning of the novel, and become inextricably and confusingly entwined with as the novel closes, draws away from what should be the story’s central focus. Some chapters are told jarringly from her point of view, when she’s not as compelling as Amy or Bev. Her role in one of their lives particularly (sorry that’s vague – it’s a little spoiler-y) I found to be pretty unrealistic. I suppose she’s there to simplify one of their lives and complicate the other, but it was just distracting. I wasn’t a fan of Ms. Sally.
It’s a nice story. Not groundbreaking, but it had some lovely moments. Even heartbreaking, for those of us who haven’t spoken to a friend for a while, for whatever reason.
kjf's review against another edition
1.0
I'm currently making my way through a Death Pile of books that I acquired from some place, haven't read yet and need to decide whether I want to assign a permanent spot on my bookshelves. Lucky for me I most certainly did not spend money on this book (it was in my Little Free Library) and I almost feel bad re-donating it because I don't want anyone else to be subjected to the words within. Just a really perplexingly bad book that isn't worth finishing. Onwards and upwards.
meredithmc's review against another edition
4.0
A recommended read for any women in their late 20s/early 30s, living in a major city and not totally sure what they're doing with their life. I might be married & have a job but I could still relate to both Bev & Amy at points throughout the novel.
The comparisons to Girls are somewhat apt but it's pretty clear these characters are older and at a different point in their young lives than Hannah & crew; that's a big reason that I liked it, honestly. There's only so many right-out-of-college stories I can handle, considering that's several years beyond me.
One annoyance: why the minor diss on Philly? We're not all terrible!
The comparisons to Girls are somewhat apt but it's pretty clear these characters are older and at a different point in their young lives than Hannah & crew; that's a big reason that I liked it, honestly. There's only so many right-out-of-college stories I can handle, considering that's several years beyond me.
One annoyance: why the minor diss on Philly? We're not all terrible!
shogins's review against another edition
2.0
I would've happily read a book about Bev and Sally's friendship, but I guess I thought Amy deserved everything she got and wasn't interested enough to care about her part of the story.
audrehh's review against another edition
sad
slow-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
2.0
devvvyn's review against another edition
2.0
I started this books weeks ago and couldn’t really get into it. I can’t say that I ever did, but the story eventually picked up by the time I was down to the last hundred or so pages. There were moments that made me think it had potential, but overall I didn’t completely enjoy it. The exposition felt like it dragged on and on while the ending felt rushed. Not a good combination for a good read.
mhall's review against another edition
3.0
My relationship status with this book is "It's Complicated."
At times I was struck by observations of modern life, like:
At times I was super annoyed by the protagonists and the feeling that this novel was narcissistic and solipsistic on the part of the author. Another book about young white women in New York City who have worked in publishing, who have money problems and feel left out of the wealth around them. The lives of Bev and Amy are so dull in certain ways, so stunted by the cliche of making it in New York. I think the novel was trying to illustrate that point, but sometimes seemed caught up in its own game.
I tried reading [b:How Should a Person Be|9361377|How Should a Person Be?|Sheila Heti|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329024487s/9361377.jpg|14244846] by Sheila Heti last year, and while I didn't finish it, I appreciated its more picaresque take on similar themes to this book. Also, this is so much like the movie Frances Ha.
At times I was struck by observations of modern life, like:
"'I guess I'm talking about this weird vapidity that women seem to aspire to,' Amy said. 'This kind of Us magazine editorial voice that infects people's actual conversations and lives.'"
"It was getting close to noon now, she was hungry for lunch, and her limbs twitched restlessly because they craved motion, but somehow she couldn't stop mindlessly scrolling through Tumblr, liking photographs of food and animals. Her actual cat lay at her feet, occasionally pawing her and trying to engage her in play, but she fobbed him off with some desultory petting and then continued to ignore him in favor of the cats on the screen."
At times I was super annoyed by the protagonists and the feeling that this novel was narcissistic and solipsistic on the part of the author. Another book about young white women in New York City who have worked in publishing, who have money problems and feel left out of the wealth around them. The lives of Bev and Amy are so dull in certain ways, so stunted by the cliche of making it in New York. I think the novel was trying to illustrate that point, but sometimes seemed caught up in its own game.
Spoiler
Also, I was so disappointed in the use of the trope where a woman goes to have an abortion and then walks out of the doctor's office because she can't go through with it. But I did like how the story ends and how Bev and Amy both end up working in retail! Realistic.I tried reading [b:How Should a Person Be|9361377|How Should a Person Be?|Sheila Heti|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329024487s/9361377.jpg|14244846] by Sheila Heti last year, and while I didn't finish it, I appreciated its more picaresque take on similar themes to this book. Also, this is so much like the movie Frances Ha.
cararenee55's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, probably because I read it during a time in my life that made me relate to the characters. The characters were far from perfect but I found them so relatable.
kat_pines's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe I liked it so much because I thought it would be terrible.
mlvreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fast, pleasant read after some pretty heavy material (not including the graphic novel Seconds). I bought this book used for a great discount because it never made it to my library's system and no one would lend it from other libraries in the state. I don't regret buying it (I never regret buying books) but it's certainly not a favorite.
I really appreciate honest relationships in my entertainment: books, TV, movies. We all like happily ever after, but I think it's really important to focus on the more-relatable ups and downs and beginnings and endings of our various relationships.
If you like the TV show GIRLS, you might like this book. Amy and Bev's friendship is a lot like Hannah and Marnie. They do care about each other, but they are also abundantly aware of how the other might hold one back and about the jealousy that unfortunately occurs during these relationships.
There were some genuinely funny moments with great dry humor that I enjoyed. There was also an argument that resonated with me and my feelings towards my personal friendships. Again, I appreciate that. The book was also very grounded in modern-day, so technology and the way it plays into our relationships was perfect in it's present.
I'm not recommending this, shouting from the rooftops. But I liked reading it and took some sweet lessons away from it as well.
I really appreciate honest relationships in my entertainment: books, TV, movies. We all like happily ever after, but I think it's really important to focus on the more-relatable ups and downs and beginnings and endings of our various relationships.
If you like the TV show GIRLS, you might like this book. Amy and Bev's friendship is a lot like Hannah and Marnie. They do care about each other, but they are also abundantly aware of how the other might hold one back and about the jealousy that unfortunately occurs during these relationships.
There were some genuinely funny moments with great dry humor that I enjoyed. There was also an argument that resonated with me and my feelings towards my personal friendships. Again, I appreciate that. The book was also very grounded in modern-day, so technology and the way it plays into our relationships was perfect in it's present.
I'm not recommending this, shouting from the rooftops. But I liked reading it and took some sweet lessons away from it as well.