Yun's Reviews> The Friend Zone
The Friend Zone (The Friend Zone, #1)
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![30181442](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1679228223p2/30181442.jpg)
Wow, this book made me uncomfortable on so many levels. I'm going to try to unpack it all here, and put my thoughts into words.
The Friend Zonestarts off likable enough. Kristen is your all-around cool girl with a medical condition that will make it hard for her to have children. She meets Josh in the midst of planning her best friend's wedding, and they hit it off instantly. But the problem is that Josh wants at least five biological children, but really nine is the ideal number (yep, you read that correctly).
First of all... nine?! I double-checked, just to be sure I wasn't reading a book from the 1800s written by a sexist dude. Josh's attitude seems to be that the only thing he values in a mate is how many children she will give him. But he's not the only one. Multiple characters in here put extreme value on having biological children over any other alternatives, and look down on females who either can't or won't have them.
But Kristen isn't blameless either. In fact, the main issue of the book is that Kristen keeps her medical condition from Josh. Instead of just telling him and having a conversation about it like adults, she jerks him around while using him for sex. Ah yes, the age-old trick of deceiving someone into falling for you by pretending to be someone you're not. Obviously, these two idiots deserve each other.
I think the book is trying to be feminist by saying that you can be a strong female and love yourself even if you struggle with infertility or don't have children. But it somehow came across as completely the opposite. And the ending (which I won't spoil) completely undoes everything the book is trying to accomplish anyways.
In addition to the unlikable characters with questionable views, there were a lot of little oddities that gave me weird vibes. Like at one point, Josh goes on a rant about how people who live in cities call 911 for anything, whereas in the small town he comes from, people know to only use 911 for legit emergencies because "small-town people had pride."
Also, the way Josh compliments Kristen is extremely off-putting. He praises her for being a cool girl who drinks beer (not wine) with the guys, doesn't need to wear makeup to be beautiful, and just wants to eat burgers and pizza, while putting down other women who aren't like that as "nuts." How this book managed to insult like 100% of the female population in one fell swoop is a headscratcher, for sure.
In the end, there were so many things in this book that were, quite frankly, offensive. It seems like the author is trying to say one thing, but everything in the book ends up saying the exact opposite. Just... no.
The Friend Zonestarts off likable enough. Kristen is your all-around cool girl with a medical condition that will make it hard for her to have children. She meets Josh in the midst of planning her best friend's wedding, and they hit it off instantly. But the problem is that Josh wants at least five biological children, but really nine is the ideal number (yep, you read that correctly).
First of all... nine?! I double-checked, just to be sure I wasn't reading a book from the 1800s written by a sexist dude. Josh's attitude seems to be that the only thing he values in a mate is how many children she will give him. But he's not the only one. Multiple characters in here put extreme value on having biological children over any other alternatives, and look down on females who either can't or won't have them.
But Kristen isn't blameless either. In fact, the main issue of the book is that Kristen keeps her medical condition from Josh. Instead of just telling him and having a conversation about it like adults, she jerks him around while using him for sex. Ah yes, the age-old trick of deceiving someone into falling for you by pretending to be someone you're not. Obviously, these two idiots deserve each other.
I think the book is trying to be feminist by saying that you can be a strong female and love yourself even if you struggle with infertility or don't have children. But it somehow came across as completely the opposite. And the ending (which I won't spoil) completely undoes everything the book is trying to accomplish anyways.
In addition to the unlikable characters with questionable views, there were a lot of little oddities that gave me weird vibes. Like at one point, Josh goes on a rant about how people who live in cities call 911 for anything, whereas in the small town he comes from, people know to only use 911 for legit emergencies because "small-town people had pride."
Also, the way Josh compliments Kristen is extremely off-putting. He praises her for being a cool girl who drinks beer (not wine) with the guys, doesn't need to wear makeup to be beautiful, and just wants to eat burgers and pizza, while putting down other women who aren't like that as "nuts." How this book managed to insult like 100% of the female population in one fell swoop is a headscratcher, for sure.
In the end, there were so many things in this book that were, quite frankly, offensive. It seems like the author is trying to say one thing, but everything in the book ends up saying the exact opposite. Just... no.
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Reading Progress
August 11, 2019
–
Started Reading
August 11, 2019
– Shelved
August 13, 2019
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 165 (165 new)
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Brandice
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Aug 14, 2019 09:04AM
![Brandice](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1711855521p1/36348070.jpg)
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Geez, this sounds every kind of terrible. Thanks for such a comprehensive review.
![Yun](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1679228223p1/30181442.jpg)
Thank you, Brandice! Yikes is right! I've been doing this a lot lately, where I would pick up a book that is well-rated, but I only feel ok about the topic, hoping I would like it. It's not going well, and I need to stop doing that haha. (Ok, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks 5 is a lot!)
![Yun](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1679228223p1/30181442.jpg)
For sure! I had such high expectations too based on the favorable reviews. Sigh.
![Yun](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1679228223p1/30181442.jpg)
Thank you, Lyn! A lot of people really liked it and a few really didn't, so I think it's a divisive book haha. I have high hopes for my next read, as it's by an author whose works I've previously loved. 😊
![Yun](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1679228223p1/30181442.jpg)
It's pretty bad, but maybe it's just me, as lots of others really liked it. Haha... I couldn't help my long review. I figured since the book tortured me for almost 400 pages, I better get all my grievances out. 😄
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