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jo_lafaith 's review for:
Among Friends
by Hal Ebbott
“Now she lived in an alien thing. A strange shell, a crudely made box all splinters and rust. When had she last danced? Or lifted her arms over her head and let them fall with the pleasure of their own easy weight? She had no idea.”
💌 Thank you so much to @riverheadbooks for sending me a copy of this perfect-for-me novel!
It is autumn in New York, at a country house where two sets of old friends and their daughters, who have grown up together, celebrate a 52nd birthday. It is a brilliant blend of The White Lotus and The Secret History, but with such depth of feeling and unique-unto-itself writing. I loved this so much.
Told in dual-ish time line, we explore the dynamic created when maintaining the status quo, prioritizing comfort over integrity and “fostering” relationships through proximity and wealth instead of connection and mutual respect. We watch on as violent eruptions take place, and subsequently are swept away. Each adult is drowning in their own loneliness, self-righteousness, destructive reasoning and preservation… so who pays?
The real action of this book IS the point and watching the way it is handled is an important thing to be in. I found it to be exceptionally empathetic towards the victim and respectful in the way it is handled on page. We are given a good amount of time to be with this person as they swing between emotions and act out in various ways. I found it to be very realistic and meaningful. I applaud the author. (trigger warning at the bottom)
Through this we further tackle the idea that privileged groups (like the couples at the center of the novel) consider themselves “evolved” or “woke” and how untrue that is. Patriarchal norms run rampant as well as class discrimination and the use of power dynamics to avoid accountability.
With a gut-punch of an ending to go with an outstanding novel, this is definitely a favorite of the year!!
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Trigger warning for sexual assault of a minor, victim blaming