Have you ever felt a twinge of jealousy when a friend accomplishes something that you’ve also been striving for? Or, have you ever desperately wanted to befriend the seemingly perfect, popular girl that captivates everyone’s attention? Welcome to I’m So Happy For You, a novel by Lucinda Rosenfeld.
My book club recently met up at Rocca in the South End to gorge ourselves on handmade pasta, roasted chicken and steak while tackling the touchy subject of gal pals and competition. Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy the book, which is a bit dark at times. The plot follows the twists and turns of a complicated friendship with the issues of marriage, pregnancy and infidelity weaved in. It’s a vast departure from the books I usually seek out, but I’m happy that I tried something new.
Although I wouldn’t give this book a glowing recommendation to a friend as a solo read, I thought it was tailor made for our book club because it sparked an interesting conversation. We all admitted to embracing the little green monster inside on occasion, but not because we didn’t want our friends to succeed. In part, this can be attributed to having a more equal friendship than the characters do in the book. On some level, I always knew that, but reading this book made me realize that my best friendships are the ones that are mutually beneficial, where both parties make a similar effort to communicate.
For more information about I’m So Happy For You by Lucinda Rosenfeld, please visit her website at: http://www.imsohappyforyou.com/