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There are currently 23 reader reviews for The False Friend
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Mary S. (Bow, NH)
(08/12/10)
A good read
'The False Friend' is a well written book. The author's use of language is wonderful; the story is interesting. I rated the book "good" because I found the main character's rapport with her parents unrealistic - although that may be a style choice by the author. It would be a very good read for a book club as it will generate heated discussions.
Lee M. (Creve Coeur, Missouri)
(08/12/10)
Not Just a Mystery
How much do incidents from our childhood influence our characters and our lives? Can one life-shattering event, remembered or not, be instrumental in causing commitment phobias and other problems later in life? These and many other questions Myla Goldberge tackles in 'The False Friend' as her main character, Celia, struggles to understand what is happening to her. More than a mystery, this exercise in psychology will have you tuned in until the last word.
Florence K. (Encino, California)
(08/11/10)
The False Friend
Crisp dialogue and well-delineated characters make this book a fast and keep-your-interest read. The aftermath of a twenty-one year old fateful event makes for a buildup of suspense and an interest in knowing what actually happened. It will lead to spirited discussions by book clubs.
Annette S. (Duluth, GA)
(08/10/10)
The False Friend
Have you done something as a youth and now in your adult years you feel the need to correct or amend it? That is the problem for Celia in "The False Friend". When she returns to the place of her early years she is thwarted in her attempts to make amends. Goldberg's portrayal of the young girls inter-actions with each other was very accurate. Her other main characters, Celia's parents and boyfriend were weak and too self-centered to help. I enjoyed Goldberg's occasion challenging vocabulary (zoetrope, divaricated, and augury). Confronting one's past in order to attain peace in one's life makes an interesting plot for this book.
Nina R. (Hot Springs, AR)
(08/09/10)
Disappointed
Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. I really just didn't care. Disappointed with the ending.
Sandy P. (Gainesville, FL)
(08/08/10)
Unsatisfying ending
Overall the book was OK but could have been much more. At some point we've all either been the bully, the bullied or the bystander too afraid to intervene knowing we should. The lack of closure at the end was disappointing. If the book had been any longer than it was I would have felt horribly cheated with it's ending. I hate to invest my reading time with 'unfinished' endings. I got to the end and thought "huh....that's it?" Kept looking for more pages.
Katherine C. (Richmond, VA)
(08/04/10)
The False Friend
I thought the story one experienced by many female teenagers. I found the "elite" group, the meanness of the girls in the "Club" so familiar - a perfect description of so many that age. I was, however, disappointed that Celia did not seem to mature. Did she ever look in the mirror, really see herself as she really was? A good read for a young teenage girl.
Dana W. (Elbridge, NY)
(08/04/10)
The False Friend
Memories "light the corners of my mind" until they suddenly rip into real life to send you on a search of what really happened. "Misty, water-colored" become murky and dark as the journey toward the truth takes many twists and turns. "The way we were" is not necessarily the way we were but perhaps what we believed is the way it was.
The book started out immediately drawing the reader in ,wanting to know more and then it gradually slowed down to a more even pace still leaving enough unanswered questions for the reader to want to continue until all the loose ends were tied up. But were they? Memories.... friends...
P.S. I live in Syracuse