Reviews

Friend Of The Family by Lauren Grodstein, Lauren Grodstein

lisagray68's review against another edition

4.0

This is just a really chilling look at indulgent parenting and where it can lead, plus how unsubstantiated rumors can ruin your life. A quick and entertaining read, if not just a little bit of a downer. Great writing, I'll definitely look for more from her.

arugulalover's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-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

3.0

bethzovko47's review against another edition

2.0

This one was right on the heels of the emotional and gripping 'Gone Girl,' so this was like a rebound read. It was hard to get into the story as I really didn't like any of the characters. Basically this was the story of wealthy people (but not super wealthy, so they're 'relatable') and their entitled, spoiled children. I didn't know who was more infuriating: the useless, indulgent parents, or their shitty, shitty kids, one of whom is a struggling artists and the other is a child murderer. Hard to relate to, let alone sympathize with, idiots who create their own problems.

bethnellvaccaro's review against another edition

4.0

One of the main reasons I love to read fiction is to learn about the human experience. This book did just that for me. A Friend of the Family makes you think a lot about parental love and the shades of gray between right and wrong.

jacque18's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed the book until the end. It felt like a very abrupt and unsatisfying ending, with nothing really resolved.

hcothran's review against another edition

4.0

I love books that are about someone's seemingly perfect life getting shattered by a few bad decisions--and this book definitely falls into that category. It's a quick, relatively easy and entertaining read, and I was fairly sympathetic to just about all the characters, which is no small trick by Grodstein as some of the characters do behave in pretty appalling ways. I probably would have given this five stars if the ending hadn't felt quite so rushed.

lanagailani's review against another edition

2.0

I was just happy to end this book... I'm not entirely sure why, but the protagonist grated on my nerves as he never really seemed to learn anything, and without that arc the book seemed to lack a point aside from a simple character study- whose point could have been made much more briefly. I lost patience with him and then with the book. The antagonist was never properly fleshed out, so there was no sympathy for her either, and eventually I came to dislike every character for either tolerating what went on around them or for being their own selfish selves. Except Rosie, she was okay.

What Pete *does* isn't really what derails his family, not in the way the press for the book presents it. It's who he is that does the derailing, and I get the sense that in one way or another that would have found its expression.

radiorobin's review against another edition

2.0

I completely believe I would have a different reaction to this book if I were a parent. The theme is all about what a parent is willing to do for their child, the sacrifices to be made in the name of the child. As a child-free adult, I just couldn't relate, and I found the author's justification difficult to swallow.

panthergirl's review against another edition

2.0

The most telling review I can give for this book would be "I forgot I had even read it". I saw it on a friend's Goodreads list and then saw my 2-star rating, but had to read the reviews to remind myself what it was about. So, "forgettable" would be the best way to describe it for me.

manek_m's review against another edition

3.0

Listened to the audiobook. Author does a good job of pulling us along even though the narrator is a jerk.