In a story where people’s inability to express themselves lies at the forefront, Nick is the ultimate study in a person who initially appears somewhat bland, emotionless and indifferent as the novel progresses, we learn more about him and, as with all the characters, guards begin to drop and truths begin to emerge.
Frances develops a similar kind of view of Melissa, initially being completely captivated by, and enamoured with, her but as the summer progresses she begins to view her more critically, and tensions develop between them. I felt that I was a damaged person who deserved nothing’.īobbi, who has her own troubles, comes across as more confident and carefree a source of both envy and irritation for Frances. There are darker moments of self-loathing, with heartbreaking admissions like, ‘I felt a lot of things I didn’t want to feel. Trigger warning due that Frances’ means of coping when things are going badly often slide into the self-destructive, harbouring desires of hurting other people or herself, occasionally seeing these through to fruition. As the dynamics between them become more complicated, a side of Frances emerges that takes her by surprise, as she thinks to herself, ‘that night it was clear to me for the first time how badly I’d underestimated my vulnerability.’ These thoughts were not unusual for me.įrances develops an immediate infatuation with Melissa and Nick, with their affluent lifestyle and glamorous home, and with them as a couple. Things matter more to me than they do normal people, I thought.
Rooney has a wonderful, dry way of expressing these inner quandaries. However, inwardly she’s an overthinker, deliberating over every little thing she does, mapping out and observing her actions with the aim of coming across as likeable, fun, interesting and ‘normal’. Our protagonist Frances is a complex character almost priding herself in her tendency to avoid big emotions. The issue with hugely hyped books is that you go in with expectations and, at first, I wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy, or be engaged by, this book beyond the surface level but, as I read on into the second half, I found myself becoming more absorbed by the story and the characters. What ensues is a summer of complex dynamics and self-discovery as Frances is forced to look herself in the mirror, and accept that the walls of wit and dry humour surrounding her are perhaps not as impenetrable as she once thought. In their 30s, Melissa and Nick move in Dublin’s high and glittering creative social circles, and it’s within this context that Frances and Nick unexpectedly strike up a rapport. College students Frances and Bobbi, now friends but once in a relationship, meet charismatic journalist and photographer Melissa, who becomes interested in their spoken word performances, and begins inviting them to hang out with her this is where they meet Nick, her more retiring actor husband, whose career is dwindling. Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney is a story of intertwining and shifting friendships and relationships, infatuation, self-discovery, and learning to navigate unexpected emotions.
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