Scan barcode
A review by motleybooksandtea
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.5 — Oh goodness.
There were aspects of this book that really resonated with me. My internal sad girl felt very seen. The writing, itself, was also stunning and addictive.
I also loved that all the characters were unnamed except Apollo, the dog. That added a really cool depth.
However.
There were a lot of macabre topics that were mentioned, glanced over, and didn’t feel like they were purposeful to the story. There were asides that were not pertinent to the story. There were a few statements or ‘jokes’ that fell flat.
The triggers were not a problem for me, but there were A LOT of triggers. Do yourself a favor and look them up if you are thinking of reading this book.
I do want to try Nunez’s other works, though, due to the beauty of the writing.
There were aspects of this book that really resonated with me. My internal sad girl felt very seen. The writing, itself, was also stunning and addictive.
I also loved that all the characters were unnamed except Apollo, the dog. That added a really cool depth.
However.
There were a lot of macabre topics that were mentioned, glanced over, and didn’t feel like they were purposeful to the story. There were asides that were not pertinent to the story. There were a few statements or ‘jokes’ that fell flat.
The triggers were not a problem for me, but there were A LOT of triggers. Do yourself a favor and look them up if you are thinking of reading this book.
I do want to try Nunez’s other works, though, due to the beauty of the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Rape
Moderate: Abandonment and Mental illness