Conversations With Friends: This Novel Blew Me Away

This year I have set myself the challenge to read 52 books in 2022 or one book a week. This is a decent challenge but I am very excited about it!

I am getting behind on my challenge a little bit but last week I finished book number 9: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney.

I recently read a later novel of her, Normal People and loved that. So I decided to also order this one, her first book written. And I think it trumped it! If you are interested in my earlier review of the other book: @plint/normal-people-a-triumph-of

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The Book

Conversations with friends is all about Frances, poet and university student and her ex/best friend Bobbi, who she performs spoken word with. The two have a relationship where they are so familiar with each other, they become some sort of extension of each other, though they also know each other so well they know exactly how to hurt the other person.

At one of their spoken word events they get to know Melissa and her husband Nick. Bobbi is immediatly intrigued by the older, more mature Melissa as she is sucked into her world. Reluctantly Frances hangs out with Melissa as well, but is more interested in Nick, the husband. The two orbit around each other, but find themselves more and more attracted to each other.

What ensues is a complicated interaction between 4 people who each have different interests in each other. As the affair between Frances and Nick develops, so does the health of Frances start to deteriorate. What should you do if you are attracted to someone when you know there is only the chance of getting hurt? As the story advances Frances loses control and her carefully spun web starts to disintegrate...

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Why I Loved It

Because I did, I loved it. I already loved normal people, but I love this even more. Sally Rooney manages like no other to write believable characters. The complexity of life and the fact that simple decisions do not exist when it comes to love and relationships becomes painfully clear here. What I also loved is that it so clearly shows something we all try: to keep in control. But what if we don't really have control? Or what if we lost control? How would you react then?

It means her books are filled with incredibly human people. People you can relate to, who feel the same happiness, despair and love as you do, but who also often don't really understand what they are feeling.

I would really recommend this book to you! I read they are thinking of making a television adaption as well, I look forward to seeing how that works out as well.

Have you been reading anything good lately? I am always looking for recommendations for new books for my 52 book challenge!