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Title: The Best of Friends: Joanna Trollope by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0-425-16937-5 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: April, 1999 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.21 (14 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A Novel of Pain and Redemption
Comment: Once again, Joanna Trollope manages to evoke the most sensitive feelings by drawing the reader seemingly effortlessly into the minds and hearts of her main characters.
"The Best of Friends" catches up with university buddies Laurence and Gina, some 20 years after they have each happily married other people. Laurence and his wife Hilary run a charming inn and have three teenaged sons; Gina and Fergus live a highly upscale life mostly devoted to Fergus' antiques business. They have a teenager as well, their only child, Sophy. The book begins with Sophy in some sort of crisis. As only Trollope can do, we gauge the depth of Sophy's adolescent pain by watching her, almost literally, childishly suck on a blue bead she wears on a leather thong around her neck. It is these tiny details, almost too subtle to notice, with which Trollope captures the reader's attention and heart.
It turns out that Fergus has suddenly and cruelly decided to leave Gina. Sophy and her mother are devastated, each in her own way. Sophy acts out in increasingly childish and pouting behavior; the reader doesn't know whether to slap her or hug her (and anyone who has teenagers can relate to this feeling!) Gina simply falls apart. And in her crumbling state, she turns, of course, to her best friends Laurence and Hilary.
The domino effect of one person's selfish decision to leave his wife causes anguish and pain he could not have anticipated. Trollope's message is clear, although she does not judge--nobody lives in a vacuum, and one IS accountable for one's actions.
This theme is further played out in the subplot: the story of Gina's elderly mother Vi (who had Gina after an impulsive fling with a boy who deserted her upon finding she was pregnant) and her dear friend and neighbor Dan. Again, the smallest of details bring these people to life. Vi is an exuberant soul, full of strong color, both in her clothing and in her garden and home. She has a parakeet (of course!) and her messy house matches her divine personality. Dan is her polar opposite. We come to love him for his meticulous tidiness, his strict ways (learned many years previously in the military) and his total adoration of Vi. They are so happy together, and it is so lovely...until the actions of a busybody who righteously feels she is "doing the right thing" destroys the elderly couple's lives completely.
The ending of this book, as always, is true and real. I won't give it away, but suffice to say that as in real life, nothing in the end is "clean and perfect." But it all makes perfect sense. This is one of Trollope's more depressing novels, but so worth the read, if only to cherish the wonderful characters she creates so very well.
Rating: 2
Summary: Another "Poor little Women" novel....
Comment: Gina and Lawrence are the main characters of the book. The were best friends in childhood and that friendship continues into adulthood. Both are married to other people and when Gina's marriage ends she ends up in at Lawrences house being comforted in his arms. His wife is somewhat understanding but feels that Gina often outstays her welcome. Gina goes through every "poor me" emotion from the divorce and it gets obnoxiously annoying! Will someone please write a book where the betrayed women moves on and becomes strong without having to virtually distroy her teenage childrens' lives too?!!!
I won't go into detail of what happens next in case you decide to read this boring novel but let's just say that it's predictable, yet boring, with no really likeable characters. Very flatly written! I give it 2 stars...
Rating: 2
Summary: Dreary domestic drama
Comment: After reading and enjoying Joanna Trollope's book "Other People's Children," I looked forward to reading "Best of Friends". I was very disappointed.
The story revolves around 2 families--Hilary and Laurence and their 3 sons, and Gina and Fergus and their only child Sophy. When Fergus leaves for greener pastures, everyone is shocked--Gina is a rather unpleasant, emotionally unstable person, and she begins to lean on her old childhood friend Laurence and his overworked wife, Hilary for emotional support. Hilary, who co-owns and manages the family hotel rejects the role--she has enough people to carry! Laurence, however, falls into the trap of "helping" Gina emotionally.
The only character that I found even remotely interesting and believable was Sophy's grandmother, Vi. The other main characters, Fergus, Gina, Laurence and Hilary just didn't seem real--Hilary was especially difficult to swallow--even though she remained one of the most pleasant characters in the book.
The teenagers Gus, George, Adam and Sophy were utterly unbelievable. Teenagers don't think like this--at least none that I've ever known. Trollope's teenagers were mature, stable, sensitive, considerate, kind, industrious, thoughtful (the adjectives continue...). Unfortunately, since a great deal of the drama was presented through Sophy, the book was rather spoiled for me.
Furthermore, in the edition I had, there were at least two spots where the author confused the female characters and used the name "Gina" instead of "Hilary." Picky, picky picky, but it annoyed me.
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Title: The Rector's Wife by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0425155293 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: October, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Men and the Girls by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0380724081 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 May, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: A Spanish Lover by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0425162346 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: March, 1998 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: A Village Affair by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0425171094 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Other People's Children by Joanna Trollope ISBN: 0425174379 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: 12 June, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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