Best of Friends
A Novel
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Best of Friends
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Narrated by:
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Tania Rodrigues
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By:
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Kamila Shamsie
About this listen
“A profound novel about friendship. I loved it to pieces.”—Madeline Miller
“A shining tour de force about a long friendship’s respects, disrespects, loyalties and moralities.”—Ali Smith
From the acclaimed author of Home Fire, the moving and surprising story of a lifelong friendship and the forces that bring it to the breaking point
Zahra and Maryam have been best friends since childhood in Karachi, even though—or maybe because—they are unlike in nearly every way. Yet they never speak of the differences in their backgrounds or their values, not even after the fateful night when a moment of adolescent impulse upends their plans for the future.
Three decades later, Zahra and Maryam have grown into powerful women who have each cut a distinctive path through London. But when two troubling figures from their past resurface, they must finally confront their bedrock differences—and find out whether their friendship can survive.
Thought-provoking, compassionate, and full of unexpected turns, Best of Friends offers a riveting take on an age-old question: Does principle or loyalty make for the better friend?
©2022 Kamila Shamsie (P)2022 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
“Sophisticated and poignant. . . . [brings] exquisite nuance [to its] depiction of long-lasting friendship.”—Kirkus Reviews
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What listeners say about Best of Friends
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- C. Barry
- 01-18-24
Just ok - disappointing at times
The story in this book was just ok. The beauty and strength of the friendship gets warped and twisted and seems to become meaningless, which is really disappointing.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- OwlLover
- 12-29-22
Pivotal event causes major changes
There is more tension in this novel than one might expect. At first, it seems like an ordinary friendship, even when a particular event occurs. It is obviously one that shakes the characters, but it is a while before it becomes clear just how much it affects not only the trajectory of their lives, but their frienship. When the timeline shifts to their adulthood, it is a a bit awkward and I found it hard to follow, having to go back and replay parts, but I stuck with it because I was already invested and the author is one of my favorites. It may have been easier to follow if I read it in a different format. Still, I appreciate the story and the complications.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Chloe Levi-gardes
- 10-06-22
enjoyed the writing and imagery
a very easy book to read, but the story was a little disappointing. I wanted more from it, and the ending didn't really match the effort put into the rest of the book.
the narrator was good, but her voice changed when i guess she started and ended recordings so sometimes it took a second to refocus on the story.
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1 person found this helpful