I've been a fan of Yiyun Li since her first appearances in Newyorker and Paris Review. She is such a talent and one is always in awe of her. This is a compelling story and one you can hardly put it down. the book is about Agnès and Fabienne, and their world of friendship. I got goosebumps readint this.

I would like to thank's Netgalley as well as 4th Estate for providing me with a free Arc for this book!
I couldn't stop thinking how this would make the perfect book for book clubs, hear me out: it's got a good length, it's a page turner and yet it's an intensely reflective story. It touches upon many subjects, the act of creation, the class system but perhaps more importantly the intensity of young female friendship. There is so much to discuss in this hyper realistic historical fiction.
I especially loved the character work as they are all so well fleshed out. Agnès and Fabienne especially of course, and the way their closeness pervades the story. They would climb inside each other's skin if they could and yet they couldn't be more different. They have the type of friendship that truly helps to shape you, the kind you always remember even years after it's ended. It was truly touching to witness.

If you like slices of life and coming of age stories I would really recommend "The book of Goose", it has superb writing and allow me to add, as a french woman myself, I was pleasantly surprised by the super accurate french vibe. If I didn't know better, I could easily be fooled into thinking this was written by a french person.

Agnès and Fabienne are best friends, who together write a novel which becomes a best seller. It sounds a simple premise, but from this Yiyun Li crafts a truly spellbinding novel that explores themes of friendship, art, obsession, fame, fortune and its tragedies.

It is a slight novel in physical size - I gulped it down in one sitting - but its depths contain multitudes. It is a hard novel to discuss in terms of plot without giving away much of its richness, but what I will say is that Li has sculpted on these pages two extraordinary girls whose lives intertwine with explosive consequences.

The writing is exquisitely poised, with not a word out of place, and there is such richness here that a second reading will be as rewarding as the first. I cannot wait to swim back in.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.