A review by dahlface
Among Friends by Hal Ebbott

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s almost impossible to believe this is Ebbott’s debut novel. His writing is sharp, layered, and emotionally fearless. It’s an intricate tangle of inner lives that captures just how messy, flawed, and fascinating people can be. He doesn’t just observe his characters; he drops you right inside their heads, where no impulse is too petty, no motivation too ugly to examine. The result is a biting, often dark exploration of friendship, love, jealousy, betrayal, and trust. But what really lingers is how unflinchingly Ebbott dissects the frailty of marriage and the beautiful, bumbling cluelessness of parenthood. His ability to write across gender and age is remarkable. These people are mostly awful and completely riveting. I cannot wait to see what Ebbott writes next. #AmongFriends #NetGalley
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