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Friday Nights: A Novel by Joanna Trollope
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Joanna Trollope Edition: Hardcover Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published) Published: 2008-04-15 ISBN: 1596914076 Number of pages: 336 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Book Reviews of Friday Nights: A NovelBook Review: Felt I knew the characters Summary: 4 StarsI am a Joanna Trollope fan, and I liked this book. The characters represented a good range of modern working women, whether satisfied with rather pedestrian jobs, or more ambitious, or having difficulties juggling family and work. And the characters covered the spectrum of working life, from Jules just starting on a career, to the retired Eleanor. I thought the novel developed that aspect of the characters' lives very effectively and realistically; they all seemed like people I have known.
Trollope was at her best with the character Eleanor, whose concise and objective comments cut through to the heart of issues, and whose occasional musings provided the more thought-provoking aspects of the novel, particularly about the place work has in our lives.
My one complaint concerns Jackson. He is described in the book as "opaque" and "enigmatic", and boy, was he ever. A mysterious character can add intrigue to a book, but sooner or later the reader needs a little glimpse into his motives, or a hint of the background which makes him behave as he does. Maybe I missed something, but to me, Jackson simply remained inexplicable, to the point that, by the end of the book, I found it irritating.
But don't let that stop you from getting the book. It is an enjoyable read. With the exception of the baffling Jackson, Ms. Trollope reveals new insights into her characters with almost every page.
Summary of Friday Nights: A NovelFrom the master of literary domestic drama, a page-turning novel that dissects the complexities of female friendship and the choices that define women's lives. It is Eleanor who starts the Friday night get-togethers. From her window she sees two young women, with small children, separate, struggling, and plainly lonely-and decides to ask them in. What began as a lark soon becomes a ritual, and the circle widens to include six very different women. They range in age from Jules, who is twenty-two and wants to be a DJ, to Eleanor herself, a retired professional who walks with a stick. They include one wife, three mothers, three singles, and five working women. All of them, variously, value Friday nights. Until one of them meets a man-an enigmatic, significant man-and the whole dynamic changes. The bonds that have been so closely forged are tested-and some of them break. With wit and warmth, Joanna Trollope explores the complexities, the sabotages, and the shifting currents of modern female friendship.
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