Conversations with Friends: A Novel Paperback – August 7, 2018

I really loved this book. A lot of reviews critique the plot, which I found more or less irrelevant, or the main character's likability. I actually loved how unlikable the main character was. This book is worth reading just for Rooney's incredible descriptions and characterization. Are these the most fascinating characters I've ever encountered in a book? No. But her characters have this really delightful way of surprising you. You think of them one way, and then they say or do something and all the dynamics take a fun twist.I do have two issues to mention.-One- When I first started this book I wasn't sure I would enjoy it at all because I have already read Normal People and the main character is so similar to Marianne. Eventually Rooney's writing itself won me over, but sometimes I can't enjoy multiple books from the same author because the patterns become too pronounced and this book felt that way at first. I might have liked it even more if it was my first read by this author.-Two- SPOILERI was disappointed by the way the queer relationships were depicted in this book. I wish the book had spent more time developing the Bobbi and Frances dynamic. I believe Frances is meant to have lasting feelings about Bobbi dumping her, but so much time is spent on her myopic obsession with Nick that her desire for Bobbi doesn't really come across. The love scenes between Nick and Frances are sexy, whereas the physical tension between Frances and Bobbi is barely mentioned. I liked that they got back together in the end, but then Frances and Nick had a phone call that made it seem that she was going to go right back to him a month later which I found disappointing. I can only imagine this ruining their friendship (again) which is a shame because I think their friendship/dynamic would have been interesting if it had been explored more.

This was my first Sally Rooney book, but certainly not my last. At first, I thought I had stumbled into a space where my 20s met Patti Smith’s “Just Kids” autobiography and both collided with my 40s spiritual and intellectual awakening (hey, don’t judge;, I’m a millennial, 40 is our 20).But 50 pages in, I realised I had completely misjudged the ride. “Conversations with Friends” spirals into an unsettling but mesmerizing exploration of intimacy, power, and self-destruction. It’s like a rollercoaster ride through a dark house filled with the ghosts of depression, alcoholism, anxiety, insecurity, and blurred moral lines. And yet, instead of wanting to flee, Rooney’s writing pulls you in closer, hypnotizing you with razor-sharp dialogue and characters that feel almost too real.It’s basically “Closer” for Gen Z (and young millennials like me).There’s very little telling in this novel, just stark, sometimes painfully precise observations that leave the reader to interpret, judge, or empathize. Frances, the protagonist, is both self-aware and deeply lost, caught in a tangled dynamic with her best friend Bobbi and the married couple, Melissa and Nick. The relationships are murky, sometimes thrilling, sometimes infuriating, but always compelling.That said, this book isn’t for everyone. The characters, especially Frances, can be frustratingly passive, and the lack of quotation marks in dialogue takes some getting used to. It’s not a novel that hands you resolutions or neatly packaged character growth. It’s messy, introspective, and unapologetically restrained.But if you’re willing to sit with discomfort and let the novel quietly get under your skin, it’s a fascinating read. Sally Rooney has a gift for making the most casual exchanges feel electric and exposing the deep vulnerability in even the most detached characters. “Conversations with Friends” isn’t just about romance or friendship, it’s about the painful and sometimes toxic negotiations we make with ourselves and each other in the name of love, identity and belonging.4 stars because while it left a lasting impression, it also left me wanting just a little more.

Frances is 21 years old, works at a job she is not at all engaged with and almost would seem to prefer to not have, goes to college, and performs her spoken word poetry with her best friend/ex-girlfriend Bobbi at night. The latter has gotten enough attention to draw into their orbit Melissa, a 30something writer and photographer who wants to profile them, and her husband Nick, a working actor who has found only minor success. While Melissa and Bobbi hit it off, Frances and Nick develop a connection of their own and it’s not too long before they wind up in bed together. This doesn’t feel like a spoiler, as it is very obvious that it’s going to end up there. This obviously has reverberations for Frances’s relationships with both Bobbi and Melissa. Sally Rooney is one of those authors that has a devoted following, so I was really excited to start reading her work with this, her debut novel. But if I’m being honest, I didn’t really understand the fuss. This is a character book, which I’m inclined to like, but without a character I found compelling. Frances is a frustrating protagonist. Not because she’s aimless or sleeps with someone else’s husband or is trying to figure out who she is, but because she’s just not very interesting while she’s doing all of that. I didn’t find her unlikeable, I just found her boring. I found myself wondering why and even if I was supposed to care about her or her connections with Nick, Bobbi, and Melissa. I had a hard time understanding how a person seemingly so empty and detached could write poetry that was engaging enough to get anyone’s attention. What kept my interest was the quality of the prose. Rooney’s writing is subtle, and she has a real knack for dialogue and descriptions. Her words are clearly deliberately chosen but she never slides into flowery language. Her use of language alone makes me want to read her other books, but I hope they’re better than this one.