Travel to different worlds and make new friends across New York, Italy and a dystopian England
Not only have we had to navigate a pandemic this past year, but we’ve also had to completely re-prioritize everything in our lives just to survive it. Being in lockdown meant books and baking overtook having your monthly catch up or night out with your friends, so predictably, some friendships have become more distant and even dropping off our radar completely. While you may think it will be months until you can repair those bonds, at least you can fill that time reading the novels that will temporarily give you some companionship. Below is a list of highly acclaimed books from my Want to Read shelf to get you started.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
FICTION
WHAT: how a friendship and a nation transform over time and hardship
WHEN/WHERE: on the outskirts of 1950s Naples, Italy
GOODREADS REVIEW
“She started telling it and kept on doing it without pauses for literary reflections or metaphors, or for pretty much anything that might send the ‘oh right, this is fiction,’ signal to your brain. She let the damn thing be and run its course without interfering. She didn’t shy away from having her character be involved in all the quotidian things of childhood or adolescence- zits, dresses, best friends, boyfriends, finding out what bad words mean, and endless status competitions. But never once did she make it feel tired or like something I’ve read a zillion times.” – 5 stars, Kelly
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
DYSTOPIAN FICTION
WHAT: importance of friendship in a time when scientific experiments are done without consideration for any implications
WHEN/WHERE: England in the late 1990s
GOODREADS REVIEW
“There is no way I could put the words down how I feel about this book. In fact, I won't even try. The beauty of this book and how you feel about it, is not in the words on the pages, but the words that aren't on the pages. It is not what was said, but what wasn't said. It is tragic and though the setting might be based in fantasy or make believe, we would be fools to believe that what happens in this book (not literally what happens but on a greater scale- what happens) is not all around us.” – 5 stars, Michelle
Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell
MEMOIR
WHAT: the story of an award-winning author and her friendship with a fellow writer
GOODREADS REVIEW
“Perhaps my new favourite first line of all time: ‘It's an old, old story: I had a friend and we shared everything, and then she died and so we shared that, too.’ Caldwell and Knapp both emphasize their feminist values and their penchant for independence through their writing. Yet, Caldwell portrays their reliance on one another and their support of each other with conviction and eloquence.” – 5 stars, Thomas
It's Not All Downhill from Here by Terry McMillan
FICTION
WHAT: a group of gal pals help their friend get her life back on track after a life-altering incident
WHERE: America
GOODREADS REVIEW
“This is what I really needed to read right now. It was funny and at times heart-breaking. Terry McMillan does such an awesome job of writing strong black women characters.” – 4 stars, Obsidian
The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman
FICTION
WHAT: an honest, unromanticised account of love between six childhood friends
WHERE: outside Buffalo, NY
GOODREADS REVIEW
“What a wonderful, little gem of a novel this was. Anovel about friendships, about the seemingly little things in life that can affect us, change us and stay with us forever. It was also about perspective, about memory, about belonging and so many other things. But most of all, this was about the human limitations and flaws.” – 4 stars, Bianca
Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaefer
NON FICTION
WHAT: celebrates the modern friendship between women through research, conversations and the journalists own experiences
GOODREADS REVIEW
“What a great, insightful collection of thoughts. Coming from someone that has no real female friendships, I found this book somewhat eye opening. It's well known that women can easily tear each other down but when you find another female that you connect with, they usually are a friend for life. I think this book relayed the message clearly to me that we all crave that female friendship to some extent, someone to bond with outside of our daily commitments/lives.” – 4 stars, Reanna
Valley of the Dolls by Jaqueline Susann
FICTION
WHAT: what happens when three friends have nowhere to go but down
WHEN/WHERE: New York between 1940-60s
GOODREADS REVIEW
“If you haven't read this book, I suggest you quit dicking around on the internet and do absolutely whatever it takes to snag yourself a copy this instant. Granted it's probably not for everyone, but I gotta tell you, this is seriously among THE MOST VASTLY ENTERTAINING books I have ever read in my life.” – 5 stars, Jessica
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