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annierosebel's review against another edition
5.0
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.
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness and Self harm
whosfernn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
lucystyles's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Drug use, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide
ninasophiejk1101's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Self harm and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use and Suicide attempt
aimsro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
emmamc02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
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."
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Minor: Eating disorder
alice_'s review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug use
nadiaherondale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
annaforthebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage
katenorman17's review against another edition
- 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
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