Reviews

Girl Friends by Holly Bourne

easyvisionary's review against another edition

5.0

Female friendships :(

Also!!!!!! The seeing your experiences differently with age!!!Especially your experiences with men!!! AHHH!!!!

Loved the twist!

paulamanuel's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

hope_lenzen's review against another edition

emotional funny sad tense medium-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

emleemay's review against another edition

4.0

"There's no such thing as 'good men' and 'bad men.' They are the same men," she said. "They just treat different women differently based on how they view you."

I told my friend while reading this book that I was thankful I hadn't discovered Holly Bourne as a teenager because I'm pretty sure I would have developed a complex about men and relationships. Well, more so than I already did, being a teenage girl and all.

There are a lot of ugly truths crawling around inside [b:When We Were Friends|60023128|When We Were Friends|Holly Bourne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652106511l/60023128._SX50_.jpg|94519985]. Too often it reminded me of my own adolescence and college years-- the female friendships fraught with jealousies, the desperation to be thought attractive, the insecurities and anxiety, the performances we put on so we could have romantic relationships that were dissatisfying anyway.

Bourne has explored teen friendships and romantic relationships before, but where this one differs is that it is actually an adult novel about reevaluating adolescence when you are grown and more removed from the events that unfolded.

It begins when an old friend of Fern's from school, Jessica, turns up out of the blue and attempts to reconnect. Fern hasn't spoken to Jessica ever since a betrayal tore apart their friendship, but they're older now, more mature and with more life experience, so surely things will be different this time. However, the more Jessica slots herself into Fern's life once again, the more Fern finds herself having doubts that people ever really change.

I found Bourne's [b:Pretending|43788851|Pretending|Holly Bourne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576007311l/43788851._SY75_.jpg|68128436] especially depressing because it ultimately suggests that what happens to us in those formative teen years defines who we are and shapes the life we go on to have afterwards. This book touches on that again-- even though Fern is now in her thirties, she cannot fully let go of the anxieties and insecurities she had at sixteen.

There are so many aspects to this book that I related to.

For one, finding men on Facebook wearing 'feminist' t-shirts: the very same men who slut-shamed, belittled, cheated on, ghosted and sexually assaulted girls when they were in high school or college. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of people changing, growing and maturing, but the hypocrisy still stings a bit.

For another, the weird conflict often felt as a teenager between wanting to be a strong, modern feminist and "being jealous of your friend who got assaulted on the dance floor because why didn't he pick you to assault?" What a mess. I applaud any woman who made it through this time without getting completely screwed up.

However long the wait is for Bourne's next book, it will be too long.

itsemilykaty's review against another edition

3.0

I loved Holly Bourne’s YA books as a teen (I even got our librarian to invite her to our school)! This is the first of her adult novels I’ve read. I’m sure it would be a higher rating but just not my kind of book!

lugh101's review against another edition

funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

niahw99's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

tikkinaylor's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

soph183's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5/5- No notes! Don't remember the last time I read 400+ pages in 2 days so that speaks volumes. 

This book made me so sad for pretty much all the female characters, and for my younger self. Some parts of this book felt like they'd been lifted from my brain, and I have so many pages marked to return to as I don't think I could ever have put those feelings so eloquently into words. 
Think this should be on the TBR of anyone who's experienced trauma, female friendship breakdown, rejection, turbulent relationships- so all of us lol.

It was such a beautiful book, and the friendship that Jessica and Fern have is so special. They really demonstrate that although people can be flawed and hurt you, everyone is flawed and friendship is all about giving people grace and understanding how their experiences shape the way they are. In light of that I loved the way the story cut between teenage Fern and her 32 year old self, it really served as a reminder to check what baggage you're carrying with you to adulthood as it's easy to forget the impact our formative years have on us. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape

maddiejn's review against another edition

4.0

I’ve been in a hugeeeeee reading slump, and this is definitely a slow burn with a lot of detail, so getting through it was hard. The last 100 pages had me hooked, and the ending has me in tears. The author perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a woman with trauma and the ways that society messes us up.