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A review by rholbrook
The Standing Chandelier: A Novella by Lionel Shriver
4.0
In this short but powerful novella, Lionel Shriver asks the age-old question: Can men and women ever be just friends?
When Weston proposes to his longtime girlfriend Paige, her acceptance comes with one condition: He must sever ties with his best friend of 25 years and old flame, Jillian. When Jillian gives the couple an intensely personal and extravagant engagement gift, dubbed The Standing Chandelier, the complicated relationship triangle is made all the messier. The gift is large, awkward and inconvenient, signifying the elephant in the room that is Weston and Jillian’s cloudy relationship.
Anyone who’s been in a serious relationship will relate to this on both sides of the spectrum. Readers will find themselves empathizing with every character, yet also wanting to shake them out of their stupidity at other times. Read it in one sitting to experience the full intensity.
When Weston proposes to his longtime girlfriend Paige, her acceptance comes with one condition: He must sever ties with his best friend of 25 years and old flame, Jillian. When Jillian gives the couple an intensely personal and extravagant engagement gift, dubbed The Standing Chandelier, the complicated relationship triangle is made all the messier. The gift is large, awkward and inconvenient, signifying the elephant in the room that is Weston and Jillian’s cloudy relationship.
Anyone who’s been in a serious relationship will relate to this on both sides of the spectrum. Readers will find themselves empathizing with every character, yet also wanting to shake them out of their stupidity at other times. Read it in one sitting to experience the full intensity.