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rxbynelena's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A stunning novel about the intense friendships girls form as teenagers, and how they’re warped by a desire for validation from men.
It has a cast of heartbreakingly believable characters, and a fast paced plot.
It perfectly captures the obsessiveness, jealousy and all encompassing love that can pull two women apart and bring them back together.
It also shows a really slow and realistic awakening to casual violence against women, in the way that teenagers often experience it.
It has a cast of heartbreakingly believable characters, and a fast paced plot.
It perfectly captures the obsessiveness, jealousy and all encompassing love that can pull two women apart and bring them back together.
It also shows a really slow and realistic awakening to casual violence against women, in the way that teenagers often experience it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Miscarriage
annierosebel's review against another edition
5.0
This was brutal and brilliant.
I've never read fiction that so accurately portrays the way girls are taught to objectify themselves, the ways they learn to compare themselves and prioritise desirability over pretty much everything else.
This book doesn't gloss over anything. It's so incredibly raw and emotional, and it's a testament to the writing that it's still a novel you want to read.
I really like books with messy, flawed characters. And I like books where human relationships aren't neatly resolved - there's a huge grey area between a toxic friendship and a perfectly healthy one and it's complex to navigate!
When the main character narrates a novel, you get extra insight into their thoughts but you also get the whole narrative through their perspective and that's interesting to think about with this book.
It's rare for me to be equally invested in both parts of a dual timeline novel (it alternates a chapter from the main character's current adult life and her teenage life), but with this book I was.
I would be interested in how guys experience this book. I'd thoroughly recommend it if you're in a place where you have the bandwidth to think about things that have happened to you and your friends and your peers growing up and how it's affected your lives. It's almost impossible to not experience a huge amount of compassion for so many of the characters and to start making links to your own life.
I've never read fiction that so accurately portrays the way girls are taught to objectify themselves, the ways they learn to compare themselves and prioritise desirability over pretty much everything else.
This book doesn't gloss over anything. It's so incredibly raw and emotional, and it's a testament to the writing that it's still a novel you want to read.
I really like books with messy, flawed characters. And I like books where human relationships aren't neatly resolved - there's a huge grey area between a toxic friendship and a perfectly healthy one and it's complex to navigate!
When the main character narrates a novel, you get extra insight into their thoughts but you also get the whole narrative through their perspective and that's interesting to think about with this book.
It's rare for me to be equally invested in both parts of a dual timeline novel (it alternates a chapter from the main character's current adult life and her teenage life), but with this book I was.
I would be interested in how guys experience this book. I'd thoroughly recommend it if you're in a place where you have the bandwidth to think about things that have happened to you and your friends and your peers growing up and how it's affected your lives. It's almost impossible to not experience a huge amount of compassion for so many of the characters and to start making links to your own life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness and Self harm
lucystyles's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book made me think twice about some of the female friendships I had in school and made me reflect on the thoughts and feelings of my younger self. While it doesn’t necessarily provide anything new, it shines a light on important topics in a very relatable way
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide
ninasophiejk1101's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use and Suicide attempt
gryffinguin's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
emmamc02's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Holly Bourne is one of my favourite authors.
She understands the complexities of female friendships when your growing up like nobody else, almost as if she took the feelings and emotions straight from you.
Girlfriends is an amazing book, which follows Fern as an old friend comes back and old emotions start returning - it alturnates between past and present to show you the full story. It's heartfelt, emotional and of course - complex.
Two of my favourite quotes from this book:
"A man can't ever understand a woman like another woman can - especially the women who knew you as a girl"
"So i hold hands with my best friend in the world, and imagine what we could've been without it all. How I've wasted so much time and stress on the attention of men, when my relationships with them will never be like this becuase they'll never be able to understand."
She understands the complexities of female friendships when your growing up like nobody else, almost as if she took the feelings and emotions straight from you.
Girlfriends is an amazing book, which follows Fern as an old friend comes back and old emotions start returning - it alturnates between past and present to show you the full story. It's heartfelt, emotional and of course - complex.
Two of my favourite quotes from this book:
"A man can't ever understand a woman like another woman can - especially the women who knew you as a girl"
"So i hold hands with my best friend in the world, and imagine what we could've been without it all. How I've wasted so much time and stress on the attention of men, when my relationships with them will never be like this becuase they'll never be able to understand."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Minor: Eating disorder
annaforthebooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. This was challenging to read but is so relevant and gives an honest, unfiltered view of female friendships and mental health struggles. This one will definitely stay with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage
hetzjani's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Suicide attempt
alysereadsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Listened to the audiobook and overall enjoyed it. It was hard to listen to at times because the protaganists were so flawed. There was basic surface level exploration of misogyny and rape culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
katenorman17's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment