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City of Friends
An emotional journey portraying the multiple frustrations, pressures and hidden agonies of four women. City of Friends is the number one bestselling novel from the highly acclaimed author, Joanna Trollope.The day Stacey Grant loses her job feels like the last day of her life. Or at least, the only life she'd ever known. For who was she if not a City high-flyer, Senior Partner at one of the top private equity firms in London?As Stacey starts to reconcile her old life with the new – one without professional achievements or meetings, but instead, long days at home with her dog and ailing mother, waiting for her successful husband to come home – she at least has The Girls to fall back on. Beth, Melissa and Gaby. The girls, now women, had been best friends from the early days of university right through their working lives, and for all the happiness and heartbreaks in between.But these career women all have personal problems of their own, and when Stacey's redundancy forces a betrayal to emerge that was supposed to remain secret, their long cherished friendships will be pushed to their limits . . .'It's fiendishly well plotted and, with its glittering London settings, full of urban glamour' - Daily Mail
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2017
579 people are currently reading
1712 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Trollope
132 books607 followersJoanna Trollope Potter Curteis (aka Caroline Harvey)
Joanna Trollope was born on 9 December 1943 in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Rosemary Hodson and Arthur George Cecil Trollope. She is the eldest of three siblings. She is a fifth-generation niece of the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope and is a cousin of the writer and broadcaster James Trollope. She was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. On 14 May 1966, she married the banker David Roger William Potter, they had two daughters, Antonia and Louise, and on 1983 they divorced. In 1985, she remarried to the television dramatist Ian Curteis, and became the stepmother of two stepsons; they divorced in 2001.
From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office. From 1967 to 1979, she was employed in a number of teaching posts before she became a writer full-time in 1980. Her novel Parson Harding's Daughter won in 1980 the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Joanna Trollope was born on 9 December 1943 in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Rosemary Hodson and Arthur George Cecil Trollope. She is the eldest of three siblings. She is a fifth-generation niece of the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope and is a cousin of the writer and broadcaster James Trollope. She was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. On 14 May 1966, she married the banker David Roger William Potter, they had two daughters, Antonia and Louise, and on 1983 they divorced. In 1985, she remarried to the television dramatist Ian Curteis, and became the stepmother of two stepsons; they divorced in 2001.
From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office. From 1967 to 1979, she was employed in a number of teaching posts before she became a writer full-time in 1980. Her novel Parson Harding's Daughter won in 1980 the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
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March 26, 2017
3.5 stars. I used to love Joanna Trollope's books. And then we parted ways. I don't know if her books changed or I changed, but I found myself losing interest in the struggles of her characters who were inevitably involved in different permutations of domestic life.
When I saw City of Friends pop up on Netgalley, I decided to give Trollope another try. I wasn't wowed, but I was engaged. The book focuses on four women in London in their mid forties going through various crises and changes. Much of what is happening to them has to do with the eternal challenges faced by women trying balance work and family. There are also tensions that have creeped into these lengthy friendships.
Part of what I liked about City of Friend is purely idiosyncratic. I have just returned from a one week trip to London, and I loved the London setting. But I also liked the characters, the fact that they are middle aged, and mostly that the work/life balance discussions were a bit more nuanced than what one usually finds in novels. The four women approach this challenge from different perspectives and Trollope doesn't purport to offer one solution or one moral view point. In fact, I loved that Gaby, who has three children, unabashedly states that her work is crucial and a necessary source of emotional energy to her ability to cope with her family.
What I like less about City of Friends is that at times I felt like the tensions between these four friends were petty and overblown. I couldn't relate to some of the drama. I felt it bordered on portraying some of my least favourite stereotypes about women.
So I'm not sure I'll be rushing to read Trollope's next book. But overall I'm glad I read this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
When I saw City of Friends pop up on Netgalley, I decided to give Trollope another try. I wasn't wowed, but I was engaged. The book focuses on four women in London in their mid forties going through various crises and changes. Much of what is happening to them has to do with the eternal challenges faced by women trying balance work and family. There are also tensions that have creeped into these lengthy friendships.
Part of what I liked about City of Friend is purely idiosyncratic. I have just returned from a one week trip to London, and I loved the London setting. But I also liked the characters, the fact that they are middle aged, and mostly that the work/life balance discussions were a bit more nuanced than what one usually finds in novels. The four women approach this challenge from different perspectives and Trollope doesn't purport to offer one solution or one moral view point. In fact, I loved that Gaby, who has three children, unabashedly states that her work is crucial and a necessary source of emotional energy to her ability to cope with her family.
What I like less about City of Friends is that at times I felt like the tensions between these four friends were petty and overblown. I couldn't relate to some of the drama. I felt it bordered on portraying some of my least favourite stereotypes about women.
So I'm not sure I'll be rushing to read Trollope's next book. But overall I'm glad I read this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
March 17, 2017
I have been enjoying Joanna Trollope's novels for many years now and this was no exception. She has a talent for creating interesting characters and then putting them together to see what happens. In this case it is four working women, all of them high flyers in their own particular areas and all about to be affected by varying degrees of misfortune.
I particularly enjoyed the way none of them allowed themselves to be walked on. They made decisions and stuck to them and they talked back when being accused of wrongdoings. As long term best friends they made mistakes, disappointed and upset each other and argued, but they also owned up to their mistakes, discussed their problems and made up.
Trollope writes really well and knows how to tell a good story. This is an easy read which keeps the reader turning the pages but also gives food for thought about a number of issues.
I particularly enjoyed the way none of them allowed themselves to be walked on. They made decisions and stuck to them and they talked back when being accused of wrongdoings. As long term best friends they made mistakes, disappointed and upset each other and argued, but they also owned up to their mistakes, discussed their problems and made up.
Trollope writes really well and knows how to tell a good story. This is an easy read which keeps the reader turning the pages but also gives food for thought about a number of issues.
October 24, 2020
EXCERPT: ... Stacey went into the sitting room and, as she often did, sat in a second armchair, close to Mum's TV chair, and started talking. Mum glanced at her without particular recognition but without alarm either, and then went back to watching a nature programme about meat-eating pitcher plants.
'I've been to see Gaby,' Stacey said. 'You remember Gaby? She was the little blonde one I was at uni with. Well, she's now a really big shot in a huge international bank. You'd be amazed to see her, Mum. Tiny Gaby controlling all that money, and all those people. We went to a cocktail place and I had two mojitos. I shouldn't think you've ever had a mojito in your life, have you?'
Mum's gaze didn't waver from the screen. Some kind of climbing shrew had cleverly learned to balance on the rim of the pitcher plant and lick off the alluring sweetness without falling in. Mum's expression was blank. What, exactly, was she seeing?
'We talked about so much,' Stacey said. 'Over an hour of solid talking. And I found myself telling her all kinds of things, like I'd been longing - don't get me wrong, Mum - to go back to work, but I was surprised to find that being in Canary Wharf didn't turn me on as I thought it would. I thought that I'd be gazing at all those busy people and envying them and longing to join them, but I wasn't. I didn't. Isn't that weird? I'd imagined that all I wanted was to be back where I used to be, but something in my head seems to have moved on a bit, and however much I am dying to feel my own purpose and power again, it doesn't feel right returning to what I used to do. Does that sound insane to you?'
The shrew had now clambered nimbly off the plant and a large flying insect had replaced it and fallen in. There were extraordinary camera shots of the liquid in the pitcher plant engulfing the struggling insect. How had they done that? How had they got a camera inside a pitcher plant? Mum's expression betrayed not a trace of wonder or curiosity.
'Mum,' Stacey said, 'can you imagine how I feel? Can you visualise this really strange sensation of liberation?'
Mum suddenly said, with emphasis, 'Good dog.'
ABOUT CITY OF FRIENDS: The day Stacey Grant loses her job feels like the last day of her life. Or at least, the only life she'd ever known. For who was she if not a City high-flyer, Senior Partner at one of the top private equity firms in London?
As Stacey starts to reconcile her old life with the new - one without professional achievements or meetings, but instead, long days at home with her dog and ailing mother, waiting for her successful husband to come home - she at least has The Girls to fall back on. Beth, Melissa and Gaby. The girls, now women, had been best friends from the early days of university right through their working lives, and for all the happiness and heartbreaks in between.
But these career women all have personal problems of their own, and when Stacey's redundancy forces a betrayal to emerge that was supposed to remain secret, their long cherished friendships will be pushed to their limits . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Joanna Trollope is a 'go to' author for me. Though, I must confess, it took me a little longer to get comfortable in this book than it normally does with one of her novels. I didn't immediately engage with her characters because, I think, their personalities are not immediately apparent. The first chapter on each is almost a biography, or at least a CV. Once I got past the initial four chapters, (one for each character) I became immersed in their lives and, by the end, could have had a coffee and a chat with any or all of them at the kitchen table.
Trollope writes somewhat elegantly about four middle aged career women who lead rather privileged lives. By that I mean that they don't have to worry about finding the money to settle the power account or meet the mortgage payment. Although they may not have money worries, they do have other problems.
Stacey has just lost her job because she wanted to work from home in order to care for her mother who has been diagnosed with dementia. Beth is facing a personal crisis. The father of Melissa's son is encroaching on her life, complete with his new family, and Gaby's work and personal lives are clashing. It seems that life is spiralling out of control for all four women who have always been proud of their ability to keep everything under control and, indeed, to 'have it all,' and to always be there for one another.
This is real life stuff, with tiredness, and misunderstandings, 'off' days, the occasional snarky comment and loss of temper. While we may always love our nearest and dearest, we don't always like them or things that they do.
Trollope depicts her characters with an astute understanding of human relationships. I love her characters, warts and all. City of Friends is not her best book by far, but I enjoyed this comfortable read.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#CityofFriends #NetGalley
'I have put properties in joint names with someone else, but I have never shared a bank account.'
'Children are lent to us. They never belong to us. They belong only to themselves.'
THE AUTHOR: Joanna Trollope Potter Curteis (aka Caroline Harvey)
Joanna Trollope was born on 9 December 1943 in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Rosemary Hodson and Arthur George Cecil Trollope. She is the eldest of three siblings. She is a fifth-generation niece of the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope and is a cousin of the writer and broadcaster James Trollope. She was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. On 14 May 1966, she married the banker David Roger William Potter, they had two daughters, Antonia and Louise, and on 1983 they divorced. In 1985, she remarried to the television dramatist Ian Curteis, and became the stepmother of two stepsons; they divorced in 2001. Today, she is a grandmother and lives on her own in London.
From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office. From 1967 to 1979, she was employed in a number of teaching posts before she became a writer full-time in 1980. Her novel Parson Harding's Daughter won in 1980 the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pan McMillan Australia, Mantle, for providing a digital ARC of City of Friends by Joanna Trollope for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'I've been to see Gaby,' Stacey said. 'You remember Gaby? She was the little blonde one I was at uni with. Well, she's now a really big shot in a huge international bank. You'd be amazed to see her, Mum. Tiny Gaby controlling all that money, and all those people. We went to a cocktail place and I had two mojitos. I shouldn't think you've ever had a mojito in your life, have you?'
Mum's gaze didn't waver from the screen. Some kind of climbing shrew had cleverly learned to balance on the rim of the pitcher plant and lick off the alluring sweetness without falling in. Mum's expression was blank. What, exactly, was she seeing?
'We talked about so much,' Stacey said. 'Over an hour of solid talking. And I found myself telling her all kinds of things, like I'd been longing - don't get me wrong, Mum - to go back to work, but I was surprised to find that being in Canary Wharf didn't turn me on as I thought it would. I thought that I'd be gazing at all those busy people and envying them and longing to join them, but I wasn't. I didn't. Isn't that weird? I'd imagined that all I wanted was to be back where I used to be, but something in my head seems to have moved on a bit, and however much I am dying to feel my own purpose and power again, it doesn't feel right returning to what I used to do. Does that sound insane to you?'
The shrew had now clambered nimbly off the plant and a large flying insect had replaced it and fallen in. There were extraordinary camera shots of the liquid in the pitcher plant engulfing the struggling insect. How had they done that? How had they got a camera inside a pitcher plant? Mum's expression betrayed not a trace of wonder or curiosity.
'Mum,' Stacey said, 'can you imagine how I feel? Can you visualise this really strange sensation of liberation?'
Mum suddenly said, with emphasis, 'Good dog.'
ABOUT CITY OF FRIENDS: The day Stacey Grant loses her job feels like the last day of her life. Or at least, the only life she'd ever known. For who was she if not a City high-flyer, Senior Partner at one of the top private equity firms in London?
As Stacey starts to reconcile her old life with the new - one without professional achievements or meetings, but instead, long days at home with her dog and ailing mother, waiting for her successful husband to come home - she at least has The Girls to fall back on. Beth, Melissa and Gaby. The girls, now women, had been best friends from the early days of university right through their working lives, and for all the happiness and heartbreaks in between.
But these career women all have personal problems of their own, and when Stacey's redundancy forces a betrayal to emerge that was supposed to remain secret, their long cherished friendships will be pushed to their limits . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Joanna Trollope is a 'go to' author for me. Though, I must confess, it took me a little longer to get comfortable in this book than it normally does with one of her novels. I didn't immediately engage with her characters because, I think, their personalities are not immediately apparent. The first chapter on each is almost a biography, or at least a CV. Once I got past the initial four chapters, (one for each character) I became immersed in their lives and, by the end, could have had a coffee and a chat with any or all of them at the kitchen table.
Trollope writes somewhat elegantly about four middle aged career women who lead rather privileged lives. By that I mean that they don't have to worry about finding the money to settle the power account or meet the mortgage payment. Although they may not have money worries, they do have other problems.
Stacey has just lost her job because she wanted to work from home in order to care for her mother who has been diagnosed with dementia. Beth is facing a personal crisis. The father of Melissa's son is encroaching on her life, complete with his new family, and Gaby's work and personal lives are clashing. It seems that life is spiralling out of control for all four women who have always been proud of their ability to keep everything under control and, indeed, to 'have it all,' and to always be there for one another.
This is real life stuff, with tiredness, and misunderstandings, 'off' days, the occasional snarky comment and loss of temper. While we may always love our nearest and dearest, we don't always like them or things that they do.
Trollope depicts her characters with an astute understanding of human relationships. I love her characters, warts and all. City of Friends is not her best book by far, but I enjoyed this comfortable read.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#CityofFriends #NetGalley
'I have put properties in joint names with someone else, but I have never shared a bank account.'
'Children are lent to us. They never belong to us. They belong only to themselves.'
THE AUTHOR: Joanna Trollope Potter Curteis (aka Caroline Harvey)
Joanna Trollope was born on 9 December 1943 in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Rosemary Hodson and Arthur George Cecil Trollope. She is the eldest of three siblings. She is a fifth-generation niece of the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope and is a cousin of the writer and broadcaster James Trollope. She was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. On 14 May 1966, she married the banker David Roger William Potter, they had two daughters, Antonia and Louise, and on 1983 they divorced. In 1985, she remarried to the television dramatist Ian Curteis, and became the stepmother of two stepsons; they divorced in 2001. Today, she is a grandmother and lives on her own in London.
From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office. From 1967 to 1979, she was employed in a number of teaching posts before she became a writer full-time in 1980. Her novel Parson Harding's Daughter won in 1980 the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pan McMillan Australia, Mantle, for providing a digital ARC of City of Friends by Joanna Trollope for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 14, 2017
A story about four selfish, prickly, quarrelsome, touchy 'friends', none of whom are likeable or show any empathy to their families, or aforementioned friends. The writing is ponderous and frustrating. A waste of time.
November 28, 2017
First, and last, Trollope. Inane story of 4 high-achieving shallow women. The conflict set up by the author (because books have to have something to resolve, don't they?) is about as troubling as whether there's going to be another courgette crisis. 'Oh no! I recommended my best friend's husband for a job! Just when she gets sacked! Will she ever forgive me? How will I sort this out? What's this new-fangled invention called the mobile phone?'
Sacked character decides to put the world right by setting up an agency to help POOR women get jobs by interview practice with a dog and the loan of a nice handbag. I've interviewed a fair few people in my time and let me tell you now, if you ever fail to get a job because you have the "Wrong Bag" then it ain't a job worth having. And if you are so shallow that you think having a designer bag is going to swing it for you, I suggest you think long and hard about your self esteem.
That's before I get on to the unrealistic dialogue; sexist comments like 'she wanted something that in her experience a woman could better supply: a rigorous attention to detail' (that'll be because women's brains are wired to look at little things) and daft sentences such as 'There's a new Creative and Media Academy in Manchester. I'd like to start something similar in the south.' (because, as we all know, there's NO creative or media industry ANYWHERE in the South East).
What is is with 2017? Why can't I find a good book?
Sacked character decides to put the world right by setting up an agency to help POOR women get jobs by interview practice with a dog and the loan of a nice handbag. I've interviewed a fair few people in my time and let me tell you now, if you ever fail to get a job because you have the "Wrong Bag" then it ain't a job worth having. And if you are so shallow that you think having a designer bag is going to swing it for you, I suggest you think long and hard about your self esteem.
That's before I get on to the unrealistic dialogue; sexist comments like 'she wanted something that in her experience a woman could better supply: a rigorous attention to detail' (that'll be because women's brains are wired to look at little things) and daft sentences such as 'There's a new Creative and Media Academy in Manchester. I'd like to start something similar in the south.' (because, as we all know, there's NO creative or media industry ANYWHERE in the South East).
What is is with 2017? Why can't I find a good book?
July 7, 2019
City of Friends is a lovely story by Joanna Trollope following the interconnecting lives of women.
This book focuses on the trials and errors of middle aged women being women. Lost jobs, children to take care of, parents to take care of, struggling romantic relationships, family drama and friendship drama all mash together into one well written tale. It's everything you'd expect from a contemporary, women's fiction novel!
There are four women who were once friends and now all of them are middle aged. Each of them have their own struggles to deal with, and somehow all of their problems relate to each other's problems. As with most female centered books, there is a pinch of feminine drama that makes me question if women are just bound to be dramatic and gossip (as a woman, I haven't seen too much of that as an adult - maybe it's just me though). Examples of this drama: One woman offers her friend's "mistress" or new lover a job but not her best friend, two of the women's children start seeing each other, a husband tells a woman to pick between their relationships or her mother's health. Yeah... this book felt petty at times.
Even with some of these interesting plot lines, I did enjoy this book. Buuuuuut... it wasn't a hit out of the park for me. I found it was a lovely, soft read that wasn't hard to jump in and out of. The worst part was that it got very slow at times. There were entire chapters that could have been left out and the story still would have progressed. I also didn't feel like there was a real "end" to this book, it just stopped. That's how life stories go there - there never is an "end", something just "stops".
There are some really strong parts of this book, for those looking for my positives! There are strong women characters who are facing realistic problems. I know many girls and women who have faced some of these troubles - like a sick parent, dealing with a lost job, and trying to balance work and family life. I like seeing books like this that bring about real issues so people realize that everyone goes through this stuff. Our lives aren't what we see on Instagram - life isn't perfect.
It may be because I've read a lot of women's fiction lately (on accident) or maybe it is just the plot of this book - I just didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. The synopsis sounds awesome, the cover is gorgeous and the first half of the book really peaked me interest. At half, I kind of just wandered off in my brain and had trouble getting through it.
That being said, I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary novels and women's fiction. It's not a bad book, it's just not a good book for me - mainly because it couldn't hold my attention the way other women's fiction has. I think Joanna Trollope has a fantastic, easy reading, writing style and I want to read more books by her! This is just a blip on the book radar!
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book focuses on the trials and errors of middle aged women being women. Lost jobs, children to take care of, parents to take care of, struggling romantic relationships, family drama and friendship drama all mash together into one well written tale. It's everything you'd expect from a contemporary, women's fiction novel!
There are four women who were once friends and now all of them are middle aged. Each of them have their own struggles to deal with, and somehow all of their problems relate to each other's problems. As with most female centered books, there is a pinch of feminine drama that makes me question if women are just bound to be dramatic and gossip (as a woman, I haven't seen too much of that as an adult - maybe it's just me though). Examples of this drama: One woman offers her friend's "mistress" or new lover a job but not her best friend, two of the women's children start seeing each other, a husband tells a woman to pick between their relationships or her mother's health. Yeah... this book felt petty at times.
Even with some of these interesting plot lines, I did enjoy this book. Buuuuuut... it wasn't a hit out of the park for me. I found it was a lovely, soft read that wasn't hard to jump in and out of. The worst part was that it got very slow at times. There were entire chapters that could have been left out and the story still would have progressed. I also didn't feel like there was a real "end" to this book, it just stopped. That's how life stories go there - there never is an "end", something just "stops".
There are some really strong parts of this book, for those looking for my positives! There are strong women characters who are facing realistic problems. I know many girls and women who have faced some of these troubles - like a sick parent, dealing with a lost job, and trying to balance work and family life. I like seeing books like this that bring about real issues so people realize that everyone goes through this stuff. Our lives aren't what we see on Instagram - life isn't perfect.
It may be because I've read a lot of women's fiction lately (on accident) or maybe it is just the plot of this book - I just didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. The synopsis sounds awesome, the cover is gorgeous and the first half of the book really peaked me interest. At half, I kind of just wandered off in my brain and had trouble getting through it.
That being said, I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary novels and women's fiction. It's not a bad book, it's just not a good book for me - mainly because it couldn't hold my attention the way other women's fiction has. I think Joanna Trollope has a fantastic, easy reading, writing style and I want to read more books by her! This is just a blip on the book radar!
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
September 5, 2017
Two and a half stars.
I have been a fan of Joanna Trollope’s book for a long time, so was glad to see a new one appear on the shelves. The story concerns four women who have been friends for a long time, since their university days. The four friends are Stacey, Beth, Melissa and Gaby. Chapters go backwards and forwards between the four characters.
I thought it was an honest portrayal of these women who were al work oriented, to the extent that they did not value relationships, certainly not that of family members. Even their friendship with each other, which was supposed to be so important to them, gets pushed aside at times because they are so focussed on their own lives and own desires. I found some of the attitudes strange especially when it came to caring for someone you supposedly love.
Although I found this an interesting read in some ways, I also found a certain sameness between these four selfish women and did not like any of the characters. At times it took me a minute to work out who was who. That is not helped by switching between the characters. In the end I was left somewhat disappointed and feeling like the author was too busy pushing an agenda. Other people though may well like it more than I did.
I have been a fan of Joanna Trollope’s book for a long time, so was glad to see a new one appear on the shelves. The story concerns four women who have been friends for a long time, since their university days. The four friends are Stacey, Beth, Melissa and Gaby. Chapters go backwards and forwards between the four characters.
I thought it was an honest portrayal of these women who were al work oriented, to the extent that they did not value relationships, certainly not that of family members. Even their friendship with each other, which was supposed to be so important to them, gets pushed aside at times because they are so focussed on their own lives and own desires. I found some of the attitudes strange especially when it came to caring for someone you supposedly love.
Although I found this an interesting read in some ways, I also found a certain sameness between these four selfish women and did not like any of the characters. At times it took me a minute to work out who was who. That is not helped by switching between the characters. In the end I was left somewhat disappointed and feeling like the author was too busy pushing an agenda. Other people though may well like it more than I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2017
Years ago, when I was young, I went through quite a Joanna Trollope phase -although quite what I thought I had in common with middle class angst in country rectories, I'm not sure. But I seem to remember that the characterisation was strong, and the novels engaging. So it was with some interest, that years later I decided to try a much more recent Trollope, to see how her writing was holding up. Sadly, the answer based on this novel is - not really. On the surface, it seemed to have much that would have engaged me - 4 middle aged female friends dealing with professional and personal crises. Lots there to enjoy, I thought - I have had a professional career, I have been ( still am??) middle aged. I have had crises.
However, it was incredibly difficult to plough my way through this banal and unengaging account of 4 London high-flyers with negligible problems. The most potentially interesting storyline, the development of vascular dementia in Stacey's mother, was barely with dealt with, before a handy nursing home costing £1,000 a week ( yes, a week!) was found, and everyone was free to get back to agonising about the ethics of their jobs in the financial sector. I may have been a bit generous with the two stars...
However, it was incredibly difficult to plough my way through this banal and unengaging account of 4 London high-flyers with negligible problems. The most potentially interesting storyline, the development of vascular dementia in Stacey's mother, was barely with dealt with, before a handy nursing home costing £1,000 a week ( yes, a week!) was found, and everyone was free to get back to agonising about the ethics of their jobs in the financial sector. I may have been a bit generous with the two stars...
March 5, 2017
3-stars...Joanna Trollope, an author whom I really enjoy and find her books comforting, quiet and endearing. Unfortunately, this one did not ring true with me...she is a good writer but the plot was just meh. Trollope was trying to deliver a message with this book, but it seemed to have gotten lost. Friendship, relationships, feminism...they were all touched on, but weakly. Character development was non-existent. Disappointed overall. Not on my highly recommend list...thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.
March 28, 2017
I have read all of Joanna Trollope's early novels. But my favourite books by Joanna Trollope were Friday Nights and Balancing Act, but I'm afraid City Of Friends didn't hold my attention to finish it.
February 27, 2017
Either the author is not trying very hard any more, or my taste has changed. It was not particularly engaging and the main characters were practically interchangeable.
March 17, 2017
A little disappointing. I am a great fan of Joanna Trollope, but not this time.Not up to her normal standard. The characters didn't really stand out from each other. I had to keep reminding myself who was who. The ending was unresolved. A very forgettable book.
July 7, 2017
Either I have outgrown Trollope's novels or this was just poor form from Trollope. My least favourite of her novels I found the characters to be petty, not particularly engaging and at times shallow. I struggled to see see how realistic the plot was and I found the characters quite frustrating. The examination of the struggle women (particularly mothers) face with their work/life balance was trivial and lacked the complexity and depth of the topic. Think this may be may be my last ever Trollope novel.
September 1, 2018
Tedious twiddle.
December 1, 2019
Okay, so these 4 characters are all adult, rich, extremly successful business women. Still they are making such a fuss about everything, it's ridiculous.
Stacey loosing her job and having to take care of her mother is awful, yes. Also Beth breaking up with her girlfriend is sad. But the rest of the "problems" are simply laughable.
Melissa is a grown-up woman who got pregnant with her son Tom about 15 years ago. She didn't really have a committed relationship with the father (Will) back than, who now enters Toms and her life again. Coincidentally Will's wife works for Gaby, Melissa's friend, who didn't tell her about it. So what? What is the big deal? You could say it's weird that Gaby never mentioned it but it is in no way worth spending so many pages elaborating this drama.
The same goes for the fact that Melissa suggested (as it is her job to advise firms) that Stacey's husband Steve should get a promotion. Apparently no one in this group of friends talks to each other and so Stacey wasn't told about the fact that Melissa had something to do with Steve's promotion. Again, it's weird that she never mentiones it but it also isn't really a bad thing, is it?
The only storyline that i found to be interesting and somehow touching was the one about Stacey's mother. Sadly it felt like it was just checked off with her being put into a nursing home so that the book could go back to the shallow, stupid misunderstandings and problems of the other characters.
Also: i don't know if i simply have a different understanding of friendship or if the so-called friendship they have is just shit. I mean, i get that they're all busy but still: the whole book is full of misunderstanding and secrets and shallow conversation. There is not one situation where all 4 of them are in one place. There is mostly two of them coming together talking about one of their stupid issues they have because they didn't communicate beforehand.
Writing this review I had to open the book again to look up who was who and who was involved in which drama.
Stacey loosing her job and having to take care of her mother is awful, yes. Also Beth breaking up with her girlfriend is sad. But the rest of the "problems" are simply laughable.
Melissa is a grown-up woman who got pregnant with her son Tom about 15 years ago. She didn't really have a committed relationship with the father (Will) back than, who now enters Toms and her life again. Coincidentally Will's wife works for Gaby, Melissa's friend, who didn't tell her about it. So what? What is the big deal? You could say it's weird that Gaby never mentioned it but it is in no way worth spending so many pages elaborating this drama.
The same goes for the fact that Melissa suggested (as it is her job to advise firms) that Stacey's husband Steve should get a promotion. Apparently no one in this group of friends talks to each other and so Stacey wasn't told about the fact that Melissa had something to do with Steve's promotion. Again, it's weird that she never mentiones it but it also isn't really a bad thing, is it?
The only storyline that i found to be interesting and somehow touching was the one about Stacey's mother. Sadly it felt like it was just checked off with her being put into a nursing home so that the book could go back to the shallow, stupid misunderstandings and problems of the other characters.
Also: i don't know if i simply have a different understanding of friendship or if the so-called friendship they have is just shit. I mean, i get that they're all busy but still: the whole book is full of misunderstanding and secrets and shallow conversation. There is not one situation where all 4 of them are in one place. There is mostly two of them coming together talking about one of their stupid issues they have because they didn't communicate beforehand.
Writing this review I had to open the book again to look up who was who and who was involved in which drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2018
This is a decent read which picks up very important issues of our time: i.e. why it still costs women more than men to become successful and powerful; why women still are expected to do the lion share of the "home" organisation plus their own work; how to cope with family responsibilities be it for children or aging parents whilst holding down a high-powered job and why is this still mainly the responsibility of women. So that was all good, however whilst reading it it reminded me why I haven't read a Trollope book for at least 15 years. She sees things mainly from a very comfortable upper-middle class positions. Whilst all the women friends come from working class and lower middle class families they all end up in 2017 with powerful jobs - really? Not one of them does not succeed for the reasons why many hard-working, intelligent women end up powerful in Business and Banking. And when they have a crisis, because they all have well-heeled husbands or are in such a comfortable position, that they can have their life crisis but it never turns into an existential, i.e. putting bread onto the table, crisis. That's too convenient for me and what is more a really missed chance to discuss the issues above properly.
Decent read, but no more Trollope for me.
Decent read, but no more Trollope for me.
January 25, 2018
I very rarely give up on a book but I ploughed through half of this and thought "No more". I really enjoyed Trollope's early work but I have the impression that over the years she has purposefully distanced herself from the stories set in cosy villages I enjoyed. This book is about four high achieving women (yawn) who all have economics degrees (yawn) and dress very smartly (more yawns) and live in very fancy houses in London (falls off sofa snoring). It was well written but it was very plodding and just dull. I have nothing against economists, I work with lots of them, but these women were just so conventional.. there was no hint of flamboyancy or eccentricity or anything in any way interesting. As another reviewer said below, I couldn't remember which was which because they all seemed the same with slightly different lives and hair colour. I have the impression Ms Trollope is writing a modern book for modern people leading modern lives but even modern people have splashes of colour and unusualness. I don't think anyone is as ordinary as the people in this book.
August 31, 2019
Good but not great. I do enjoy Joanna Trollope at her best as she is a clever observer of middle-class women and their issues, but this wasn't her best. It concerns four women, friends who studied economics together at university, who now have complex personal lives -- two married with children, one single mother, one in a gay partnership -- and all are struggling with work-life balance. The author nailed the common question among women: what SHOULD I be doing with my life, as opposed to what I WANT to do? However, I felt like the story was a bit muddled with four points of view, and at times I grew impatient with the tension and misunderstanding among the four long-time friends, now in their mid-40s. An entertaining read, but not particularly gripping.
September 22, 2019
I loved Joanna Trollope,s books published in the early nineties then found her later books not as good so I haven't read any for a few years. This one was ok, a quick and easy read, better than some. But I found the story a bit dull, the four friends not that likeable. Maybe its just that my tastes have changed since her early works.
May 30, 2017
I read and enjoyed Trollope's Daughters-in-Law, and looking for a diverting piece of lighter fare after some fairly heavy reading, I thought I'd try this one. I gave it 50 pages and saw no reason to go on. The four (or is it five?) friends, whose story this is, all studied economics at university in London. That should've told me enough; I can imagine few things I would rather not study. All of these women are ambitious, high-powered, and, one would imagine, exceedingly well groomed--that should have told me even more. One of the women, Stacy, has just been fired after asking her boss if she might work flex-time from her home so that she can care for her aging (cognitively impaired) mother. This request apparently precipitated her being let go. Another of the friends has raised her son single-handedly, but has just discovered that the boy's father has been attending sports events in which the boy, a high-school student, plays. Another of the friends was brought up by a loose hippie-ish bunch, who believe she'll ultimately see the light and return to her wilder, more natural origins. Finally, a fourth friend (yes, there must be four) is lesbian. In any case, I didn't stick around to face the trials and tribulations of this too-privileged lot. If I didn't care about a single one of them by page 50 and the writing was nothing more than workmanlike to that point, what was the motivation for continuing? I doubt I'll visit Trollope's world again. I think my enjoyment of one previous book was probably a one-off.
December 22, 2017
I have always liked Joanna Trollope as a writer though I find her books have become a bit formulaic now. It's always the same..people with strong marriages suddenly encounter problems, love confounds, children are challenging but lovable, people get lost and then, usually, find their way. What troubles me a little about this, Trollope's latest and twentieth book, is that the women here are all such high-flyers, it's hard to feel that sorry for them. In their rarified world, one puts one's house on the market and it sells in one day for millions, one loses a job and becomes the head of a fabulous new venture after six months (granted this character has a mother suffering from dementia but then a great home is found for her for 4000 pounds a month!!!) and so on. I know it is probably jealousy on my part but here everyone just LOVE$ working. Even Maeve Binchy put some very tragic figures in her books. It's just hard to feel too much sympathy for the one percenters here..I had more empathy for the immigrant woman on the park bench at the novel's beginning who didn't get the job because she had the wrong purse or more likely, was the wrong colour. Too much angst over first world problems, not enough angst over being employed simply to keep the money machine going if you ask me.
October 15, 2017
What my kiddo calls a 'mom book.' Tells the story of four women friends in their 40s, foregrounding their relationships with their work, which I thought was neat, if a bit over laboured (oh, ha ha, didn't mean to make a pun). The interpersonal dilemmas were sometimes odd - I didn't understand what the big deal was with some developments that sent characters into a tizzy, and yet the author quickly dispatched the interesting struggle of one character dealing with her mother's dementia. Even so, it was a decent read, and I appreciate the effort to write about women's work lives and friendships.
March 31, 2017
I've taken to picking up any book I haven't read in bookshops when they have 2 for 1 offers etc. to see if anything surprising happens. Surprise! What a load of Trollope, seriously how she can't be embarrassed at this I don't know. It read like a TV episode of a grown up version of Made In Chelsea. I feel sullied
July 6, 2018
Such a lovely quartet of friends!
Liked the characters and the surroundings which is a given as I love books happening in London :)
Another great book by the author , she doesn't disappoints.
Liked the characters and the surroundings which is a given as I love books happening in London :)
Another great book by the author , she doesn't disappoints.
March 1, 2017
Ugh- these characters were confusing and annoying and the story line just lagged. Didn't want to finish it but thought it would get better.
April 11, 2017
For 76 year old Ms Trollope it must be akin to an older woman hard at work with her knitting needles, constructing yet another sweater for one of her umpteen family members or friends to see him or her through another winter. It's done with love, but she's been doing it for so long, that old darling, now into her own autumn years, that it's almost rote. But, such is her skill, no two sweaters are exactly the same – there's enough to differentiate this one from the countless others. There's no pattern book spread out in front of her, it's all done in the mind and it is always genuinely welcomed by its new owner, as have all those that have come before it.
For this reader and fan, delving into this title, Joanna Trollope's twentieth, is akin to enveloping oneself in that knitted sweater for the first time. The reader/wearer knows it was put together with immense affection for him/her and despite being of the same basic material, it is known it will be of immense comfort during the days that lie ahead until winter, or indeed the novel, is finished with. Trollope tomes are brim full of that comfort and are never a demanding read by any stretch – sorry, there'll be a few puns en route here. There are always underlying issues to be mulled over, but nothing too taxing as her characters, give or take a few foibles here and there, are usually pleasant people to be with. Why, they could be me or you.
There's not a wide variance, therefore, between Joanna T's best and worst. 'City of Friends' would sit somewhere in the middle and yep, it is exceptionally snug and congenial. It is one that will welcome you back into its pages, keeping you happy and content as you make the journey from cover to cover.
The titular city is London. The friends are Stacey, a high flying exec with an equity firm; Gaby, an investment banker; Melissa, a management consultant and Beth, an author and expert on human relations in the business world. And it's very much work that defines these ladies. But having known each other since they were trail blazers, entering the hitherto male domain of studying economics back in the day, they are starting to find that, just when life should be going swimmingly for them after all the hard yards, their forties are not exactly turning out to be all beer and skittles. One has to cope with a hubby receiving a promotion on the very day she's given her marching orders. She is fired for requesting more flexible working conditions. Another of our ladies is about to encounter stormy seas in her relationship with her younger same sex partner. One, partner-less, has to cope with her son reuniting with his birth father. The fourth major protagonist has a crisis of conscience at the situation one of her mates finds herself in, the other being reliant on this pal to exit her from potential penury
As we have come to expect from this seller of over seven million copies of her books over the years, Trollope manages to weave it all together so seamlessly there's not a stitch out of place. The world will change for several of the quartet as they spread their wings to embrace new directions, once various crises have been averted or even succumbed to at first, but then conquered.
Despite the massive strides women have made for their betterment last century and into this one, we all know it is still hardly a level playing field. No matter how well educated or successful, they still have to struggle, whereas the male of the species sails through. The sewing together of career, marriage and motherhood remains fraught and few manage to do it all without some personal cost to one at least of those areas of life. This is the plight that is at the nub of Trollope's oeuvre. Given that, the males involved here are also mainly sympathetic beings, despite one in particular being a really silly drip. The only truly odious personage is female – a manipulator trying to drive one of our career girls out of her home.
Twice divorced Trollope has plainly had her own tangles in life, but we trust she can continue to ply us with these sweaters of novels as they are generally purlers. She has, for decades, been casting them off, these darn good yarns (I know, cringe-worthy puns she would never stoop to) for many years to come.
For this reader and fan, delving into this title, Joanna Trollope's twentieth, is akin to enveloping oneself in that knitted sweater for the first time. The reader/wearer knows it was put together with immense affection for him/her and despite being of the same basic material, it is known it will be of immense comfort during the days that lie ahead until winter, or indeed the novel, is finished with. Trollope tomes are brim full of that comfort and are never a demanding read by any stretch – sorry, there'll be a few puns en route here. There are always underlying issues to be mulled over, but nothing too taxing as her characters, give or take a few foibles here and there, are usually pleasant people to be with. Why, they could be me or you.
There's not a wide variance, therefore, between Joanna T's best and worst. 'City of Friends' would sit somewhere in the middle and yep, it is exceptionally snug and congenial. It is one that will welcome you back into its pages, keeping you happy and content as you make the journey from cover to cover.
The titular city is London. The friends are Stacey, a high flying exec with an equity firm; Gaby, an investment banker; Melissa, a management consultant and Beth, an author and expert on human relations in the business world. And it's very much work that defines these ladies. But having known each other since they were trail blazers, entering the hitherto male domain of studying economics back in the day, they are starting to find that, just when life should be going swimmingly for them after all the hard yards, their forties are not exactly turning out to be all beer and skittles. One has to cope with a hubby receiving a promotion on the very day she's given her marching orders. She is fired for requesting more flexible working conditions. Another of our ladies is about to encounter stormy seas in her relationship with her younger same sex partner. One, partner-less, has to cope with her son reuniting with his birth father. The fourth major protagonist has a crisis of conscience at the situation one of her mates finds herself in, the other being reliant on this pal to exit her from potential penury
As we have come to expect from this seller of over seven million copies of her books over the years, Trollope manages to weave it all together so seamlessly there's not a stitch out of place. The world will change for several of the quartet as they spread their wings to embrace new directions, once various crises have been averted or even succumbed to at first, but then conquered.
Despite the massive strides women have made for their betterment last century and into this one, we all know it is still hardly a level playing field. No matter how well educated or successful, they still have to struggle, whereas the male of the species sails through. The sewing together of career, marriage and motherhood remains fraught and few manage to do it all without some personal cost to one at least of those areas of life. This is the plight that is at the nub of Trollope's oeuvre. Given that, the males involved here are also mainly sympathetic beings, despite one in particular being a really silly drip. The only truly odious personage is female – a manipulator trying to drive one of our career girls out of her home.
Twice divorced Trollope has plainly had her own tangles in life, but we trust she can continue to ply us with these sweaters of novels as they are generally purlers. She has, for decades, been casting them off, these darn good yarns (I know, cringe-worthy puns she would never stoop to) for many years to come.
March 30, 2018
I'm a great fan of Joanna Trollope, but I'm not sure what I thought about this novel.
City of Friends was an enjoyable read, true, but I kept wondering what the message was that the author wanted to convey with the story. I'm sad to say that it read a bit like a script for a TV sitcom rather than a serious book about the state of modern womanhood in Britain. (If that was what it was about)
I hate writing negative reviews, and I DID enjoy the book (hence the 3 stars), but I was just left feeling a bit 'meh' at the end. I didn't particularly empathise with the characters and didn't care what happened to them. The plot was quite predictable, and the ending wasn't at all a surprise. It was more of a relief that I'd finished the book.
This won't stop me wanting to read more books by Joanna Trollope, however. How weird is that?
City of Friends was an enjoyable read, true, but I kept wondering what the message was that the author wanted to convey with the story. I'm sad to say that it read a bit like a script for a TV sitcom rather than a serious book about the state of modern womanhood in Britain. (If that was what it was about)
I hate writing negative reviews, and I DID enjoy the book (hence the 3 stars), but I was just left feeling a bit 'meh' at the end. I didn't particularly empathise with the characters and didn't care what happened to them. The plot was quite predictable, and the ending wasn't at all a surprise. It was more of a relief that I'd finished the book.
This won't stop me wanting to read more books by Joanna Trollope, however. How weird is that?
September 28, 2019
Afraid I didn't like this at all! Read at Book Group to mixed reviews, so I wasn't alone. I won't be reading any more Joane Trollppe, although fans say her earlier work is worth a read.
April 16, 2017
Joanna Trollope used to be one of my “go-to” authors when I wanted a reliably enjoyable British romp that focused on women’s lives and the family members and friends who surrounded them. I’m not sure if Trollope’s writing has changed, or if my tastes have changed, but her last few novels just haven’t held the usual appeal for me.
This one sounded promising and actually started out very strongly. The first character we meet (of four best friends) has just suddenly found herself unemployed, and is also coping with her mother’s rapid mental deterioration. I got sucked right in and thought I was in for a good ride.
Unfortunately things went downhill. The four main characters have been best friends since their university days (they’re now in the late 40’s). They are supposedly extremely close and have shared all the ups and downs of their lives over the past 25 years. Yet… that’s clearly NOT the impression we get once we start meeting them. Stacy doesn’t return their phone calls on the day she loses her job (understandably perhaps, she’s very upset), yet the others just kind of drop out of touch with her. It doesn’t seem to cross their minds that they could actually go SEE her to find out how’s she’s coping. Then there are all the “dramas” that happen between various friends and their spouses/employees who all, of course, are intertwined with one another; this all leads to various misunderstandings and miscommunications and… well, maybe it’s just me, but it all seemed so shallow and anti-climatic. I just couldn’t grasp why such good friends would act this way with one another. Maybe it’s just not in my nature to overreact?
Whatever. Their behaviour just all seemed a bit silly to me. I would shudder if I was a part of a group of “best” friends that treated each other like this. Grow up, people!
This one sounded promising and actually started out very strongly. The first character we meet (of four best friends) has just suddenly found herself unemployed, and is also coping with her mother’s rapid mental deterioration. I got sucked right in and thought I was in for a good ride.
Unfortunately things went downhill. The four main characters have been best friends since their university days (they’re now in the late 40’s). They are supposedly extremely close and have shared all the ups and downs of their lives over the past 25 years. Yet… that’s clearly NOT the impression we get once we start meeting them. Stacy doesn’t return their phone calls on the day she loses her job (understandably perhaps, she’s very upset), yet the others just kind of drop out of touch with her. It doesn’t seem to cross their minds that they could actually go SEE her to find out how’s she’s coping. Then there are all the “dramas” that happen between various friends and their spouses/employees who all, of course, are intertwined with one another; this all leads to various misunderstandings and miscommunications and… well, maybe it’s just me, but it all seemed so shallow and anti-climatic. I just couldn’t grasp why such good friends would act this way with one another. Maybe it’s just not in my nature to overreact?
Whatever. Their behaviour just all seemed a bit silly to me. I would shudder if I was a part of a group of “best” friends that treated each other like this. Grow up, people!
June 11, 2017
Stacey Grant loses her job, a position of power and prestige. She has devoted her entire adult life to attaining this success. She is lost without it and leans on her three dearest friends for support. They have been best friends since university days. Each in a successful career position that they fought for along with their independence in a male dominated economy. I normally adore settings in London, stories of friends and whirlwinds of romance but not this time. These women were annoying and whined incessantly. They were neither good mothers, spouses or even good friends but considered themselves experts at all. They were not quirky or funny, just selfish and dumb. Their underlying collective insecurity was staggering and unrealistic to me. I wanted to like this one but sorry to say, not one character, not one bit.
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