The Friend

by Sigrid Nunez
The Friend cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Literary Fiction
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Paperback • £9.99
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  • ID: 703
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2026-03-04
  • ISBN: 9780735219465
  • Publisher: Penguin
  • Published: 2018-02-06
  • Formats: 48
  • Reviews: 4

The Friend is a deeply moving story that delves into the complexities of grief and the unique connection between humans and their pets. After losing her lifelong best friend and mentor, a woman finds herself caring for his traumatized Great Dane, navigating her own sorrow while trying to understand the dog's silent suffering. The narrative is both elegiac and searching, offering a rich and surprising journey of healing and devotion. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, this novel is celebrated for its wry wit and penetrating meditation on loss, art, and love. It's a story that resonates with anyone who has experienced the profound impact of a beloved pet, making it a standout in contemporary literature.

Reviews
Karissa Reads Books · Karissa · 2023-07-14
reflective 3.80

The book is meandering and thoughtful, with a lack of plot but enough tension to keep readers engaged.

Karissa finds 'The Friend' to be a meandering and thoughtful novel that, while lacking a traditional plot, maintains enough tension to keep readers engaged. They appreciate the book's reflective nature and the way it explores themes of grief and companionship. Karissa notes that the novel's simplicity and depth make it a unique and compelling read, even if it is not a conventional story.

Quick quotes

    The book is meandering and thoughtful and kind of plotless but there is enough tension that I did want to keep reading.

    It explores themes of grief and companionship in a reflective and engaging manner.

    The novel's simplicity and depth make it a unique and compelling read.

Eve-Marie · 2023-05-05
heartfelt 4.50

The book excels in its poignant and honest depictions of grief and the grieving process. It captures the raw emotions and simplicity of loss in a way that resonates deeply with the reader.

Eve-Marie's review of The Friend highlights the book's exceptional ability to portray grief and the grieving process. The depictions are poignant, often achingly simple, and utterly honest, making the reader feel the weight of loss in a deeply personal way. The narrative is not just about grief but also about the relationships that sustain us through difficult times. The book's strength lies in its emotional honesty and the way it captures the nuances of human connections. It's a moving and heartfelt read that will touch anyone who has experienced loss.

Quick quotes

    What I enjoyed most about this book were the poignant, often achingly simple but utterly honest, depictions of what grief and grieving feel like

    The Friend is a moving and heartfelt read that will touch anyone who has experienced loss.

    The book's strength lies in its emotional honesty and the way it captures the nuances of human connections.

Reading Matters · 2020-12-26
poignant 4.50

The novel is a poignant exploration of grief and companionship. The narrative's simplicity and depth make it a compelling read.

The reviewer highlights how 'The Friend' beautifully captures the complexities of grief and the bond between humans and animals. They appreciate the novel's straightforward yet profound writing style, which allows the themes of loss and healing to resonate deeply. The story's focus on an unnamed woman and her inherited dog adds a unique perspective to the narrative, making it both relatable and thought-provoking.

Quick quotes

    The narrative's simplicity and depth make it a compelling read.

    The story's focus on an unnamed woman and her inherited dog adds a unique perspective.

    The novel beautifully captures the complexities of grief and companionship.

The New York Times · 2018-12-13
enlightening 4.20

The book is wise and rich with literary allusions, yet remains accessible. It is a novel that can help readers navigate themes of loss and friendship.

The reviewer praises 'The Friend' for its wisdom and literary depth, noting that it is surprisingly accessible despite its rich allusions. They believe the novel offers valuable insights into themes of loss, friendship, and the power of literature. The reviewer finds the book to be both enlightening and comforting, making it a valuable read for those seeking to understand the complexities of human relationships.

Quick quotes

    For a book that is so wise and rich with literary allusions, it's actually very accessible.

    It is a novel that can help her navigate the complexities of loss and friendship.

    The book offers valuable insights into themes of loss, friendship, and the power of literature.

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