User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I only acknowledge that I read this book so I can say how much I hated it. The two main characters are completely unlikable, one for being completely self-absorbed and selfish, and the other for being so spineless and whiny. So spineless, in fact, that the action of her sleeping with her friend's fiancé wasn't even a credible one. The further I got into it, the more I was disgusted with it. I also found it very difficult to believe that at 30, the two characters would continue to be friends. Usually by that age, you've phased out the people from your childhood that no longer work in your life. Especially when they are so far removed from your hometown. This lack of credibility was the biggest crack in an already weak foundation for the book.
My biggest problem was the overall message seemed to be that as long as your best friend is a bitch, it's okay to sleep with her fiancé. Come on now, no matter how you color it, it's never okay.
Rating: really liked it
It wasn't bad as chicklit goes, but I don't know how sympathetic I can be to characters who are betraying their fiancees and best friends. Plus, in order to make the cheating something "okay," a lot of energy is put into making Darcy really off-putting and Rachel really kind of pathetic. I liked Hilary and Ethan a lot (though in all other chick lit books Ethan would have been either gay or the guy Rachel actually ended up with), but the central relationships just left me cold.
Eh. Apparently I can't get behind cheating and being rewarded for it. Who knew I was so morally inflexible?
I'd like to read one of her other books, because I did enjoy the writing and her handle on some of the main things I look for in chick lit -- fast-track career, portrait of the city, circle of friends, consumerism, etc.
Rating: really liked it
no idea how to rate this because on the one hand, what a fucking mess
but on the other hand... at least this book commits. it's a truly unhinged josie silver book. a campy take on In Five Years. could have absolutely done without the 2000s fat shaming and other assorted aggressions though.
if you're craving a genuinely good laugh i think you should pick this up as a palate cleanser. laugh at rachel's many justifications for fucking her shitty best friend's man named
dexter. giggle at childhood slights. guffaw at the "not like other girls" moments.
in essence
live. laugh. commit adultery <3
Rating: really liked it
GR Giveaway.
Ok, I tried. I am not going to read this tripe any further.
From the first 50-ish pages that I did read, this books sounds somewhat like the show 'Sex and the City'. Rachel is part-Miranada - a not so good looking lawyer, and part-Charolette - miss goody two shoes who wants to find a husband and settle down. Darcy is part-Samantha, part-Carrie, she has good looks and has always managed to make the guy she liked fall for her and is now engaged to a guy she wants to marry. And just like the show, these two 30-yr. old women can't think or talk about anything beyond dating and men.
Both the main characters are annoying. Darcy is a shallow self-serving bitch and Rachel lacks a backbone. They have been best-friends since childhood. But their friendship doesn't seem credible at all. Darcy is self-centered and insensitive and has been running all over Rachel forever. Rachel has an inferiority complex and is jealous of her so-called best friend's charmed life....to them a good life being defined by the number of boyfriends they have had. I don't see why the two are friends at all. And Rachel is trying to use this jealousy as a reason to justify sleeping with her best friend's fiancee...
Ugh!
I finally put the book down at a point where Rachel is talking about how she had begun to dislike her boyfriend in college because he was rooting for Duke's basketball team and not Indiana.
And the writing is really nothing worth mentioning.
The book also contains a page suggesting questions for discussion, it seems the publishers expect the readers to ponder over this subject matter after reading the book...yeah, right!!
Rating: really liked it
Well, this was my first, and now probably last, foray into "chick-lit." I found the characters to be totally unbelieveable. A "consummate good-girl" would never have an affair with her best friend's fiancee, despite Darcy's shortcomings as a friend. Some feel Rachel's behavior was justified because of Darcy's litany of slights, pulled from as far back as 5th grade. However that Rachel remained Darcy's friend in spite of her bitchiness, just proves Rachel's own weakness of character. And it was totally contra to her so-called good-girl persona. Could she not find any real friends? Even after growing up and living apart from Darcy for several years during college? Far from being a modern heroine, I found Rachel weak, immoral, flat, and lifeless; totally not a person to root for.
Rating: really liked it
Oh, so this is how it sounds inside the heads of people who can rationalize anything.
Rating: really liked it
Something Borrowed (Darcy & Rachel #1), Emily Giffin The novel centers around the protagonist and narrator, Rachel White, a thirty-year-old single woman who is a consummate good-girl living and working in Manhattan.
She and Darcy Rhone have been best friends since childhood, and hard-working Rachel is often in the shadow of flashy, sometimes selfish Darcy.
Then, after a night of drinking on Rachel's thirtieth birthday, she sleeps with Darcy's fiance, Dex.
After this turns into an affair, Rachel explores the meaning of friendship, true love, and ethics.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز بیست و چهارم ماه سپتامبر سال 2020میلادی
عنوان: از ترس تنهایی؛ نویسنده: امیلی گیفین؛ مترجم علی شاهمرادی؛ تهران، نشر سنگ، 1399؛ در 352ص؛ شابک9786229633670؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 21م
داستان «از ترس تنهایی» نوشته ی «امیلی گیفین»، داستان همیشگی عشقها و تنهاییها و تردیدهای دختری سی ساله است، که ناخواسته در برابر رابطه ای عاشقانه و پیچیده قرار میگیرد؛ او که هماره دختری نیک بوده، در شب زادروز سی سالگی خویش، ناخودآگاه وارد ماجرایی میشود، که زندگیش را دگرگون میکند، ماجرایی که به او میفهماند مرز میان درست و نادرست، بسیار باریک است
نقل از متن: (صدایم را پیدا میکنم و خودم را جمع میکنم تا آن جمله را به او بگویم که «دوستت دارم.» کلماتی که خیلی خیلی وقت است به زبان نیاوردهام؛ کلماتی که قبل از این معنایی نداشت، هیچ کداممان نمیدانستیم قرار است این حرفها پیش بیاید، اما من میتوانم آن را در هوایی حس کنم، که دورمان را گرفته است، چیزی است که انگار وزن دارد و بیشتر از رطوبت غلیظ قابل لمس است، میتوانم آن را از طریقه ی نگاه کردنش به خودم حس کنم، از طریقی که اسمم را میگوید، کلماتش شبیه کشیده شدن سوزن بر صفحه ی گرامافون است.)؛ پایان
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 02/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Rating: really liked it
So here's my take on Something Borrowed, and "Chic-lit" in general - it's satisfying in the way watching an episode of The Hills is satisfying. You know EXACTLY what's going to happen from the first lines of the first chapter (which i guess can be nice since it makes you feel smart and gives a general sense of superiority); the characters are predictable, with a "heroine" that's just likable enough to continue reading but who you generally dislike/never fully sympathize with; it's pretty much something to read when you don't want to have to think. At all. The definition of beach reading. I think this book is great to read on vacation, but other than that I thought it was crap. I mean seriously, is there REALLY a debate over whether or not Rachel did the right thing??? The author sets up the story in a way so that it's impossible to sympathize or side with Darcy, who is such an uber-bitch that it nullifies any debate whatsoever over whether or not Rachel and Dex were in the right. One of those, "she's getting what she deserves" situations. Instead of turning this potentially-highly dramatic situation into a truly interesting discussion over morals, values, and a debate over what's right and wrong, the decision is already made for us by bland, predictable, one-sided characters and situations. I guess when it comes down to it I'd rather watch garbage tv than read a garbage book.
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book and have passed it on to other friends! Thanks to Kristi for turning me on to this author.
This is one of the best chick-lit books ever. The follow-up "Something Blue" was almost as good. The story focuses on two lifelong best friends, Rachel and Darcy. The first installment is told from Rachel's perspective; the second book is told from Darcy's perspective. Very clever.
Rachel is the single, plain, thirtysomething, always a responsible good girl attorney. Something I can totally relate to except for the lawyer part! LOL. Darcy is the exact opposite - she is the outgoing, popular, pretty girl who is engaged to Dex.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Rachel has known Dex since law school and has been in love with him for quite some time. And as luck would have it, Dex confesses his feelings for Rachel even though he is engaged to Darcy.
Normally one might frown on such an affair, but Rachel's character is one that most of us can relate to and I for one was sympathetic. Rachel does suffer some immense feelings of guilt, but also learns a lot about herself, her history, and her friendship with Darcy.
Rating: really liked it
??????
I don't understand the rave reviews. How is this a good story? Was Rachael supposed to be the one I was rooting for in this scenario? 'Cause I didn't like her.
She was BORING. Rachael was a whiner who played it safe, then blamed her friend for all of the things that she didn't have. Yes, Darcy was a self-centered friend. So what?! If you don't like the way she treats you...
stop returning her calls!
And Dex? Ugh. He was a cheater. C-H-E-A-T-E-R! There is no other way to put it. I can understand how
if they had always felt something for each other, that they could have fallen into one others' arms in the heat of the moment. That's forgivable. Carrying on an affair for
months before Darcy and Dex's wedding? Really? Why didn't Dex just call off the wedding as soon as he knew it wasn't just a drunken one night stand? How could he continue to live with Darcy, and see her
best friend on the side?! What an enormous asshole!
Ok. In fairness, it turned out that Darcy was also cheating on him with a guy that Rachael had had a few dates with, but that doesn't make what Dex and Rachael did right. I couldn't muster up any sympathy for either of them. I honestly thought Rachael would have been better off without him, but at the same time I kind of thought that they
deserved each other.
Maybe I wasn't supposed to like them? Maybe the point of the story was that nobody is perfect? That life and love is messy? *shrugs* Ok. Awesome. Maybe I just don't get chick-lit?
Rating: really liked it
I read this book in two sittings. I know it is a little controversial: some people adore Rachel for 'stealing' her best friend Darcy's fiance. And some others think it is just immoral.
Here goes my opinion. Rachel, who is a passive thirty years old woman, has lived in Darcy's shadow all her life. Darcy stole her first love Ethan (who now becomes Rach's best friend), her Notre Dame acceptance, her pride and even Rachel's own mother's sympathy. Darcy is not that evil, actually, she is self centered. Sometimes I really like Darcy for being so perfect. Sometimes I hate her for being so annoying.
The truth is, all characters are flawed and personally, not likeable. However, they are all original and real, that's why I give 4 stars for this book. it is hard for an author to create a character that is not so adorable but real and nice to read. My favorite is Hillary and Ethan (I can picture Stanley Tucci acting as Ethan if this were made into a movie).
Then there is this perfect (but not so perfect then) Dex Thaler. Dex is the handsome, patient, smart guy who is all perfect for Rachel. Only he never decides whether he wants Rachel or Darcy until the very end.
Rachel herself is not a character I sympathize with. She is passive, she does not know what she wants, and she cannot stand up for herself. It is actually quite annoying to know that everything that happens to her is not all Darcy's selfish fault. It is her fault too, for not defending herself.
However, I like the book! I like how the author creates twists and makes the story believable and in the end I'm happy for everyone :) bravo. Good Christmas read!
Rating: really liked it
Updated May 6, 2020. I don’t support racist authors.
So here's the thing. I used to read Emily Giffin books. For some odd reason I have this book and the sequel to this on my Kindle from way back when. After overstuffing myself with true crime books, I decided to switch to some chick lit. I honestly don't recall reading this book and I am kind of horrified that I ever bought it in the first place.
"Something Borrowed" I think takes way too much pangs to absolve the main character in this one (Rachel) from the guilt she rightfully should feel about having a one night stand with her best friend's (Darcy) fiancee. I think my main romance book reading rule is for the most part, no cheating. I hate reading it and I have a hard time cheering on characters who are doing it. So I ended up finishing this one and the next one in the story "Something Blue" and found that one to actually be much better than this one. Not by much though, I gave the sequel to this one three stars, while the first book just two.
The main character in "Something Borrowed" is Rachel. She's about to celebrate her 30th birthday and is doing well professionally. However, she ends up drinking a lot at the birthday party her best friend Darcy throws for her. She ends up sleeping with Darcy's fiancee Dex and most of the book is her being upset at times about what she did and her trying to justify it because Darcy is evil incarnate.
I think the big issue for me is that Rachel cheats with her best friend's fiancee. I don't think that Griffin did a great job of showing that this was a clearly black and white situation, and had to amp up how terrible Darcy is/was in order to justify it to readers. I also don't believe that Rachel would have stayed friends with Darcy from childhood to her 30s if she was this flawed.
I also don't believe that Rachel and Dex were fighting off some long held attraction for each other. I found him boring and also to be an ass if I may say so. He sleeps with his fiancee's best friend and pretty much runs around most of the book trying to get her to do it again.
Rachel and Darcy have a mutual friend, Ethan, who honestly I think was a better match for Rachel. I was hoping that was the way things would go, but nope. Ethan was better than the other characters in this book by far.
I honestly didn't really dig the writing in this one. This is not my first foray into Giffin’s books, but it's really boring reading about someone justifying cheating with a guy who is engaged to their best friend. Heck, even Carrie from Sex and the City realized she was garbage for cheating with Mr. Big and didn't dance around it.
The flow was awful in this one. Maybe because I was tired of Rachel's voice about at the 50 percent point.
And then the book ends on what is on what I think the author believes is a hopeful note. Ugh. I promptly went and read book #2 because that one was Darcy's story.
Also, I sadly recall this was made into a movie that I never did finish. I was trapped on a plane many many moons ago (years) and I recalled when this was offered as a selection. I tend to like Kate Hudson movies (or at least older ones) so put this on and turned it off about 20 minutes into the movie. This is not a romantic comedy. Lord.
Rating: really liked it
Despite all my protests and misgivings about a book on infidelity, I was surprised that had the urge to get back to the story and find out what happened. For that, I wanted to give the book 4 stars, but I just couldn't because, well, it's a book about infidelity, and not just about infidelity, but the view point that there's nothing wrong with it since the couple isn't married yet.
The book starts with A LOT of backstory. It's eventually important to Rachel and Darcy's relationship, but it sure makes the beginning drag. What I wanted from that opening scene was not memories of Rachel and Darcy as kids. I wanted to be pulled into the scene and believe the sequence of events that ended with a girl in bed with her best friend's fiancee. I needed more to get me there. The lawyer-presenting-to-the-jury bit afterwards was amusing, but it didn't get me into her head to justify how it happened. I needed more to sympathize with Rachel.
Maybe what I needed to sympathize with her more was a reason Dex was worth risking a friendship over. All I got from Rachel were some vague stereotypes that he was handsome and smart. Even in the scenes he was in, I didn't get any personality from him. He was like a fuzzy character in a dream that never quite materializes into a real person. I had to take Rachel's word for it every time she said she loved him because I didn't get anything out of their relationship. When Ethan asked Rachel if she was only interested in Dex so she could win something over Darcy, I thought that must be it. I'm still not convinced that isn't true. In the end I had a hollow feeling, and it wasn't just at the things lost. It was that I still didn't know Dex and didn't know if he was worth it to either girl. It made the ending mean a whole lot less to me.
The whole book I kept trying to get inside Dex's head to figure out why he was cheating, why he wouldn't make a decision, why he stayed with Darcy, why he kept leading Rachel on, why he did anything, but I couldn't pin down Dex's motivation. While it bothered me to have such a pivotal character so undefined, it kind of worked to keep up the suspense. I had no idea if he liked Darcy or Rachel, if he was using Rachel or Darcy, if he was conflicted about this whole thing or a player, or if he was going to pull some twist in the whole drama. Darcy was supposed to be the volatile unknown, but I almost think Dex was more of one.
In the end, I don't think the story is as much about the love triangle as it is about friendship. The complexity of childhood-turned-adult friendship was very well done and I even though I wanted to strangle Darcy, I could see why Rachel had remained friends with her. Interesting that the character who moved in to late to reach best friend status (who was also so passive) was named Annalise. I don't know what that's like at all (read: sarcasm). I had trouble with the route and justifications and conclusions that the romance took, but looking at the story as a journey of two friends, I liked it a whole lot more.
ETA: I liked the movie. Dex was still a cardboard, but I could see better what Rachel saw in him and how he was conflicted. John Kransinski stole the show.
Rating: really liked it
You WANT to hate the main character - I mean, she's not only hooking up with an engaged man, but it's her best friend's fiance - but, Griffin did an amazing job of making Rachel someone you rooted for. So, congrats on that!
This was a great beach read. Quick and quirky.
Rating: really liked it
LOVE this book. Read it twice because I loved it so much. I am against cheating (who isn't), especially with your best friend's man butttttt this made me cheer for the main character who was having an affair with her best friend's man. How could you not love Rachel? I was able to relate to her when I thought I was going to hate her. This made me tear up and laugh and wish I was friends with Rachel (even with her flaw). I recommend reading this on a rainy night (with a glass of wine or the whole bottle). You won't be able to stop reading it and then won't be able to stop talking about it (like me). Then I will be able to welcome you to the Emily Giffin fan club (this book made me want to read her others).
