A review by zzara
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

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

3.0

I expected this book to focus on the relationship between a woman, and her dead friends' dog. I liked the parts which explored what the dog might be thinking, and how her life changed to find space for the dog. I find this sort of exploration fascinating and I thought this was an interesting perspective, given that this dog-human relationship that was united by death. But I felt like this was actually a peripheral part of the novel. This book was largely about writing, being a writer and the New York literary culture, which was just not my cup of tea. Also, I got the feeling that the author hadn't actually had a big dog, just had talked to someone who had - I have a big dog, and it is a special experience to have them begin to pervade your life. I also just didn't buy the thing when he brought her books. I do think she got it right in this quote though: "Why is it different when the dog is the size of a man and stretched out with his head on his own pillow? [...] having a huge warm body pressed along the length of your spine is an amazing comfort."
Expand filter menu Content Warnings