Meg Rosoff is one of the finest YA author's around, and her books are just as enjoyable for adults. The Great Godden was a brilliant read and whilst Friends Like These is not quite up there, it's a compelling examination of toxic female friendships that you often get drawn into.

Another novel from such a celebrated author is always exciting, and Friends Like These doesn't disappoint. This shares thematic similarities with The Great Godden, but the setting is very different (but no less finely drawn). Rosoff exercises her impressive talent of capturing heady adolescence, but be warned: this is notably more graphic and mature than some of her earlier work.

Eighteen-year-old Beth arrives in Manhattan in June 1983 with high expectations. An investigative article for her school’s newspaper secured her a prestigious internship at a newspaper and promises to become the summer of her life. However, her welcome is rather unspectacular, the apartment she shares is shabby and she feels like an outsider. At her workplace, too, she soon feels like a stranger, her three fellow interns seem to be much more knowledgeable and move around like fish in the water. She immediately befriends Edie, an outgoing young woman of New York’s high society. Hard work, a completely new life - Beth is overwhelmed by her new life, too overwhelmed to notice that not all is what it seems and therefore, she has to learn the hard way, that New York is a shark’s pond.

Meg Rosoff has created another young adult novel that also attracts adult readers like me. “Friends Like These” tackles not only Beth’s coming-of-age but also friendship at workplaces, the precarious situation of interns and still after so many decades, women’s place when it comes to careers – it does not make much difference that the novel is set four decades in the past.

Beth is the typical bumpkin, she is inexperienced, insecure and does not know how to behave in these unknown surroundings with all the cool people. Edie quickly becomes her mentor and introduces her to the habits and lifestyles of the Big Apple. The difference between the two girls could hardly be greater, but soon, Beth comes to understand that not all is gold that glitters and that what she envies is not what it seems at first.

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, funny as well as reflective it opens a whirling world that makes you question what you really want in life. A novel of first which can be exciting and hurting at the same time.

An intense portrayal of what turns out to be a very toxic friendship between Beth and Eddie one summer in the eighties.

Naive 18 year Beth old heads off to New York in the 1980s for a journalism internship and soon forms a toxic friendship with charismatic, wealthy but troubled Edie who brings her along for a wild social life and seemingly intense friendship that quickly burns out when she gets involved with a married man.
The characters are self involved and mostly unlikeable but the fluid, compelling writing style really conjures up the atmosphere and sense of place of 1980s New York and it wholly pulls you along for the ride. There's plenty of big themes addressed here that loom in the background - the AIDS crisis that was just beginning, young people finding their identity and forming ill advised relationships and friendships and the stark difference between the interns who come from privileged, moneyed backgrounds and those who will need to really hustle to make their way in the world of journalism. It's clever and draws on so much but the style still zips along and it's a very accessible read.

This was a beautifully written story of a blooming, slightly toxic friendship in the beautiful city of New York. One of the best books Ive read this year. I loved every minute of it. Highly recommended.

There is much potential in the plot of this short novel, which is *not*, as I notice some reviewers are referring to it, a novella. Reminiscent of Sally Rooney's 'Conversations with Friends', though less well-formed, Rosoff tells the story of Beth's summer as an intern at a newspaper in New York and the way in which she has a number of 'firsts' during that short period before starting college. I thought that Rosoff did a good job of formulating some of the relationships between characters, for instance, Beth's (toxic) relationship with Edie, but there are some cringeworthy scenes, and some pretty heavy cliched phrases when it comes to the 'love' scene between Tom and Beth, and whilst I love a novel that contains the 'uncanny', this isn't that kind of novel, so the various 'odd' or 'unsettling' events (such as the sudden disappearance of characters) in the narrative didn't work, and weren't useful as narrative technique. Rosoff puts Beth through a number of traumatic incidents, yet fails to believably portray them, and seems to allow Beth to get over them pretty much instantly, which comes across as bizarre. The main flaw in this novel is that it appears to have been cut short. The last third of the narrative races along, with the summer finishing, Beth leaving NY, and some secrets so quickly revealed, I missed them on the first read-through, and a 'resolution' in which yet another character is introduced, only for the end to fade to nothing, which made for a highly unsatisfying ending.

I didn't know this book was YA, and so I am not really the intended audience, however I quite enjoyed my time with it.

The first chapter mentions we are in the midst of the AIDS epidemic and the last one, but that is largely ignored completely throughout, it kind of rang true though, as the protagonist is a young girl, a teenager about to embark on college, and at that age kids tend to be more selfish and wrapped up in their own issues and problems, and that's kind of what we have here. Beth concerned mostly with sex and who might LIKE like her and drinking and not very much interested in the world surrounding her.

I kind of felt the holocaust was shoehorned in there.

A very quick read and it held my attention.

In this highly readable and engaging coming-of-age tale, Rosoff effortlessly throws the reader into the beating heart of a heatwave summer in 80s NY. Compelling and engaging from the off, with an excellent cast of characters and an atmospheric 'old-media' setting, and a complex and nuanced psychology between the two lead friends.

Set in the early 1980's, Beth and Edie are students who intern at a newspaper in New York one summer. Beth is dazzled by Edie, a native New Yorker. This is the story of Beth's friendship with Edie, and how it changes as Beth gets to know Edie better. A lovely read, the heat and the filth of the city are described wonderfully.

Are you my friend or are you actually the opposite.. Are you good for me, can I trust you or is this a toxic relationship. An interesting read that may remind you of a friend that you may have had along the way.

Coming of age story in New York in the 80s - Beth at 18 goes to intern for a newspaper office over the summer. A toxic friendship unfolds.

A sassy and striking coming-of-age story set in one hot 1980s New York summer. Beth is an intern at a newspaper, has a grubby sub-let set up and the opportunity to start living her life exactly how she wants it. The story is beautifully told, with a mix of self-awareness and innocence that sees Beth come through a better person at the end of some challenging and confusing situations. A great summer read with a touch of nostalgia and a lot of heart and hope for the future.

Set in 1980s New York, this novel follows Beth, an intern at a newspaper, in the Summer before she goes to college. It is an excellent coming of age story, weaving characters and experiences together in a way that keeps the pages turning right to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this advance copy.

In Rosoff’s spare, beautiful prose we follow a coming of age story that rotates not around falling in love for the first time, but an intense and toxic friendship. Rosoff has a way with characterisation so that even if a character is frankly unlikeable, you’re still glued to the page to find out what they do next. Everyone is layered and complicated. In terms of content it reminded me a little of The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine or Fugly by Claire Waller, but it’s very much a Rosoff book. Gorgeous, complicated and hewing close to the bone.

I loved ‘Friends Like These’ by Meg Rosoff. This is a coming of age story about a Beth who travels to New York for a summer internship at and newspaper company. During her time she encounters a variety of people ,least of all Edie who becomes her ‘best’ friend, or does she?

A coming of age story of 18 year old Beth, who went to intern for the summer in a newspaper office in 1980's NYC, where a toxic friendship shapes her summer experience. A wonderfully descriptive novel and Beth is a great character, with great depth and insightful humour. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Award winning Meg Rosoff beautifully written and atmospheric novella is set in the early 1980s and pays homage to the melting pot that is New York City amidst the Aids crisis. The 18 year old uncool, unfashionable and suburban Beth has won a prestigious internship at a newspaper, along with another out of towner, the overly ambitious, ruthless Dan and the more privileged Native New Yorkers, the effortlessly poised, preppy Oliver and the forceful, opinionated and remarkably knowledgeable Edie. Sharing a tiny cockroach infested slum apartment in a unbearably sweltering city, Beth is set to familiarise herself with the numerous sides to the glory that is the Big Apple, the cacophony of sounds, the seedier aspects, its crime, its crazy dementedness, the vast inequalities and its culture, such as the Met. She learns of the complicated intricacies of what lies behind a daily newspaper, the systems and the multitude of journalists and staff that run it.

At the heart of the narrative is the intense, thrilling and exciting friendship that Beth forges, falling under the spell of the dominating, charismatic and volatile Edie, who tells her they will be avoiding Oliver and Dan, despite Beth being drawn to Oliver's easy personality. It is going to be a time of a succession of eye opening firsts in this momentous summer, both blinding and illuminating, such as constantly getting drunk, taking drugs, having sex, living with Edie in her parents upmarket apartment, and being held at gunpoint whilst being mugged by an apologetic perpetrator. Initially Beth's relationship with Edie is intoxicating, opening doors that would otherwise be closed to her, Edie's mother and bohemian grandmother ask her to take care of Edie, a task that is to become increasingly impossible.

Beth ends her time in New York feeling emotionally mugged as she feels the sharp end of a toxic friendship where she had ignored the cheerful microaggressions, the truth of what Edie actually thought of her, the instability and the utter selfishness. However, the revelations of the real scale of deceptions and lies floor her, Beth was completely unaware and unable to see who was in front of her, an understanding that will prohibit any possibility of the continuation of their friendship. Beth proves to be a remarkably resilient woman, responding with maturity to her New York experiences, both positive and negative, it will be a summer to remember as she goes on to study in Chicago. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Friends Like These
By Meg Rosoff

This is my first Meg Rosoff read. I was really drawn to the premise, the fact that it is a story of female friendship, set at it is in NY City and as a bonus, set in 1983 which is exactly when I was the age of these girls.
The author perfectly captures the oppression of a hot, muggy, sticky city and this sets the tone for the whole book. The characters are incredibly real, the friendship is instant but there is a push/pull dynamic, a giver and a taker, a teacher and a learner. Little things turn into big things and the balance of power is rarely equal. This of course is what makes it all so interesting. We have all been one or the other in this relationship, haven't we?
I really enjoyed this fast paced, character driven book, I read it in one sitting because I just could not put it down. I am not YA reader but I will be checking out Meg Rosoff's other work. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer or Cover Story by Susan Rigetti.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #BloomsburyPublishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a hazy, beautiful feverdream of a story. I’ve always thought Meg Rossoff writes beautifully but never quite connected to her work- until now. Friends Like These is utterly mesmerising, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.