Relationships

Through the juxtaposition of Natalie and Leah’s long-lasting friendship with the romantic relationships they each pursue separately, the author explores both the differences and similarities that exist between friendships and romantic relationships. On the one hand, the novel compares the volatility of romantic relationships, especially when they become marriages, to the stability of friendships. On the other hand, the novel shows how both these forms of relationships—between lovers and between friends—are grounded in a toxic state of comparison.

Friendship is one of the primary types of relationships the novel tackles. Throughout the novel, the reader sees how Leah and Natalie take time out of their busy lives to see one another regularly, visiting one another at their universities and later on in life, meeting at cafes and attending dinner parties. Their relationship is typically quite stable and with little drama between them, though they go...