Item: The Things We Do to Our Friends
Rating: 3.00
Author: quirkycat

by Heather Darwent

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • She’s an outsider desperate to belong, but the cost of entry might be her deepest secret in this intoxicating debut about a clique of dangerously ambitious students, “perfect for fans of dark academia stories like The Secret History and If We Were Villains” (Cosmopolitan).

“One of the best suspense debuts I’ve read in years . . . Heather Darwent delivers one artful tease after another until you are completely lost in this labyrinth of clever women and obsessive friendship.”—Julia Heaberlin, bestselling author of We Are All the Same in the Dark

Edinburgh, Scotland: a moody city of labyrinthine alleyways, oppressive fog, and buried history; the ultimate destination for someone with something to hide. Perfect for Clare, then, who arrives utterly alone and yearning to reinvent herself. And what better place to conceal the secrets of her past than at the university in the heart of the fabled, cobblestoned Old Town?

When Clare meets Tabitha, a charismatic, beautiful, and intimidatingly rich girl from her art history class, she knows she’s destined to become friends with her and her exclusive circle: raffish Samuel, shrewd Ava, and pragmatic Imogen. Clare is immediately drawn into their libertine world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France. The new life she always envisioned for herself has seemingly begun.

Then Tabitha reveals a little project she’s been working on, one that she needs Clare’s help with. Even though it goes against everything Clare has tried to repent for. Even though their intimacy begins to darken into codependence. But as Clare starts to realize just what her friends are capable of, it’s already too late. Because they’ve taken the plunge. They’re so close to attaining everything they want. And there’s no going back.

Reimagining the classic themes of obsession and ambition with an original and sinister edge, The Things We Do to Our Friends is a seductive thriller about the toxic battle between those who have and those who covet—between the desire to truly belong and the danger of being truly known.

Book Summary:

Clare is an outsider – to put it lightly. Like many people, all she wants in life is to find a way to belong. Rather than searching for people who will accept her for who she is, she's willing to change and sacrifice anything to fit in with a particular crowd.

Even if that means throwing her darkest secret into the light, naturally, everything is about to go horribly wrong for Clare. What healthy group would demand such a price for the luxury of spending time with them?

My Review:

Okay, I'll confess: half the reason I picked up The Things We Do to Our Friends is that I fell utterly in love with the cover. I mean, look at it! How could I not? But seriously, the description sounded compelling. We've all known a few toxic people/friends in our lives, and I thought this would play off that vibe quite nicely.

There were certainly times when I wanted to scream and shake Clare by the shoulders. Seriously, woman. The warning signs were everywhere! Maybe that fact is what kept me from enjoying The Things We Do to Our Friends as much as I would have liked, but what can you do about that?

Overall, I would say that The Things We Do to Our Friends is a decent read. It'll keep you happily invested on a rainy day – speaking from experience here.

Highlights:
Mystery/Thriller
Lots of Twists!
Amazing Cover

Trigger Warnings:
Dark Secrets

Thanks to StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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The Things We Do to Our Friends

by Heather Darwent

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Jan 27, 2023

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