The Things We Do to Our Friends
Author: Heather Darwent
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 375
Format: Hardback
My Rating: ★★★★
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 375
Format: Hardback
My Rating: ★★★★
How much is an extraordinary life worth if others have to pay?
Clare arrives at the University of Edinburgh with a secret. This is her chance for a blank slate - to finally become who she was meant to be. And then she meets Tabitha.
Tabitha is charismatic, beautiful and intimidatingly rich. Soon Clare is sucked into her enigmatic circle of friends and their dizzying world of champagne on rooftops and summers in France. Her new life has begun.
Then Tabitha reveals the little project they're working on, a project they need Clare's help with. And Clare can't say no. Because they know what she did...
Clare arrives at the University of Edinburgh with a secret. This is her chance for a blank slate - to finally become who she was meant to be. And then she meets Tabitha.
Tabitha is charismatic, beautiful and intimidatingly rich. Soon Clare is sucked into her enigmatic circle of friends and their dizzying world of champagne on rooftops and summers in France. Her new life has begun.
Then Tabitha reveals the little project they're working on, a project they need Clare's help with. And Clare can't say no. Because they know what she did...
My thoughts:
This novel is a dark and moody story that centres around the narrator, Clare. Arriving in Scotland to study History of Art at the University of Edinburgh, she is utterly alone and yearning to reinvent herself. And what better place to conceal the dark secrets in her past than at the university in the heart of the fabled, cobblestoned Old Town?
The story focuses on Clare, who comes to Scotland after escaping a secret of her own and becomes enamoured with the gorgeous Tabitha and her group of friends.
When Clare meets Tabitha, a charismatic, beautiful, and intimidatingly rich girl from her art history class, she knows she's destined to be friends with her and her exclusive circle: raffish Samuel; shrewd Ava; and pragmatic Imogen. Clare is immediately drawn into their extravagant world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France.
And then Tabitha reveals a little project she's been working on, one that she needs Clare's help with. Even though it goes against everything Clare has tried to repent for. Even though their intimacy begins to darken into co-dependency. But as Clare begins to realise just what her friends are capable of, it's already too late. Because they've already taken the plunge. They're so close to attaining the things they want. And there's no going back.
I really enjoyed this story, flying through the first half very quickly. The friend group was intriguing, and I wanted to get to know each of them much more. I personally love pretentious, rich, unlikeable characters and this did not disappoint.
I also really enjoyed the Edinburgh setting; the descriptions of the city added a layer of depth to the story and even more atmosphere. The ending did feel slightly anticlimactic to me after the plot's initial build-up, but that's a minor complaint.
The Things We Do to Our Friends is an intoxicating debut of literary suspense following a clique of dangerously ambitious students. It’s super creepy, I found it completely immersive and a real page-turner. I would recommend the novel for lovers of unhinged, toxic obsessive friendships, a perfect choice for fans of The Secret History and If We Were Villains.
Darwent's book is a swift, hypnotically intense and atmospheric read that, although disturbing at times had me completely intrigued and unable to look away. I read it in two sittings, enjoyed the many twists and turns along the way, and overall found this to be a hugely entertaining read.
Overall reaction:
This novel is a dark and moody story that centres around the narrator, Clare. Arriving in Scotland to study History of Art at the University of Edinburgh, she is utterly alone and yearning to reinvent herself. And what better place to conceal the dark secrets in her past than at the university in the heart of the fabled, cobblestoned Old Town?
The story focuses on Clare, who comes to Scotland after escaping a secret of her own and becomes enamoured with the gorgeous Tabitha and her group of friends.
When Clare meets Tabitha, a charismatic, beautiful, and intimidatingly rich girl from her art history class, she knows she's destined to be friends with her and her exclusive circle: raffish Samuel; shrewd Ava; and pragmatic Imogen. Clare is immediately drawn into their extravagant world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France.
And then Tabitha reveals a little project she's been working on, one that she needs Clare's help with. Even though it goes against everything Clare has tried to repent for. Even though their intimacy begins to darken into co-dependency. But as Clare begins to realise just what her friends are capable of, it's already too late. Because they've already taken the plunge. They're so close to attaining the things they want. And there's no going back.
I really enjoyed this story, flying through the first half very quickly. The friend group was intriguing, and I wanted to get to know each of them much more. I personally love pretentious, rich, unlikeable characters and this did not disappoint.
I also really enjoyed the Edinburgh setting; the descriptions of the city added a layer of depth to the story and even more atmosphere. The ending did feel slightly anticlimactic to me after the plot's initial build-up, but that's a minor complaint.
The Things We Do to Our Friends is an intoxicating debut of literary suspense following a clique of dangerously ambitious students. It’s super creepy, I found it completely immersive and a real page-turner. I would recommend the novel for lovers of unhinged, toxic obsessive friendships, a perfect choice for fans of The Secret History and If We Were Villains.
Darwent's book is a swift, hypnotically intense and atmospheric read that, although disturbing at times had me completely intrigued and unable to look away. I read it in two sittings, enjoyed the many twists and turns along the way, and overall found this to be a hugely entertaining read.
Overall reaction: