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alilianaraquel's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 estrelas
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/2018/12/critica-literaria-dorothy-koomson-amiga.html
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/2018/12/critica-literaria-dorothy-koomson-amiga.html
lau_evs's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while since I've read a book by Dorothy Koomson, but after a couple of chapters I remembered just how much I love her stories. When her husband changes jobs, Cece moves her family from London to Brighton. She's soon embroiled in a web of secrets. What is her husband hiding? What secrets do her new friends have? And why was a woman left for dead at her children's new school? The Friend is packed full of intriguing characters, lots of secrets and believable relationships between all the characters.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.*
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.*
snazzybooks's review against another edition
4.0
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
This is an absorbing, intriguing novel which centers largely around friendship, betrayal and secrets... lots of secrets!
The characters really make this novel; Dorothy Koomson has created a varied and interesting cast of people, all with their own problems and worries, and so as the reader I couldn't help but find myself caring about some of them. There are a lot of names and relationships to get to grips with, especially at the start when the narrative suddenly switches between people, but before long they became almost well-known to me.
I really liked main character Cece and felt for her as time went on, as well as some of the other women, but there was one person who really seemed to be the worst - I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but it will soon become apparent! There's people you feel you can get behind, others that I really disliked, and the slightly slower-moving pace means you find yourself really engrossed in their lives.
It's not an all-action, hugely suspenseful novel; the mystery about what happened to Yvonne is almost secondary to the stories each person has and the way their relationships and friendships are affected by certain lasting actions.I personally really enjoyed the element of mystery in this novel, as it kept it the story on the right track; it felt like we were going somewhere, and I am a reader that can easily get distracted or disengaged if it feels like there's no real journey in a story - not at all the case in The Friend, I'm pleased to say.
I absolutely loved The Ice Cream Girls (also by Dorothy Koomson) and have had That Girl From Nowhere on my 'to read' list for ages, so I jumped at the chance to review The Friend. I can say, for fans of this author or any new readers, this is well worth a read. It's fairly long at almost 500 pages, so prepare to settle in for this one and don't expect a quick read, but it's worth the wait - a great mix of character development, tension, and mystery.
* Many thanks to Random House UK for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
This is an absorbing, intriguing novel which centers largely around friendship, betrayal and secrets... lots of secrets!
The characters really make this novel; Dorothy Koomson has created a varied and interesting cast of people, all with their own problems and worries, and so as the reader I couldn't help but find myself caring about some of them. There are a lot of names and relationships to get to grips with, especially at the start when the narrative suddenly switches between people, but before long they became almost well-known to me.
I really liked main character Cece and felt for her as time went on, as well as some of the other women, but there was one person who really seemed to be the worst - I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but it will soon become apparent! There's people you feel you can get behind, others that I really disliked, and the slightly slower-moving pace means you find yourself really engrossed in their lives.
It's not an all-action, hugely suspenseful novel; the mystery about what happened to Yvonne is almost secondary to the stories each person has and the way their relationships and friendships are affected by certain lasting actions.I personally really enjoyed the element of mystery in this novel, as it kept it the story on the right track; it felt like we were going somewhere, and I am a reader that can easily get distracted or disengaged if it feels like there's no real journey in a story - not at all the case in The Friend, I'm pleased to say.
I absolutely loved The Ice Cream Girls (also by Dorothy Koomson) and have had That Girl From Nowhere on my 'to read' list for ages, so I jumped at the chance to review The Friend. I can say, for fans of this author or any new readers, this is well worth a read. It's fairly long at almost 500 pages, so prepare to settle in for this one and don't expect a quick read, but it's worth the wait - a great mix of character development, tension, and mystery.
* Many thanks to Random House UK for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review. *
swt's review against another edition
3.0
Slow start but picked up eventually. Glad I stuck with it. Koomson gives us a who-done-it with this one. Complex relationships and each character has a strong backstory.
prettylittlewriter's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely hooked from start to finish. So many shocking moments that made me want to scream at, and also cuddle, the 4 main characters.
Would 100% recommend.
Would 100% recommend.
cheryl59's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book, having read others by this author I was looking forward to it and it didn’t disappoint.
chaotic_aesthetic's review
2.0
It was an ok book. Way too slow in the beginning and even though it had a really interesting plot with good backstories it just missed the mark and couldn't redeem itself. Not a fan of Koomson's writing either.
sarah_faichney's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive! "The Friend" is one of Dorothy Koomson's finest novels, following the lives of 5 women. The book explores various relationships and the far-reaching effects of keeping secrets. I really enjoyed it, would recommend and have bought a copy for a friend.
val_between_pages's review against another edition
4.0
It was very well written and intriguing! It reminded me a bit of Desperate Housewives (season 1) and Big Little Lies (Sky Original). Definitely did not see the end coming.
a_lovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Finally a book that really grabbed me. I couldn't stop reading. The snippets you get from each individual woman and how it all comes together in the end is just brilliant. Though the end was almost a bit too much for me. Nevertheless a great, riveting read! I'm so glad I finally got around to it.