Take a photo of a barcode or cover
elizabethh724 's review for:
Friends and Strangers
by J. Courtney Sullivan
It took me a while before I actually read this book since it came out months ago but the library wait was worth it to me. This book is a solid character study of two women who spend the better part of a year becoming 'friends' before they become strangers again. This book is a tale about privilege and class. As it takes place mostly in 2014-2015, its "pre tRump era" time frame is a relief in the sense we remember a time we had at least good leadership. While it isn't necessarily a political book, issues of class and privilege intersect with race in this book in a very refreshing, eye opening way.
Elisabeth is a 30+ something mom to a baby Gil with her husband Andrew, as they recently moved from Brooklyn to some fuzzy upstate suburb. Elisabeth comes from money but out of her principles has refused support from her a** hole dad. She has lofty ideals and her opportunities and the privilege to say no to her dad's dirty money. (How exactly it is dirty isn't said but just shady) she has a younger sister she helped and is keeping secret from her husband. Some details about why she hates her dad are a little unclear but once we meet him, we know enough as readers.
Sam is a senior at the local women's college, an unnamed strong academic program. She becomes Gil's part time babysitter and their worlds collide. Sam is from a middle class background with a supportive family. She's been doing work study in the dorm dining hall and sees the other side where the university employees are treated like sh*t because they aren't faculty. In a few short years there will be a fight for fair pay and benefits, and the MeToo movement but at this time Sam gets involved with Elisabeth's father in law's pet project The Hollow Tree. The Hollow Tree is about how big corporations have driven small businesses under water and what used to be solid middle class are now 'working poor'. Some of this may get derailed by the m a g a folks but we know the 'founder' doesn't give a shit about these people. Sam also has an older boyfriend Clive who lives in London and wants to marry Sam. He constantly puts her down in ways that don't seem obvious to her but clear to Elisabeth once she meets Clive, she viscerally hates him.
Elisabeth and Sam test their boundaries as boss/nanny and that's where things go badly. I did relate to both women in some ways but it was a good reminder that you cannot be friends with your employer. They both misstep and make mistakes that will cause a chasm. This book was an easy read but the plot was a bit slow and subtle.
One plot point made me want to scream. (Who rips up a check for that much money??)
Elisabeth is a 30+ something mom to a baby Gil with her husband Andrew, as they recently moved from Brooklyn to some fuzzy upstate suburb. Elisabeth comes from money but out of her principles has refused support from her a** hole dad. She has lofty ideals and her opportunities and the privilege to say no to her dad's dirty money. (How exactly it is dirty isn't said but just shady) she has a younger sister she helped and is keeping secret from her husband. Some details about why she hates her dad are a little unclear but once we meet him, we know enough as readers.
Sam is a senior at the local women's college, an unnamed strong academic program. She becomes Gil's part time babysitter and their worlds collide. Sam is from a middle class background with a supportive family. She's been doing work study in the dorm dining hall and sees the other side where the university employees are treated like sh*t because they aren't faculty. In a few short years there will be a fight for fair pay and benefits, and the MeToo movement but at this time Sam gets involved with Elisabeth's father in law's pet project The Hollow Tree. The Hollow Tree is about how big corporations have driven small businesses under water and what used to be solid middle class are now 'working poor'. Some of this may get derailed by the m a g a folks but we know the 'founder' doesn't give a shit about these people. Sam also has an older boyfriend Clive who lives in London and wants to marry Sam. He constantly puts her down in ways that don't seem obvious to her but clear to Elisabeth once she meets Clive, she viscerally hates him.
Elisabeth and Sam test their boundaries as boss/nanny and that's where things go badly. I did relate to both women in some ways but it was a good reminder that you cannot be friends with your employer. They both misstep and make mistakes that will cause a chasm. This book was an easy read but the plot was a bit slow and subtle.
One plot point made me want to scream. (Who rips up a check for that much money??)