Good Material: A Read with Jenna Pick
A novel
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3.9 • 253 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A TODAY SHOW #ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK • NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR 2024 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • From the best-selling author of Ghosts and Everything I Know About Love: a story of heartbreak and friendship and how to survive both
“Like Nora Ephron, with a British twist….Delivers the most delightful aspects of classic romantic comedy—snappy dialogue, realistic relationship dynamics, humorous meet-cutes and misunderstandings—and leaves behind the clichéd gender roles and traditional marriage plot.”
—The New York Times
Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy. And he can't work out why she stopped.
Now he is. . .
Without a home
Waiting for his stand-up career to take off
Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn't looking
Set adrift on the sea of heartbreak, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of his ruined relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him. But Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story…
In this sharply funny and exquisitely relatable story of romantic disaster and friendship, Dolly Alderton offers up a love story with two endings, demonstrating once again why she is one of the most exciting writers today, and the true voice of a generation.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Dolly Alderton’s tender and hilarious breakup novel is the perfect companion to both the brokenhearted and their patient friends. When struggling London comedian Andy is dumped by the love of his life, he embarks on a familiar odyssey: He drinks too much, checks his ex’s Instagram too often, and unloads his emotions on anybody who will listen. From the group texts that never stay on topic to the challenges of being newly single among new parents, Alderton’s depiction of mid-thirties friendship is laugh-out-loud accurate. Good Material offers us all the chance to enjoy a chuckle about the messiness of modern-day romance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Alderton (Everything I Know About Love) delivers a flat anti-love story focused on flailing comedian Andy Dawson and his ex, the "annoyingly loquacious" Jen Bennet. The action kicks off with Andy making a list of justifications for ending the relationship, including Jen's smugness, snobbery, and childishness. He continues to obsess over Jen during bouts of day-drinking and comedy gigs in London, vacillating between fond memories and frustration. Despite his insecurity about his career and his growing bald spot, his treatment of the breakup is awash in arrogance and selfishness. Over several months, Andy and Jen separately come to terms with the direction their relationship was headed (the latter's perspective is provided later in the novel). Andy wanted children and to pursue his artistic dreams, while Jen didn't want a life centered on being a mother or wife. Alderton stitches in attempts at zany humor, such as Andy's brief stint living on a houseboat and his interactions with his best friend's children, but the jokes don't quite land. While the subversion of the typical love story intrigues, the unpalatable characters extinguish its charm. This misses the mark.
Customer Reviews
Slow start with powerful ending
I had a hard time getting into the story. It took a very long time to go through the whining, but it had a satisfactory ending.
A breath of fresh air
Funny, witty, emotional, and soulful. I enjoyed every letter of this book. So cleverly written, I could see the characters vividly in my mind.
Good material
Seriously how incredibly self indulgent and shallow can one be.