“Maybe niceness is the wrong metric, I said. Of course it's really about power, Bobbi agreed. But it's harder to work out who has the power, so instead we rely on 'niceness' as a kind of stand-in. I mean this is an issue in public discourse. We end up asking like, is Israel 'nicer' than Palestine.”
Reading has been a big part growing up and luckily I have friends who indulge in it as much as I do. A friend and I thought of reading a book together because it had been years since we’d done this. Lets just say it was easier doing this back in school than now when we’re both working in different cities. She recommended Sally Rooney and here we are. Our thoughts on the book may not be on the same page and the book didn’t resonate with me and here’s why.
When best friends and ex-girlfriends, Frances and Bobbi meet a charismatic older couple at one of their readings begins this very charmingly entangled narrative. Melissa and everything about her from her personality to her lavish home, immediately fascinates Bobbi. While Nick, the handsome elusive actor intrigued Frances. We follow their rich lifestyle through Frances’ naïve perspective, from fancy dinner parties to holidays in French villas with their bohemian artsy group of friends.
The concept of the novel is very character driven. The story was merely floating in the background, playing a supportive role to these characters’ relations. The situations they brought themselves into were not relatable and felt very detached, which is what made the protagonists a bit hollow and pretentious and not likable for the most part.
Though might have not entirely loved the novel, I enjoy Rooney’s writing. It was fresh and a breeze to read. I kept waiting for the moment when the story would pick up as I was reading through the first half, however, I did find the second part more interesting. It was almost like the 1st part of was a bubble of Frances’ unrealistic life and the 2nd half was the pin that bursts the bubble and she’s left to figure out a way to deal with the reality of her small little world. This novel might tingle some taste buds out there but it definitely wasn’t my cup of tea.
“Things and people moved around me, taking positions in obscure hierarchies, participating in systems I didn't know about and never would. A complex network of objects and concepts. You live through certain things before you understand them. You can't always take the analytical position.”