Review Detail

Friends Like These is a true coming-of-age story. Beth is a small-town girl who comes to Manhattan for a journalism internship. At the internship, she meets Edie who is polar opposite her in every way. Edie and Beth's friendship is a mess and it's through these obstacles that Beth finds out who she is.

What I Liked: The story is set in Manhattan in the 1980s and it gives such life to the book. You can feel the heat of the summer and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Manhattan. Beth is subletting a cockroach-infested apartment for the summer, which seems typical of New York. Edie, who grew up in New York her whole life, experiences NY from the viewpoint of someone with money and a comfortable lifestyle. It's just another way of illustrating the differences between Beth and Edie.

Beth experienced so much in her short time in NYC. She is mugged at gunpoint in a bank, almost sexually assaulted while taking drugs, loses her virginity, and deals with friendship and betrayal. Beth began the book as someone who was an overthinker and thought before she spoke. In the end, Beth learned to use her voice and put her own mental health ahead of her friends.

What Left Me Wanting More: The relationship Beth had with Tom, her roommate's boyfriend, seemed to come out of nowhere. They barely talked and then began hooking up. In my opinion, Tom was a flat character who didn't make any effort when it came to Beth, so I struggled to see his appeal. I would have liked their relationship to be developed more.


Friends Like These is quick read about friendship and finding yourself