martynahanna's review
4.0
A fantastic collection of essays with spot on cultural references. My only criticism is that it could have been longer!
martha_is_reading's review
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I enjoyed this, it helped me reflect on and contextualise things I’ve felt about how my friendships have evolved and drifted as I’ve grown into an adult. It was validating actually!
bookedbymadeline's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I appreciated the “warnings” at the start, letting readers know about spoilers from media references and the content warnings. The warnings give the exact topic and page number in case readers still want to explore the book but can be aware on which pages to take caution ❤️
The intro felt very much like Barbieland-esque in looking at female friendships and fictionalized worlds where those relationships were valued/centered, which I loved after having seen the Barbie movie! Also Behrooz mentions Christine de Pizan’s “The Book to the City of Ladies” which I know now because of “Cities of Women” by Kathleen B Jones that I read last month!! I was super excited to see a reference I understood (hated Jones’ book but worth it the tiniest bit to now see the reference/source inspo referenced in my non fiction read) 🥰
A quick read about the power of female friendship and the radical intimacy it can offer, as friendships can be some of the most important formative relationships throughout our lives. Some of the language could be difficult and ventured into more academic-leaning language so I wouldn’t say this is an accessible read for a general audience.
Most of the book covers media and literary examples of female friendships, giving us an overview of the stories and unpacking them, rather than explore the topic itself. It’s more surface level which I expected, given its a small 90 page book. But I do wish it would’ve gone slightly deeper as I felt underwhelmed; it lacked a “punch” in its explanations.
It was interesting to read about the impact of capitalism and patriarchy on intimacy in friendships and how it’s devalued compared to romantic relationships. Exploring how heteronormative nuclear families are still valued as the “ultimate life goal.” I’ll definitely be looking for other nonfiction books on the subject, and watching some of the movies referenced! Overall a fascinating, bite-sized read that I’d recommend 💗
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Grief, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Car accident, Sexual violence, and Suicide
izarahreads's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
From childhood companionship to adult confidantes, BFFs celebrates the strength, support, and resilience that flourish when women come together in solidarity. Even though it's a short read, the author manages to explore the profound significance and power of female friendships in a really meaningful way.
Behrooz illustrates how female friendships are grounded in shared experiences, physical presence, and understanding each other's desires and needs. She showcases how these friendships can be catalysts for personal growth, empowerment, and resilience and how the support and strength found in these friendships make a real difference in navigating hardships we come across in life.
‘BFFs’ seamlessly weaves in references to films and characters from TV shows. The breakdown of scenes enhances the storytelling, making the reading experience engaging and relatable. It goes beyond clichés to reveal the profound significance of friendships, especially among women.
Definitely a book that would make for a great discussion in book clubs.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Behrooz illustrates how female friendships are grounded in shared experiences, physical presence, and understanding each other's desires and needs. She showcases how these friendships can be catalysts for personal growth, empowerment, and resilience and how the support and strength found in these friendships make a real difference in navigating hardships we come across in life.
‘BFFs’ seamlessly weaves in references to films and characters from TV shows. The breakdown of scenes enhances the storytelling, making the reading experience engaging and relatable. It goes beyond clichés to reveal the profound significance of friendships, especially among women.
Definitely a book that would make for a great discussion in book clubs.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
literaties's review
3.0
the topic of female friendships lingered at the back of my mind after bell hooks’s captivating ‘all about love’ gave me a taste of it and left me wanting more, so i impulsively purchased this tiny book to satisfy this specific curiosity when i came across it.
Behrooz’s experiences aside, this essay relies predominantly on literary and pop culture references as its primary source of examples. i wasn’t familiar with half of these references, so i didn’t have a full grasp on what exactly was happening as i was reading. but even with examples i knew, such as olivia wilde’s incredible 2019 directorial debut “booksmart” which i watched just two weeks ago, i still found some of the points — while not necessarily wrong — too specific to the film that it became difficult for me to resonate with.
at times, the essay read more like an analysis of the female friendships in these cultural artefacts than the topic itself; edging the line of insightfulness but failing to pack the punch in its explanation — leaving me slightly underwhelmed upon finishing it.
(to be fair, i did come into this book expecting to read about the dynamics and distinction of female friendships to its romantic or gendered counterparts, so this is more of an expectations vs reality issue than the author’s fault.)
for an essay of this length, Behrooz did a great job in breaking down the political relationship between female friendships and the state. i particularly enjoyed her explanation on how the longevity of female friendships is often undercut by the nuclear family, especially since i just had a conversation with my own best friend about how we’d marry each other for tax benefits if gay marriage becomes legal by the time we’re 40.
overall, BFFs is a short and sweet introduction to the politics and intricacies of female friendships — a perfect summer read for those of you interested in this topic.
Behrooz’s experiences aside, this essay relies predominantly on literary and pop culture references as its primary source of examples. i wasn’t familiar with half of these references, so i didn’t have a full grasp on what exactly was happening as i was reading. but even with examples i knew, such as olivia wilde’s incredible 2019 directorial debut “booksmart” which i watched just two weeks ago, i still found some of the points — while not necessarily wrong — too specific to the film that it became difficult for me to resonate with.
at times, the essay read more like an analysis of the female friendships in these cultural artefacts than the topic itself; edging the line of insightfulness but failing to pack the punch in its explanation — leaving me slightly underwhelmed upon finishing it.
(to be fair, i did come into this book expecting to read about the dynamics and distinction of female friendships to its romantic or gendered counterparts, so this is more of an expectations vs reality issue than the author’s fault.)
for an essay of this length, Behrooz did a great job in breaking down the political relationship between female friendships and the state. i particularly enjoyed her explanation on how the longevity of female friendships is often undercut by the nuclear family, especially since i just had a conversation with my own best friend about how we’d marry each other for tax benefits if gay marriage becomes legal by the time we’re 40.
overall, BFFs is a short and sweet introduction to the politics and intricacies of female friendships — a perfect summer read for those of you interested in this topic.
honestlyholly's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
So quotable, such wonderful writing, and such an interesting topic