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In this darkly funny novel, two women reunite after a decade of estrangement, only to confront the forces that destroyed their friendship in the first place.
From the day they first meet as teenagers, Fern and Jessica are best friends. Despite their differences, they are there for each other throughout everything, navigating the difficulties of growing up and fitting in. That is, until Jessica crosses a line that Fern can't forgive.
But now, more than ten years later, Jessica has unexpectedly reappeared in Fern's life.
A lot has changed for them both—but can their relationship be different now that they are older? Is it possible for either of them to rewrite the roles they've been cast in? Or will their shared history ultimately be doomed to repeat itself again?
Set between the present day and the early '00s, When We Were Friends is a blisteringly funny and devastating novel: both a joyful celebration of female friendship and a razor-sharp look at the damage we can all cause to those we claim to love the most.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 27, 2022 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780369703460
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780369703460
- File size: 894 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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September 1, 2022
Fern and Jessica became inseparable when they met as teenagers in suburban England, but they haven't spoken in years when Jessica shows up at an event Fern is moderating. As the two slowly rebuild their friendship, the story alternates between the early 2000s and the present, tracing the trajectory of the girls' friendship from start to, eventually, finish. Teenage Fern, still recovering from a suicide attempt and coping with self-harm, sees herself as the pudgy, unpickable counterpart to Jessica's effortless flirtatiousness. Adult Fern feels schlubby compared to still-glamorous Jessica, and old feelings of jealousy start to resurface, affecting her relationship with boyfriend Ben. As their past slowly unfolds, it seems Fern has reason to feel insecure around Jessica, until a final reckoning reveals the dark side of Jessica's good-time persona. Bourne (Pretending, 2020) perfectly captures the casual misogyny of the early aughts in flashbacks, using nostalgia and teenage angst to unpack the miracle that Fern and Jessica's friendship survived as long as it did. A testament to almost-unshakable bonds and the survival of teenage girlhood.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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