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A review by melissatrew
Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
4.0
”The people closest to you surprised you in the most disappointing ways.”
Good Company is an up-close-and-personal, introspective look at a group of friends and their lives, choices, and relationships over many years. The story follows Flora, Julian, Margot, and David - two couples who have been friends for decades - and the joys, sorrows, betrayals, challenges, and celebrations they’ve experienced along the way.
”She vacillated between sorrow and fury and seemed incapable of finding some middle ground.”
Like the entire series of Friends condensed into 300 pages, Good Company is heavily character-driven and relies very little on linear plot development. The narrative bobs and weaves, folding over and back in on itself again, jumping from college days to present day, to the early days of their marriages and careers, to what happened 5 years ago. Each chapter presents a collection of memories and how the characters were impacted by those experiences.
”Too often, she looked forward to the end of something—to beginning the remembering—more than the thing itself.”
Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney does an incredible job of bringing her characters to life through deep, thorough character development and backstories. You get to know each of them intimately, for better or for worse. They’re not exactly the most likeable bunch, and some of them make some really poor choices, but Sweeney offsets this to an extent, by offering vulnerable, revealing insights into their inner workings. The dialogue is well-written, engaging, and believable.
”They had drifted because Margot and David’s lives were progressing in a way that made Flora feel resentful, left behind.”
Plot-driven readers may struggle with this one, as well as readers who find non-linear timelines challenging. It was hard for me to follow the constant flashbacks and the jumping around between decades & events. It is a relatively light read, which could be a good thing for those seeking something short & sweet, or could be a bit of a bummer for those who prefer a deep, moving read.
”Desire was nothing more than impulse and possibility, with paths leading off into separate but possibly equally satisfying destinations.”
Marin Ireland freaking killed it on the audiobook narration of Good Company. I can't remember the last time I heard a narrator voice the distinctions between varying emotions and moods with such nuanced brilliance. From hesitancy to sarcasm to deliberate cattiness, Ireland absolutely nailed every line, and totally enhanced the reading experience for me. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
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A huge thank-you to Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, Ecco, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
——
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
Good Company is an up-close-and-personal, introspective look at a group of friends and their lives, choices, and relationships over many years. The story follows Flora, Julian, Margot, and David - two couples who have been friends for decades - and the joys, sorrows, betrayals, challenges, and celebrations they’ve experienced along the way.
”She vacillated between sorrow and fury and seemed incapable of finding some middle ground.”
Like the entire series of Friends condensed into 300 pages, Good Company is heavily character-driven and relies very little on linear plot development. The narrative bobs and weaves, folding over and back in on itself again, jumping from college days to present day, to the early days of their marriages and careers, to what happened 5 years ago. Each chapter presents a collection of memories and how the characters were impacted by those experiences.
”Too often, she looked forward to the end of something—to beginning the remembering—more than the thing itself.”
Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney does an incredible job of bringing her characters to life through deep, thorough character development and backstories. You get to know each of them intimately, for better or for worse. They’re not exactly the most likeable bunch, and some of them make some really poor choices, but Sweeney offsets this to an extent, by offering vulnerable, revealing insights into their inner workings. The dialogue is well-written, engaging, and believable.
”They had drifted because Margot and David’s lives were progressing in a way that made Flora feel resentful, left behind.”
Plot-driven readers may struggle with this one, as well as readers who find non-linear timelines challenging. It was hard for me to follow the constant flashbacks and the jumping around between decades & events. It is a relatively light read, which could be a good thing for those seeking something short & sweet, or could be a bit of a bummer for those who prefer a deep, moving read.
”Desire was nothing more than impulse and possibility, with paths leading off into separate but possibly equally satisfying destinations.”
Marin Ireland freaking killed it on the audiobook narration of Good Company. I can't remember the last time I heard a narrator voice the distinctions between varying emotions and moods with such nuanced brilliance. From hesitancy to sarcasm to deliberate cattiness, Ireland absolutely nailed every line, and totally enhanced the reading experience for me. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
——
A huge thank-you to Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, Ecco, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
——
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!