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Arrives
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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Dimensions
- 6.4 x 1.26 x 9.52 in
- Weight
- 1 lb
- Publisher
- Knopf
- Publication date
- January 30, 2024
- Language
- English
- Print length
- 336 pages
Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • A TODAY SHOW ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK • 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. Read more
Specs 8
| Publisher | Knopf |
|---|---|
| Publication date | January 30, 2024 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 059380130X |
| ISBN-13 | 07 |
| Item Weight | 1 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.4 x 1.26 x 9.52 inches |
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Top Amazon Reviews
Not the Author’s Best
Format: Hardcover
The author is a masterful storyteller, as evidenced by the way she subtly alters the reader’s perceptions of the main characters. We start out with the point of view of Andy, a heartbroken young man, devastated by (to him) the unexpected and unfathomable breakup of his longtime relationship with Jen. Then very subtly as the author shares Andy’s innermost thoughts, it becomes obvious to the reader that Jen may have had some very valid reasons for dumping Andy: he’s a selfish man-child, aimlessly going through life with the idea that he wants to be a successful standup comedian, but he won’t be bothered to make the effort to improve his increasingly stale material. Then the author switches the point of view to Jen. In the ensuing pages we learn that Jen, while enjoying Andy’s companionship, really has never had any interest in being in a permanent relationship. While a very engaging and fun read overall, I thought the book bogged down in the long and tedious process of getting to know both characters, but especially in the longer story of Andy. How many different ways do we need to be shown how Andy is a Loser? The ending is also somewhat pat—the lovers reunite for an overnight, only for Andy to finally realize Jen doesn’t want/need him. Only then he is inspired to write new material, which wows the audience. Meanwhile, Jen decides that it’s really okay to be alone, quits her prestigious job, and goes off to Find True Meaning. Will either finally achieve their hearts’ desire? Meh. I gave it 4 stars for the quality of the prose, but if I could separately rate the plot, it’d be 3 stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024 by Avid Reader
Still thinking about it weeks later.
Format: Kindle
Dolly Alderton has been a favorite of mine for years now; first reading her non-fiction articles and Everything I Know About Love, and her podcasts. I couldn't wait for Ghosts when it was announced, was very unsurprised to have loved that one, and was equally if not more excited for Good Material. It almost feels tired at this point to say she's her generation's Nora Ephron, but I suppose it's repeated often because it's so true. Her writing is intelligent but not pretentious, engaging, and ACTUALLY funny. She makes observations on life and feelings that are accurate but not cliche, doesn't try too hard, and in a way that has a tendency to knock me over with how it puts words to feelings in ways I hadn't known how to describe before. All of that to say, I had high expectations for Good Material, and while it was different than I expected, I ended up loving it. I went in pretty blind, so was surprised right away that it was a male main character, but quickly adapted and was pulled in right away. I haven't read many books with female authors writing male MCs, but was pleased with how realistic Andy seemed to be. I'll admit at about half way through the book I had to read the synopsis again to see if something else was supposed to happen, for some reason expecting more plot, and got tired of Andy after awhile, then reminded myself that that's kind of the point; to be inside his head after the breakup and hear the obsessive thoughts and unanswered questions we all have and the rawness felt in the first weeks and months after a breakup. I just sat in silence after I finished the book because Dolly Alderton is just that masterful. Good Material is one of the rare books where you finish it and almost feel like the author pulled one over on you, thinking it's a really solid book, you think you know what's happening...and it is what you think, but then something just hits you like BAM right at the end that changes your whole perspective and makes what you just read even better. Like a twist you didn't see coming, but not actually a twist, but leaves. you with a "whoa, what just happened" feeling. I immediately knew I needed to reread it and see if it reads different after knowing Jen's experience. A reread will definitely be happening. Once again, Dolly has made me even more of a fan of hers, and I can't wait for whatever she comes out with next. All of the stars. *****One more paragraph below mentioning the end of the book - no details, but moved bc some may find it spoilery**** Throughout the book, it was probably a solid 4-4.5 stars, but Jen's POV at the end was completely brilliant and brought it up to a full 5 stars. For some reason I wasn't expecting it, and it brought the entire book full circle. While Andy's experience was relatable in many ways, getting Jen's perspective was somehow almost more impactful than everything we got from Andy during the first 85% of the book. It had so many relatable feelings being a woman who's not old, but not young, in today's world. Andy's part of the book took on new facets after reading Jen's, becoming more impactful, and Jen's section wouldn't have been as powerful without Andy's, and how she started appearing as a character and not just through Andy's recollections.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024 by Rachel
Great ending, if you can get there
Format: Kindle
I honestly did not like this book through the first 80%. I just kept hoping it would get better and that's what kept me reading. The ending was good, but not the most groundbreaking. So I don't necessarily mind books where the main characters are bad people or unlikable, so long as the author's in on it and the reader can freely root against them. Great example is the book Bad Summer People where everyone is awful and part of the fun is seeing how it'll come back around for the characters. This book is not like that. This book takes a character whose entire premise is that they have nothing going for them, they're 35 and make quite literally every wrong decision at every turn and yet still think they're the hero or at least that they're deserving of good things happening to them without ever putting in the work. So for 80% of the book I just felt like I was annoyed and exasperated. The side characters have no personality or plot, and the ex girlfriend is just a stand-in for all the past rejection of the main character, even when she gets to explain her side of the story it feels like a classic case of mansplaining her motivations because just having her say her peace at the beginning apparently isn't enough to believe she was telling the truth. Light spoiler aheads: - I found Andy exceptionally unlikable, and even the ending where we hear Jen's perspective makes it seems like he's exhausting. Her explaining why they were good together just felt like something you'd do in your early twenties, not your mid thirties. - honestly no one, other than his friend's wife Jane was likable, maybe Andy's mom? They have no depth. - the side characters didn't add any value or insights. They're like NPC, though maybe that's because it's from Andy's perspective and he's pretty self absorbed
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Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024 by Kacie
Not as humorous or as insightful as her other books
Format: Hardcover
It makes a decent bookclub book. Lots of interesting scenes and issues to talk about. I found most of the blurbs and testimonials misleading. If you go in expecting Nora Ephron or Helen Fielding, you might be disappointed. While there are funny moments, it lacks the direct author commentary that makes Alderton's previous books so funny. The overall tone of this book is more cynical. I read this book as a bitter critique of reinvention narratives. I don't think the point of this book is insight into relationships, or into the differences between men and women. The depiction of men and women in this breakup book is a little cliche: the men drink to avoid pain, watch a lot of sports, are unable to talk about their feelings, and are stuck in their glory days; the women are emotionally supportive of each other, worried about their biological clocks (even if they never want children), feel hemmed in by societal expectations, avoid confrontation, and believe men can never fully understand them. But I think the cliches are purposeful. Alderton has written a book about the importance of self-knowldedge (particularly in middle age) and about the fictions we tell ourselves about what is going to ultimately fix our lives. If only I did X. If only I were X. If only X would happen. The cliches highlight the emptiness of these shortcuts. The chapters are a countdown to the Covid lockdowns in the UK. While the pandemic is barely mentioned in the book, it looms over the seemingly happy ending. Covid will effectively pull the rug out from under Andy and Jen right after the book ends. The progress they have made, all their plans for the future, will be for nothing. They will find themselves in a worse place than when the book started. Alderton seems to be reminding us that there are no easy fixes to our lives.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2024 by Wesley K McBride
GOOD material is a win et
Format: Kindle
Good Material started out a little slow and monotonous--kind of like those first days after a break-up, but it picks up speed with each of the charming characters you meet. This book felt very real-bith the pain and the relationships. Andy (the main character) is understated, pathetic, wonderful and loveable. He personified the awkward horribleness of break-ups. I loved that she took the point of view of Jen at the end. It was so unexpected and, at first, I hated it. But it made for such a lovely end. I didn't want to stop reading.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024 by J. Kostanko
Tender. Sweet. Funny. A must-read. Dolly captures emotions so well.
Format: Kindle
Tender. Sweet. Funny. It's book magic. Andy is a fledgling comedian living in London whose career hasn’t yet hit the bigtime. His girlfriend Jen just broke up with him after a trip to Paris. I mean, really. He’s lovesick and can’t let go. Rereading their texts looking for clues, driving himself mad cyberstalking her, and holding on with exceedingly high hopes for a reconciliation. To Jen, they’re finished, the end. Alderton does an excellent job writing from a male perspective. How she got into Andy’s head, the nuances of his emotions, his quirks, are so well done, you’ll forget you’re reading a book written by a female author. Oh, Andy, down on his luck, a wee bit depressed, adrift, and things are only going downhill. His friends, each in their own relationships, try to comfort him, but they unintentionally make him feel worse about his plight. All that being said, this story is far from grim, there is an abundance of humor, I just can’t say more without spoiling it. In due time, our endearing Andy stumbles his way through trying to figure out lies ahead. Alderton has a firm grasp on the vibe of her 30-something generation and she incorporates a delightful storytelling structure with a unique deviation that works like a charm.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2024 by carilynp
Not much of a read, in fact a little depressing!
Format: Hardcover
A strange read about a man who loses his lover and has great difficulty overcoming his loss. In fact I doubt he ever does!
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2026 by P.A.C.Oldfield
New all time favorite book
Format: Hardcover
One of my new favorite book and I’m not just saying that. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down! It follows a man who is flawed and how he processes a breakup. The last chapter really got me because we get the other viewpoint. It’s about personal growth and love, and friendship. It’s bout being honest with what you want in life and being true to yourself. Or at least that is what I took from it. I want to read everything this author writes. She is just brilliant. ❤️❤️
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Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2025 by Amy Lou