Friday Nights

Joanna Trollope is my "go to" for thoughtful books on CD. Her conflicts are centered on home and family and always ring true and real. This is the first book I've actually read, instead of listened to, and I can now honestly acknowledge that having a Brit reader makes each story more magical. Not to diminish her writing, and in this case, balancing the viewpoints of multiple characters, including children, is tough. The matriarch, Eleanor, is retired from a good job and a bit lonely, so she befriends some neighbors who are single women with children. They hesitantly start meeting on Friday nights (thus the title) and the circle expands to embrace a sister and a neighbor and a business partner.

The inevitable changes in fortune make for show more tension and separations of the sisterhood, but all is resolved in a typical satisfying Trollope ending. show less

Eleanor, a retired single woman, decides to invite two young mothers - Paula and Lindsay - to hang out with her on Friday nights, along with their small children. Wanting something to do, they go along, sometimes joined by Lindsay's younger sister Jules. Eleanor's neighbour Blaise is invited, along with her business partner Karen.. and gradually, strong friendships form.

Then Paula meets a new man, and wants to bring him to the group. Everyone is a little uncertain about this, and indeed, although he's a likeable guy who seems to get along with everyone, this seems to be the catalyst for a lot of changes amongst the various group members.

There's not really a lot of plot, as such. It's a gentle character-driven book, delving into the show more different lives of these six diverse women and their relationships. I found it rather hard to remember who was whom, at first; Eleanor and Jules were easy enough, and Blaise (the only other woman without children) stood out, but I found the other three and their offspring rather too similar. By the end I had just about sorted them out in my mind.

There's nothing special about this book - I didn't find it moving, or amusing, or even particularly thought-provoking. However the writing is good, and it's a pleasant enough light read, if you like this kind of thing.

Perhaps three stars is a little harsh. Three and a half would be better. show less

Recently I saw Joanna Trollope talk about her latest novel Friday Nights. She was a great speaker and we had fun listening to her talk about her new experiences in researching for this book, and I had no hesitation in getting a signed copy.

Now I've read the book, and while it was enjoyable I don't think it's her best (although I've only read a couple of other earlier ones). It examines women's friendship as a another facet of extended families.

A group of rather different women (and their children) get together regularly on Friday nights for companionship and support. Eleanor, the spinster matriarch oversees - she started it all off when she asked two young mums, Paula and Lindsay, that she saw through her window always hurrying with show more the pushchair, but never talking to each other if they'd like her to babysit. Paula is an ex-mistress who was dropped when she got pregnant, but is kept in some style by her son Toby's father; Lindsay is a young widow with a young son and a younger sister Jules who wants to be a top club DJ. Then there's Blaise (honestly!) and her business partner Karen; Blaise is a single workaholic - Eleanor sees her younger self in her; Karen is an accountant, married to wastrel artist Lucas, with two kids. So that's the group. Then Paula stirs things up by meeting the enigmatic Jackson and introduces him to everyone. Things are going to change...

Jackson is a true catalyst for change, in that a catalyst is added to a reaction, speeds it up, but remains unchanged itself. He's good-looking, appears to be interested in everyone, appears to be considerate, but when asked to do more once things have started to change says 'I don't do that, (babe)'. We are always wondering about him and what his motives are, unlike in Muriel Spark's superb short novel The Ballad of Peckham Rye, where a young man arrives in a staid area of South London, stirs things up and leaves, but we do engage with him. In Spark's novel, the story is told mostly from her catalyst's perspective, but we never get that from Jackson at all. His involvement is told entirely from the others' viewpoints, and that made him definitely a bit creepy in my view.

Much is made in the book of Jules' transformation into an up and coming club DJ, and young Toby's introduction to the joys(!) of soccer - both areas in which the author had to do some serious research. This makes for some rather clunky dialogue for Jules in particular for although she is a likeable young thing, the world of clubs doesn't sit well with the rest of the novel.

I found it an OK read, however the evening with Joanna Trollope I went to was special and I shall keep the book for memories of that. show less

I thoroughly enjoy how Joanna Trollope develops all of the characters--- just as you're curious what one of them is doing, suddenly that character reappears. She is wonderful with descriptions. Eleanor is the solid base in the book. I like the way she thinks--probably J. Trollope is right inside Eleanor!

Others have reviewed this with far more flair, so I will keep it brief and agree with those who, while they enjoyed the book, don't think it is one of Trollope's best works.

Although I found it easy to relate to the characters, I didn't really care about them. Sympathetic characters are usually one of Trollope's strengths, but I guess you can't win 'em all.

As per usual with Joanna Trollope's books, they encourage me to read in great big chunks. I immerse myself into the book and don't come out until it's all finished in a way that I don't with other books.
This book is not as good as say 'Other People's Children' but I have enjoyed it nevertheless. There is lots of detail and history of the main characters and a story that ebbs and flows gently just enought to make you want to find out what happens in the end.
The next one should be a corker!

I've had it on my reading list for ages, but just really didn't like [Friday Nights]. The structure and setup was good, but ultimately, I didn't like any of the characters, except perhaps Blaise and Lucas; found the central character, wise old Eleanor a ponderous, pompous know-it-all and had a creeping fear that all the children were seriously maladjusted (except perhaps Poppy). Finally, I never 'got' what Jackson's game was.