**"Our Country Friends" by Gary Shteyngart** is a witty and insightful novel that examines friendship, love, and the human experience against the backdrop of a pandemic. Set in the early days of COVID-19, the story unfolds in a sprawling country house in upstate New York, where a diverse group of friends and acquaintances seek refuge from the chaos of the city.

Shteyngart’s writing is sharp and humorous, blending social commentary with keen observations about contemporary life. The characters are richly developed, each representing different facets of society, from the ambitious writer to the anxious family man. As they navigate their personal dilemmas and the unexpected challenges of their shared quarantine, the dynamics of their relationships are put to the test.

Themes of isolation, connection, and the search for meaning in uncertain times resonate throughout the novel. Shteyngart expertly captures the complexities of friendship in a time of crisis, prompting readers to reflect on their own connections and the fragility of human relationships.

The pacing is lively, with a blend of humorous banter and poignant moments that keep readers engaged. The narrative balances lightheartedness with deeper emotional currents, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Overall, **"Our Country Friends"** is a compelling and timely read that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the challenges of the past few years. Gary Shteyngart has crafted a brilliant and relatable story that captures the essence of human connection in a time of isolation, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.

After several attempts to get into this book, I am giving up on it at the 33% mark.

The writing is nice, as is the setting. The story is just very boring unfortunately. It would work better as a stage play.

A page turning read that keeps the reader engaged through until the final chapter, thoroughly recommend this book to add to your library

Gary Shteyngart it’s very much an acquired taste, I don’t think I’ve ever read a writer who is so instantly recognisable by his prose.
I had not remembered the author’s name from my reading of Absurdistan, but as soon as I started Our Country Friends, I knew it was the same writer: acerbic and observant with a downbeat humour. If you are a fan of his writing, then this will suit you; if not, this isn’t going to change your mind. Topical and irreverent, this will feel (perhaps wearily) familiar but has plenty of hijinks to carry you through.

I'll be honest this one I found hard to get into and to keep up with.
Not sure if it's too soon for this or if it just didn't hit the right spot for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I was attracted by the idea of a small group of people locking themselves away to be safe from Covid. The accommodation is beautifully -situated, a few basic bungalows and one large house surrounded by countryside. The 'colony' consists of friends and family and I looked forward to the promised humour. The writing style is full of details that have no relevance, such as conversations switching between English and Russian, so that it seemed to be a rambling mix of observations rather than a story. I could not read more than 10% before giving up.

I absolutely loved this book. Despite it being set during the pandemic, it is uplifting and full of interesting characters. The plot is very character-driven, and the writing is beautiful. Highly recommend.

Genius. This is the perfect pandemic novel - I loved the cast of characters and the clever synthesis of this weirdest of all periods in our lives. Will surely go down in history as one of the first pieces of art to truly understand COVID.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book for review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the first time I'd heard of Gary Shteyngart but I now realise he's a fairly prolific author with over 20 distinct works. This always makes me feel badly read - but the only solution to this is read more!

This novel is set in March 2020 with the beginning of the pandemic - an auspicious time! I've only read one other novel about The Pandemic (Wish You Were Here) and the tone of this is completely different. Shteyngart's writing style is fun, satirical and fast-paced, with space for real character development and complexities. The novel starts with a group of old friends (and friends-of-friends) coming together in a large house to 'sit out' the pandemic. The miscellany of characters include: a movie star (only known as The Actor); a Russian-born novelist who owns the house; his wife who works as a psychiatrist (incidentally very interested in epidemiology); their K-pop obsessed adopted daughter; an Indian-American writer who is yet to have a 'big break'; an app developer whose background is Korean-American (and yes, the child immediately wants to know about everything Korean from her); an essayist who was born in the Carolinas; and someone who has three passports, but I'm still not sure what they do! This hodgepodge of people are thrown together in intense, stressful times (that we can all relate to) and the novel observes friendships rekindled, new friendships, old betrayals, new romances, and dramatic choices the characters are forced to make, discovering things anew about themselves.

First of all, it was really very funny. One character, Masha, acts as the dictatorial epidemiologist, enforcing the 6 foot rule, but - naturally - this dissolves quickly. Other elements of humour include Nat (the adopted daughter) and her blunt observations of relationships; the sheer egotism of some characters; and some ridiculously slapstick moments, for example, when the water runs out and The Actor runs out naked with shampoo in his hair and eyes, demanding for assistance. Shteyngart definitely has a talent for comedy.

However, it's more than just a comic work. Betrayals from the past reoccur and shatter illusions about current friendships. New romances wound old partners. One of my favourite characters was Nat, who was probably on the autistic spectrum although it wasn't stated, and her interaction with the various adults. Sometimes her behaviour is amusing but Shteyngart is not tasteless; we don't laugh at her social mishaps, rather at the chaos that they sometimes cause.

Although this is a pandemic/quarantine book, it is so much more than that; it's about racism, immigration, adoption, families, sex, infatuation, the world of writing, Japanese reality TV shows, K-Pop and K-Pop dramas, Russian writers (apparently they come up a lot in his writing), and a hedgehog named Steve.

The main problem for me was the pacing of this novel - it felt like a much longer read than it actually was. The beginning was brilliant, but there came a point where it lost traction somewhat and the neuroses of the characters become irritating rather than endearing. However, I believe Shteyngart pulled it back together at the end for a great finale.

I've seen really mixed reviews for this one - and I can see why - I really wish I could get at it with my editor hat on and we would have a stellar novel!

This tragicomic novel is about a group of friends hiding from the pandemic at a country estate. Senderosky, whose home (and dream) it is, is a Russian, Jewish American novelist. He has invited his friends to escape New York and stay in the bungalows in the grounds. As well as his family and friends, there is the Actor, a hugely successful, hugely attractive star who has the power to green light (or not), Senderovsky’s screenplay which, if produced, will save him from losing his home. I really enjoyed this book with its oblique references to Russian literature and its look at Trump’s America lurking beyond the gates. There are love stories contained within it- romantic love, family love and friendship. Covid-19 is also lurking beyond the gates. There is a feeling of uneasiness that goes beyond the virus. The relationships shift and change and the satire considers creativity and communication as the world feels like it’s collapsing. This is a complex novel that is worth reading more than once. Thought-provoking and enjoyable.

I did really want to like this book as the synopsis really appealed to me. I also try really hard not to write negative reviews because I imagine writing a book is incredibly hard! However unfortunately I just could not get into the story and I disliked pretty much all of the characters. I didn’t really understand the point of the story and despite trying several times I didn’t finish it.

Our Country Friends by Gar Shteyngart is about a group of people who come together during lockdown and the issues that ensue.

When eight friends decide to isolate during the COVID pandemic together, all hell breaks loose. I found the characters hard to like and so I wasn't invested in their story. Not really for me.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as it was during the pandemic. After a few chapters I have given up as I could not get into it. It was well written, but I couldn't connect with the characters.

I was excited to read this book, however although well written it fell flat to me. It was hard going to read it and took me longer to read than usual. I would give this authors other books a go but this one certainly wasn’t great.

The Big Chill meets COVID pandemic. This is a (long) story of friendship, foes, love, loss, jealousy - all experienced in a group quarantine setting. Some very good writing, interesting, self-indulgent characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy.

Just not for me I’m afraid. I was looking forward to a book set in the pandemic and the take on lockdown, but it just fell flat. Clearly well written, just didn’t connect with it.

This won't be for everyone as it is based in 2020 during the covid pandemic. Friends living together to keep safe. What will happen. This has been well written and I enjoyed reading this, give it a chance and i am sure you will enjoy this book also. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this arc

Holing up together during Covid. A more disparate group of people you couldn't imagine. A rather odd married couple invite various friends (plus people they only vaguely know) to their scenic country retreat, studded with holiday bungalows. Mostly they're an unlikeable lot, especially 'The Actor', though you can't help feeling for young Nat, the only child amongst all the adults. Romances blossom and wither as the seasons unfold but it seemed too long-winded.

This is a well written book and I liked the storytelling. The perspective changed if reading it during the lockdown and after. I don't care for the characters but I liked the storytelling and the style of writing.
It reminded me of the Decameron by Boccaccio (but I found Boccaccio more entertaining)
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine