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Good Material
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
Every relationship has one beginning. This one has two endings. Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy. And he can't work out why she stopped. Now he is. . . 1. Without a home 2. Waiting for his stand-up career to take off 3. Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn't looking Set adrift on the sea of heartbreak at a time when everything he thought he knew about women, and flat-sharing, and his friendships has transformed beyond recognition, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of their broken relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him. Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story. From the bestselling author of Ghosts and Everything I Know About Love- a sharply funny, beautifully observed and exquisitely relatable story of heartbreak and friendship, and how to survive both.
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review
Jas16
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

Breakups can make anyone go a little crazy but that doesn‘t mean I want to spend a lot of time reading about the mindset of a wallowing and completely unself-aware man trying to figure out his life after the unexpected end of his relationship. Hearing the other side of the story was clever but too little, too late to make this a pick.

AmyG I felt the same. I bailed. 2w
BarbaraBB Great review, made me laugh. I liked the book much more than you did but do agree with with wat you say 2w
55 likes2 comments
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ncsufoxes
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Read in 2024. For most of the story you hear Andy talk about his break up with Jen. At first I felt bad for Andy as he tells his side of the story. He‘s struggling with his career of being a stand up comedian & he‘s having a hard time understanding why Jenn broke up with him. Then the very last part of the book you hear Jenn‘s side of the story. It made me understand more about why you heard so much about Andy‘s story. To me it spoke to the bigger

ncsufoxes societal issues women face constantly about career (career advancement), relationships, family planning. 2w
29 likes1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

This one was on a few Best of '24 lists, but I'm left a bit underwhelmed. It was alright, but nothing stand out, and ultimately I suspect forgettable. I like the idea of reading about the aftermath of a relationship from one perspective, then flipping to the other side, but the balance here was out of whack. I would have preferred more of Jen, less of Andy. While I liked where Andy ended up, it took a lot of pages of just not much to get there.

sarahbarnes Hmm, good to know. This is waiting at the library for me. I‘ll temper my expectations. 3w
TheKidUpstairs @sarahbarnes I probably would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't hyped the way it was. It just felt like more of a palate cleanser quick read than a “best of“ anything. 3w
BarbaraBB It definitely felt like a palate cleanser. I went in thinking that it would be and ended up liking it more than expected! 3w
58 likes3 comments
review
Kristy_K
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

This one took me a bit to get into, but it did start to pick up mid way through. Alderton has a nice blend of introspection and humor in her writing that makes her characters feel real.

Soft pick. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm

Lesliereadsalot Really liked this one! 3w
Kristy_K @Lesliereadsalot Alderton writes such real and flaws characters and I love how you can always relate in some way. 3w
55 likes2 comments
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julesG
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Cathythoughts Happy Holidays 👯‍♀️ I have that book on the shelf👍🏻 4w
Andrew65 I enjoy this author but not read this one yet. 4w
BarbaraBB Loved this one too 4w
55 likes3 comments
review
cariashley
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I really liked this one even with all of Andy‘s hapless male foundering. It was funny, smart, and I loved all the British-isms. But the ending just floored me and turned this from a 3-star to a very high 4-star read. #botm

BarbaraBB Yes! I felt the same! 1mo
Lesliereadsalot Loved this one too! 1mo
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Suet624
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Jen breaks up with Andy. The majority of the book is spent with Andy as he tries to deal with the loss. I liked Andy and sympathized with his struggle. Heck, I can be an Andy myself. But I can also be a Jen. I appreciated what she had to say.

I often find that if I‘m not really enjoying a book, it‘s worth it to finish it to see if the ending saves it. Honestly, the ending did just that. It made the reading of the book a rewarding experience.

BarbaraBB Glad you enjoyed it. I spent some great hours with it even though I don‘t think I‘ll remember them a few months from now! 1mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB LOL. I will probably remember the characters but will never remember the name of the book. 1mo
56 likes2 comments
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BarbaraBB
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I so enjoyed this one. Dolly Alderton writes from a man‘s perspective after his break-up with Jen and it felt completely believable and funny. I felt for him and felt sorry they didn‘t make it.
Then the perspective changes and we learn Jen‘s take on things. All the pieces fell into place. A light and hopeful read. Recommended! #ToB25Longlist

Cathythoughts Stacked of course 👍🏻😁 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I have been meaning to get to this one, did you read, it sounds a lot like 1mo
sarahbarnes On the list for this one at the library. Glad to see you liked it. Beautiful photo! 🌲 1mo
See All 9 Comments
BarbaraBB @ChaoticMissAdventures I didn‘t like Fleishman much to be honest (I do have higher hopes of Long Island Conpromise though) because there was so much complaining about money while they were loaded.. this one is more recognizable to me personally. 1mo
BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts @sarahbarnes It won‘t win literary prizes but it is real good comfort reading imo! 1mo
Suet624 Oh good. Its next in my list so I‘m glad you liked it. 1mo
merelybookish I finished this last week. I also enjoyed. Might have found it a wee bit too long. And the structure definitely reminded me of 1mo
BarbaraBB @merelybookish I must have erased that book from my mind because I didn‘t like it but @ChaoticMissAdventures said so too! 1mo
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes @Suet624 I hope you both will like it. Reviews are mixed! 1mo
75 likes2 stack adds9 comments
review
Kazzie
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
Pickpick

This was lovely. The male character is very annoying at times, endearing at times though. His heartbreak feels real. What got this book for me was the end - the narrative from the female character was so relatable and real. Loved her :)

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Hooked_on_books
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

This one was just ok to me. I found the central story of a man struggling to get through a breakup fairly dull. And by the time we got to the former girlfriend‘s breakup aftermath, I just didn‘t care. Where it shines is with some of the supporting characters and stories, like the flatmate Andy ends up with and the houseboat bit. I don‘t think I would have made it through in print. #TOBlonglist

AmyG I actually bailed. I just didn‘t care. 1mo
Suet624 Oh dear. I was looking forward to this one. 😳 1mo
squirrelbrain It‘s definitely not a #ToB book! 1mo
See All 7 Comments
Hooked_on_books @AmyG I‘m glad it‘s not just me! 1mo
Hooked_on_books @Suet624 Plenty of people like this one, so you may be among them! 1mo
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain I‘m really glad they didn‘t put it in the tourney. 1mo
BarbaraBB I‘ll remind your warning. I am reading it now and enjoying it quite a bit @Suet624 although it really is no #ToB book indeed @squirrelbrain ! 1mo
45 likes1 stack add7 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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#WeeklyForecast 50/24

I am reading both The Butterfly Girl and The History of Sound, cherishing each story. I am glad it made the #ToB25 shortlist. I‘ll also continue to read from the longlist. The tagged book will be my next one.

squirrelbrain Glad you‘re loving The History of Sound! 1mo
sarahbarnes HOS does sound good! I‘m getting it from the library - I‘m glad you‘re enjoying it. 1mo
Suet624 Have I mentioned I like your new photo? 💕 1mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 No you didn‘t but thank you 🤍🤍 1mo
53 likes5 comments
review
Megabooks
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

This was fun and a bit light for a typical #tob25 choice. I enjoyed it though. Struck a nice authentic chord.

A down-on-his-luck comedian is dumped by his long-term girlfriend. He struggles because, at 35, all his friends are married - most with kids. He wants that life so badly. He goes to hilarious lengths to figure out why Jen dumped him while getting a strange housemate and cobbling together jobs to keep his comedy career alive. #toblonglist

BarbaraBB Looking forward to this one. It being a little light will probably mean it won‘t make the shortlist 😂 2mo
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I think you‘ll like it but not love it. You might enjoy Madwoman, too. 2mo
squirrelbrain I liked it but didn‘t love it and was very surprised to see it on the longlist - it‘s not a ToB book at all, I don‘t think. 🤷‍♀️ @barbarabb 2mo
See All 13 Comments
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @Megabooks I‘ll temper my expectations! Is Madwoman on the longlist too Meg? 2mo
Megabooks @BarbaraBB no, but it would‘ve been a good choice. 2mo
Megabooks @squirrelbrain agreed. It‘s just a little too normal. 2mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks @squirrelbrain speaking of light books. I just finished this one and was underwhelmed 2mo
Megabooks @BarbaraBB for me that one worked because I was really in the mood for it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2mo
BkClubCare This title is the rare one that is Libby available without any holds but I don‘t have time right now for it! Can‘t decide what to do. 😂 2mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I understand that and for you it is probably recognizable but I didn‘t know sometimes what they were talking about or the stores and stuff they mentioned etc 2mo
Megabooks @BkClubCare it‘s a quick read if that makes a difference! 2mo
Megabooks @BarbaraBB ah yeah. Very American in that way. I didn‘t think about that. 😕😕 2mo
BarbaraBB Of course not! But I expect it‘s more fun for Americans! 2mo
62 likes13 comments
blurb
Megabooks
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Great questions! I don‘t have a fave song atm, but I‘m enjoying the 90s Alternative subreddit crowdsourced alphabetical playlist that has the top ten vote getters for each letter. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XLGgFmT10ZiXbIPEnpuC8?si=GPsRxt-yRxiD2nY3BIVH... it‘s reminded me of many favorite songs!

I hope the MC of Good Material takes a cue from Swift‘s “We Are Never Getting Back Together”! 😬

TheSpineView Great play list! 💜🎵 2mo
TieDyeDude That sounds like fun! Thanks for sharing. 2mo
52 likes3 comments
blurb
ManyWordsLater
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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IYKYK

danx I saw someone on the train reading this yesterday. Seeing this I‘m compelled to seek it out. 3mo
49 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
MelHopton
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I found this really entertaining, perhaps because I am close in ages to the characters and have experienced the same angst about life that forms the backbone of this book. I kept wanting to hear more about HER side of the story, and the 'big reveal' about her feelings just felt a bit ordinary. Maybe that was the point. The strength of feelings we have in ordinary situations. Like him, an entertaining read, but quiteforgettable now I have moved on!

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
laurabilly13
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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2️⃣3️⃣ Saturday night with Mai Tai tinnies 😂and a book 🎊 Interesting to read a book from a male‘s perspective for a change! Not my favourite by Dolly Alderton but still I would recommend this to a friend and have already passed it on.

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
Donna1980
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Been waiting for this to come out in paperback. Hopefully a little more lighthearted after Brotherless Night which was tough going.

quote
BittersweetBooks
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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You don‘t let go once. That‘s your first mistake. You say goodbye over a lifetime. You might not have thought about her for ten years, then you‘ll hear a song or you‘ll walk past somewhere you once went together—something will come to the surface that you‘d totally forgotten about. And you say another goodbye. You have to be prepared to let go and let go and let go a thousand times 💔

marleed I have this line tagged in my copy of this book. 7mo
Lesliereadsalot Really liked this one! 5mo
29 likes1 stack add2 comments
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rmaclean4
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

A delight of a book. Story of grownups going through a breakup. Strong writing. Recommend! 3.5 🌟

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DaniJ
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Such an adorable read!

I loved the dry British humour. I loved seeing the protagonist‘s self-discovery journey. I loved the trajectory. The little part at the ended told from his ex‘s perspective was unnecessary but worked well! A nice cute summer read.

review
Lesliereadsalot
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Really liked this book about the breakup of Andy and Jen, a couple who love each other, but Jen just can‘t be with him anymore. Andy narrates the book and it could seem too much about his life after the breakup but it doesn‘t. He‘s a standup comic and he‘s forever trying to be a good one along with making sense of the end of his relationship with the woman he loves. A great ending as well!

Cathythoughts Nice review! Stacked. ❤️ 7mo
Lesliereadsalot I think you‘ll like this one! @Cathythoughts 7mo
21 likes2 comments
review
Night_Reader
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

3.5/5 🌟

This book is about a breakup told from two perspectives. The majority of the book is narrated from his point of view, with only the last 40 pages dedicated to her perspective. This is a shame because I absolutely loved her perspective—it was so relatable and heartfelt. If the majority of the book had been from her pov, it would have easily been a 4.5🌟 read for me.

review
Kimberlone
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I wanted to like this book more than I eventually did, but overall still enjoyed it. Listened to the audiobook through my Spotify subscription. Being inside the mind of a sad, self-pitying 35 year old struggling comedian, who is reeling from a recent breakup, for 10 hours was frustrating at times. Probably what I appreciated most was the accurate depiction of mid-30s millennial life, when everyone around you is getting married and having babies.

review
monalyisha
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Good Material is about a break-up. Except for the last chapter, it‘s from Andy‘s perspective. He‘s a struggling stand-up comedian in his mid-30‘s who‘s just been dumped. It‘s got real High Fidelity vibes. The last chapter grants the reader access into Jen‘s mind. I‘d never read Dolly Alderton before & almost *immediately* became a devotee. Her writing feels so natural. The way her characters think, OVERthink, speak & act is modern & true-to-life.

StephLeeson How was this? 8mo
monalyisha @StephLeeson I really enjoyed it! I think she writes dialog (& internal monologues) really well. It just flows. 8mo
66 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
NovelNancyM
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

The main character Andy is a bit annoying in that he wallows in the breakup with Jen for a long time. As a standup comedian he's not that funny. He can't seem to get out of his own way. However, the ending redeemed the novel for me. I enjoyed the perspective it gave with a couple plot twists thrown in.

review
SerenaCrawford
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
Mehso-so

3 stars out of 5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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mjtwo
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

6-7 Mar 24 (audiobook)
Reminiscent of High Fidelity, most of Good Material is told from the perspective of Andy, an unsuccessful standup comic, dealing with the breakdown of his relationship and subsequently his life. It humorously looks at the difference between female and male friendship, and the reality of reaching middle age without having achieved success. The last quarter provides Jen‘s perspective, which is an enlightening counterpoint.

monalyisha Oh! YES. Totally feeling vindicated in my High Fidelity comparison. 😅 Didn‘t realize you‘d made it already! 9mo
mjtwo @monalyisha absolutely! You and I had very similar views about it. I have never read any Alderton before but my sister loves her. 9mo
19 likes2 comments
review
marleed
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

This is best read when in the mood for a 35 yo struggling comic suffering the breakup from the love of his life - I didn‘t think I was in that mood, but since I purchased a physical copy I stuck with it, and darn if Andy didn‘t grow on me. I especially liked how the last chapter 31Jan2020 pulled it altogether. Also, Andy‘s mom provides some great insight for anyone grieving the end of a relationship.

79 likes2 stack adds
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ClairesReads
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

Dolly Alderton really gets into the heads of her millennial characters and her portrayal of romantic disasters and the weaknesses of adult friendships in busy lives is apt to say the least. It was refreshing to read a novel about a man undone by his feelings, the likes of which I‘ve not read since High Fidelity. A really compelling story that‘s honest about flaws which will be recognisable to us all.

monalyisha I now see that everyone got the same High Fidelity vibes. 🙈 That might make my review redundant but at least I wasn‘t off-base! 9mo
40 likes3 stack adds1 comment
review
Chelsea.Poole
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I‘m such a fan of Dolly Alderton! Though this is not usually my type of read, I jumped on the huge hold list for the audio because I knew there‘d be quality dialog and great characters and I was right! Nothing out of the ordinary, it‘s a story of a relationship and the aftermath. The surprising part is that it‘s mostly from the man‘s point of view. Excellent commentary about being “on the wrong side of 35”! Expert narration to boot!

AmyG I just started reading this one. 11mo
squirrelbrain I enjoyed this one too! 11mo
BarbaraBB I liked other books by her. Stacking! 11mo
78 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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ICantImReading
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you‘d like a different take on a romance for the month of love, this book is like an autopsy of a relationship. Being in Andy‘s head was relatable, funny, and cringeworthy. I also really enjoyed Morris‘ character. Although this story is about a breakup, there is a lot of love found in these pages.🎧

ICantImReading “You don‘t let go once. That‘s your first mistake. You say goodbye over a lifetime. You might not have thought about her for ten years, then you‘ll hear a song or you‘ll walk past somewhere you once went together - something will come to the surface that you‘d totally forgotten about. And you say another goodbye. You have to be prepared to let go and let go and let go a thousand times.” 11mo
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
julesG
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

#52bookclub24 - 30 - Picked without reading the blurb

Andy and Jen broke up. Andy still loves Jen and can't fathom what went wrong. Over the course of the months after the breakup he needs to find not only a new home, he needs to find out who he is.

I enjoyed this story about a breakup mainly from the man's POV.

The writing was good and the narration (80% by Arthur Darvill) excellent.

This book will move onto the favourites pile for this year.

Librarybelle I‘ve wondered about this one. Great review! 11mo
squirrelbrain I just finished this (in print) and really enjoyed it - a great, fluffy, funny, but still intelligent book! 11mo
See All 6 Comments
triplem80 I totally skipped over your review because I was thinking of using this for the same prompt. Glad it's a pick though! 🤣 11mo
julesG @squirrelbrain I really liked how this came together. It's not exactly a romance book, but it also is. 11mo
julesG @triplem80 Don't read the blurb and you're fine. 😁 11mo
77 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
thewallflower0707
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

A story of a relationship post-break-up and what comes next.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️,5/5

#DollyAlderton #novel