Conversations with Friends, by Sally Rooney

Rather seriously hyped in the Guardian and book trade generally.

Frances (who narrates the story) is best friends with Bobbie, and they perform Frances' poetry together at pubs in Dublin. They used to be lovers but the affair finished and they remain friends.

After one performance they're approached by Melissa, who's a photo-journalist(?) and wants to write an article about them. This leads to an invitation to Melissa's house where they first encounter Melissa's husband Nick, who's a semi-famous actor with very good looks.

Frances (21) begins an affair with Nick(32) behind the back of Melissa and Bobbie, who seem to be very pally.

Feels like a chick-lit-ish type of story, but is better written than that. As the book progresses, it seems to become more apparent that the narrator isn't very reliable. Or at least, that there's something wrong with her: initially her actions seem reasonable but there's the occasional situation where you think "that's a bit of an over-reaction" until there is the very slightest hint at self-harm, which then gets more severe, alongside increasinbly unreasonable behaviour and expectations. She's also physically not well, with some kind of gynaecological problem that the doctors aren't initially able to diagnose. So partly you think "maybe she's acting this way because of her physical illness"

At 75% through the book I don't really know how it's likely to turn out, although I suspect not well.

Didn't finish how I expected. No climax or realisation of the self harm stuff Made it seem in retrospect to be a bit meandering. I did feel very into the book while listening - partly because of the reader with her lovely Irish accent - but would find it hard now to explain what the book was trying to say

Completed : 20-Oct-2018 (audiobook)

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