Reviews

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy, Frans Thomése, René Huigen

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shighley's review against another edition

4.0

I read this upon recommendation of friends while I was in Ireland. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more of the "flavor" of Ireland, but I did get more from this than Tara Road. Benny is a very interesting character. Two things common to Tara and this: don't trust a good looking guy, younger characters add some comic relief and objective questions others dare not ask. This did make me willing to visit Knockglen if it were possible. (what a name)

nikicmaja12's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted 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? No

3.5

m_abigail758's review against another edition

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4.0

Possibly my favorites Binchy book to date. The characters became my best friends, the heroine of the story is completely relatable and the story is one of pure love and friendship. Absolutely a must read! Perfect summer book.

xeyra's review against another edition

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3.0

Although the story started slowly and took its time to grab me, once it did, a few chapters down the way, I couldn't stop reading. As far as the story goes, it's a fairly simple and straightforward one: it's about a group of friends and their friendship, loves and all the happenings in their lives. It's a heart-warming novel with believable characters with whom we can easily identify, despite the story happening in the '50s, if I'm not mistaken.

I think that's how Maeve Binchy grabs us: she creates characters that are so well developed and seem so real, we cannot help but wanting to know all about them and to keep on reading so as to learn what happens to them, to go through their happy and sad moments as if they were our own. A story with a fabulous plot does not survive without good characterization, and Ms. Binchy knows how to make the reader love the characters she fleshes out.