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mmingie's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Full review to follow upon publication.
kate_cunningham's review
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
elnorman's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
"All Friends Are Necessary" by Tomas Moniz is a joyful, poignant and tender novel that highlights the love formed between a chosen family and a group of friends, both before and during COVID. I loved Moniz' exploration of different types of relationships and his examination of ways to play and get away from toxic masculinity. The author achieves great character depth in a short novel. The book also felt very real in terms of grief, and characters facing their own failings in the face of it. Oakland and Northern California provide a wonderful setting and almost felt like their own character. I love that Moniz's author's note ends with a request for readers to write him snail mail letters and a promise to answer. It feels like a fitting end to this kind-hearted book. I will miss these characters, especially Chino and Metal Matt. Thanks to Alongquin Books and Netgalley for an eARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
thebookhoundchronicles's review
3.5
A vibrant and organic kaleidoscopic rendering of life, relationships, and real human emotion. Humorous, joyful, and at times sad, all rolled into one.
jukietoss's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoy stories that look at non-traditional family formation, and ALL FRIENDS ARE NECESSARY did this beautifully. Part of what I liked about this one is that when we join the story--although it is at an important point for our main character Chino--in some ways we join him midstream. So many of his relationships are already established and so much has occurred in the past that we are not privy to. We gain enough insight to learn his friends' names and deduce their importance to him, but I liked that minimal exposition was spent on them outside of how they showed up for him during this time.
As the book went on, we got more backstory, and I thought the gradual reveals and building depth worked really well. Some of Moniz's choices, like showing us how Metal Matt and Chino met, were so thoughtful and well timed. By the time we get that story, we take for granted that Metal Matt is a critical figure, and the time bounce back to their meeting isn't jarring and doesn't take us out of the present story but rather enhances and in some ways reminds us how much of their relationship we don't know.
This book rejects heteropatriarchy in really refreshing ways. The characters here conceive of family and caregiving outside of the heteronormative nuclear family model, and it's truly a joy to read. It requires that characters think deeply about what they want and don't want and how they want to live in order to be able to reject the status quo, and I love reading community and support like there is here.
As the book went on, we got more backstory, and I thought the gradual reveals and building depth worked really well. Some of Moniz's choices, like showing us how Metal Matt and Chino met, were so thoughtful and well timed. By the time we get that story, we take for granted that Metal Matt is a critical figure, and the time bounce back to their meeting isn't jarring and doesn't take us out of the present story but rather enhances and in some ways reminds us how much of their relationship we don't know.
This book rejects heteropatriarchy in really refreshing ways. The characters here conceive of family and caregiving outside of the heteronormative nuclear family model, and it's truly a joy to read. It requires that characters think deeply about what they want and don't want and how they want to live in order to be able to reject the status quo, and I love reading community and support like there is here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
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