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bookwormishme 's review for:
The Things We Do to Our Friends
by Heather Darwent
3.75 stars
I have really mixed feelings about this book. In many ways it’s a psychological suspense novel. In many ways it’s a story about friendship. In all ways, it is a twisted tale of psychopathy and the need to belong.
We are introduced to the novel by a prologue. A horrible rendition of seducing and then attacking a man by three unknown women. We don’t know who the women are, or the outcome of the man. We just know it is a savage and nasty incident.
Clare is attending St. Andrews in Edinburgh. She’s fled her grandmother’s home in Hull to start afresh. New image, new outlook. Anything to escape her past. But she still craves the belonging to group. She finds herself a part time job in a bar where she encounters Tabitha, Imogen and two brazen young men. Clare is immediately taken with the women and desires to be their friend. When both turn up in one of her lectures, she gravitates toward them until they start including her in their group.
Over time, Clare becomes one of their circle, though never on the complete inner side. She, like the others, completely craves Tabitha’s attention. So much so, that all of them are willing to do nearly anything to be in Tabitha’s good graces. When Tabitha concocts this business idea for the group, Clare goes along, tentatively at first, but later with gusto. After all, nothing is more important than Tabitha’s approval.
Until it all goes wrong.
It’s definitely a dark novel. Psychopathy and sociopathy abounds, but it is also a page turner, making you want to know where the story is headed. Which is why the mixed feelings. Part of me didn’t want to be entranced by this story of the darkness inside people and the lengths we might go to for revenge or satisfaction. However, it is well written and keeps you engaged with the friendship and the horrors of that friendship.
Again, not quite sure how I feel about it. But it was a good read.
I have really mixed feelings about this book. In many ways it’s a psychological suspense novel. In many ways it’s a story about friendship. In all ways, it is a twisted tale of psychopathy and the need to belong.
We are introduced to the novel by a prologue. A horrible rendition of seducing and then attacking a man by three unknown women. We don’t know who the women are, or the outcome of the man. We just know it is a savage and nasty incident.
Clare is attending St. Andrews in Edinburgh. She’s fled her grandmother’s home in Hull to start afresh. New image, new outlook. Anything to escape her past. But she still craves the belonging to group. She finds herself a part time job in a bar where she encounters Tabitha, Imogen and two brazen young men. Clare is immediately taken with the women and desires to be their friend. When both turn up in one of her lectures, she gravitates toward them until they start including her in their group.
Over time, Clare becomes one of their circle, though never on the complete inner side. She, like the others, completely craves Tabitha’s attention. So much so, that all of them are willing to do nearly anything to be in Tabitha’s good graces. When Tabitha concocts this business idea for the group, Clare goes along, tentatively at first, but later with gusto. After all, nothing is more important than Tabitha’s approval.
Until it all goes wrong.
It’s definitely a dark novel. Psychopathy and sociopathy abounds, but it is also a page turner, making you want to know where the story is headed. Which is why the mixed feelings. Part of me didn’t want to be entranced by this story of the darkness inside people and the lengths we might go to for revenge or satisfaction. However, it is well written and keeps you engaged with the friendship and the horrors of that friendship.
Again, not quite sure how I feel about it. But it was a good read.