Dolly Alderton is so incredibly fun to read. She writes characters so well and the book is so cleverly structured. Protagonist is flawed but still sympathetic. Definitely our generation's Nora Ephron.

I will drop anything and everything for a Dolly book. She is by far my favorite voice in this generation - and she has done it again with "Good Material." Andy is insufferable, but you I still understand him (likely because I was in a similar situation a year or so ago with some slight differences). I loved the "surprise" POV at the end - my favorite quote is her monologue about feeling single while in a relationship.

While this book didn't quite do it for me like her nonfiction work, I still loved every second of being in Dolly's world. Bravo.

wow. wow. wow.

As mundane and annoying as Andy could be sometimes, I still was so curious about how and where he would end up. This novel probably would’ve HIT more for me if I had been involved in a messy breakup with unresolved feelings before, but I still thought it was great! I can’t even imagine how I would handle it. I’d most likely behave just like Andy did, though I hate to admit it.

This book has so much heart and so much humor sprinkled throughout. It reminded me that no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to advocate for the kind of life you want to live and the kind of relationships you want to be in.

p.s. I was not expecting that last little section (but I won't say because of ~spoilers~) but i’m genuinely so glad we got it. The book would’ve felt a little incomplete had that not been included.

Dolly Alderton is a must-read author because she knows how describe human emotions and intricacies with respect to love and relationships like no other, which made me a huge fan of her predecessor novel, “Ghosts.” Her newest book “Good Material” is no different-I found myself nodding my head several times at what seemed like an accurate reflection of my own life or thought processes. A complex romantic relationship + depth + humor = a book I truly enjoy. It was just a tad bit slow at times, so I can’t give 5 stars, but find 4 stars ⭐️ to be appropriate for this one. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

I could not finish #goodmaterial. I'm giving the 1/3 I read a weak two stars.

I write this with some amount of sadness b/c I enjoy #readwithjenna and have found some delightful books among her choices. Just not this one.

Maybe Andy's a good guy. It's hard to tell from his interior monologue. He spends a good amount of time complaining and making snarky comments about Jen, his former girlfriend, so it's hard to see why he wants her back.

Not compelling to me on any level.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

I am so glad I got to read this novel thru NetGalley! It’s an emotional journey with the main character a 35 year old stand up comedian and at times I loved him and other times was horrified by him. Dolly Alderton has a gift for exploring the psyche of both main characters in this novel and one of the best parts is the final pages in the voice of the female half of the couple which is eye opening. I do recommend this book !

I was uninitiated with the writings of Dolly Alderton though her presence in the literary world preceded my reading of her work. Safe to say that the following she has cultivated is entirely warranted.

Good Material is an exploration of the aftermath of a breakup in your early thirties. Rather than dour and bleak, Good Material is equal parts heartfelt, cringe-inducingly real, and at times very very funny.

There's so much here to appeal to readers of all sorts but I felt especially connected to the story as a thirty-something who often wonders what would happen at the dissolution of my now decade-long relationship. Would my friends who were single when I found my partner now find me confusing and pity me when I reached out to hang out? Andy's friends try to support him but their lives have moved on in the intervening years since he got together with Jen and now he doesn't know how to fill his days.

His career still isn't where he hoped it would be and he wonders if this is really why Jen broke up with him. He takes these thoughts about why Jen might have broken up with him to the absolute limit. He even at one point books a fake therapy appointment to see if he can make the therapist give him the answer he suspects Jen's therapist gave her regarding their eventual breakup. He reconnects, awkwardly and unnecessarily with some of his previous exes. He begins taking daily photos of his bald-spot. Essentially, he spirals completely downwards.

I thought it was refreshing the way Alderton used the male perspective in this story. Instead of an unhinged woman post breakup, we're allowed to consider the situation of a similarly confused man. Andy's story is relatable and funny. That space in between youth and middle-age is keenly felt.

About 2/3 of the way through, we switch from Andy's perspective to Jen's. The story picks up quite a bit from there and it is a lot more comfortable to be inside Jen's head (though as I've said above, I feel like I learned a lot being inside Andy's head).

Altogether, Good Material proves that Alderton is a keen observer of the human condition and I feverishly tore through this story as so many others will.

This was my first Dolly Alderton novel after hearing about her for years. Many compare her to Sally Rooney as she writes so well for millennials. I would say that’s a fair assessment. She seems to be my generation’s answer to Nora Ephron, and the heartbreak/romantic comedy. I’m not a huge fan of romances but I do enjoy a book that accurately depicts what heartbreak is like. I would categorize this book as a “realistic romance” as opposed to one read for escapism. I found Alderton’s writing to be very readable and enjoyable. The conversations felt very realistic and believable, not an easy thing to do with books in this genre. This also took me back to Helen Fielding and Bridget Jones’ Diary. I am now compelled to read Alderton’s other work after reading Good Material.

I absolutely loved "Good Material" by Dolly Alderton! It reminded me in all the best ways of my favorite romcom, "When Harry Met Sally"--no surprise to see Alderton name check Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner in her acknowledgements--but told from the first-person perspective of Harry after Helen leaves him (IYKYK). In this case, the Harry figure is Andy, a struggling comedian whose life unravels after Jen, his live-in girlfriend of four years, abruptly calls it quits. Part of the fun of "Good Material" is mapping the novel's similarities to the film; Andy's best friend Avi is married to Jen's best friend Jane, and together they fill the same roles as Jess and Marie did in "When Harry Met Sally." And when Andy bumps into Jen and her new boyfriend Seb in an awkward encounter on a London street, it's impossible not to think of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top"--Andy is even holding a microphone at that moment. But there's so much more to love about "Good Material"--the Greek chorus of Andy's drinking buddies ineptly trying to console him; Andy's hilarious attempts to find a new place to live, which involve a shady houseboat landlord and a 78-year-old conspiracy theorist; the struggles of millennial Andy to understand the cryptic Instagram posts of his new GenZ girlfriend Sophie; the ups and very big downs of Andy's comedy club gigs, peppered throughout with the obsessive social media stalking and WhatsApp history wallowing that marks the modern breakup. Andy is a fantastic flawed character, and Alderton manages to pull off the high wire act of putting readers (well, this reader at least) completely on his side without making them dislike Jen. And when, in the final pages of the book, Jen narrates the arc of her relationship with Andy from her own perspective, everything seems to click into place in a wholly satisfying conclusion. I will be insisting that my friends and family and probably even total strangers on the street read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Alfred A Knopf publishers for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review. Loved it!

I loved this book about a middling comedian in London whose girlfriend just dumped him. He tries to forget her but cannot stop thinking about there and he's not sure he wants to.

This was my first fiction read by Dolly and it’s unfortunate that I didn’t particularly enjoy it. I love her non-fiction books but this was not the type of style I could enjoy. Andy is clearly written to be a frustrating character to follow which is okay but it felt like we were provided with such unnecessary descriptions that it made me question why I was being told this. We get a glimpse into Jen's POV in the last 15% which was nice but it wasn't an overwhelmingly a great save for the overall story.

Dolly Alderton strikes again! The wit, the humor, the self-reflection of the main character -- it's all there in true Alderton fashion. If you enjoyed her previous novel, GHOSTS, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try as it deals with similar themes.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

Andy is quite unlikeable even though I really did feel for him. Having him as the main character is difficult at times because he's irritating. The book completely changes and comes full circle in the last 10% and it made me appreciate it so much more.

Alderton is a great writer and every one of her books makes me think & feel!

TY to NetGalley for an eBook copy and thank you to the publisher for a physical copy!

I really liked this take on a breakup story and all the confusion that can come with it. Andy was a relatable character with some interesting insights about his situation along the way. I will say that his desperation at figuring out the why of the breakup got a bit much for me at times but that also felt somewhat realistic for how it can feel to live with uncertainty. I also appreciated getting to see the story from the other character, Jen's, perspective. It gave the plot a good balance and kept me invested. I really love Dolly Alderton's writing so I knew I would enjoy this book and I am excited to keep reading her work. Thank you to Dolly Alderton, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

💚BOOK REVIEW💚

Thank you @prhaudio and @aaknopf for my gifted copies!

Good Material - Dolly Alderton
Rating: 4.5/5

“In this sharply funny and exquisitely relatable story of romantic disaster and friendship, Dolly Alderton offers up a love story with two endings, demonstrating once again why she is one of the most exciting writers today, and the true voice of a generation.“

I got a bit bored with this book throughout the last half but the chapter from Jen’s point of view totally made up for it. You spend the majority of the book processing a breakup from male wanna-be comedian - which becomes as tedious as it sounds. He’s a little weird and definitely an over thinker which I related to. I loved that the chapters from Jen really show that there are always two sides to every story.

Recommend if you like:
- Insightful writing
- Exploring dating/breakups from realistic POVs
- Literary fiction
- Not getting a HEA
- Layered characters

****Solid 4 stars!**** There were some funny moments and I loved being inside Andy's head...seeing things from his perspective. And then from Jen's perspective. Well written and enjoyable!!

First book I've read by Dolly Alderton and I really enjoyed it. I'm interested to read more of her books after this. It kept me intriqued the entire time and I read this very quickly.

This is a witty novel. Thanks so much for the review copy. This book has lots of clever parts throughout it.

I've heard so many glowing review for this one. I admit, it was fun and different-story of a break up told from a man's point of view. I liked that the characters weren't in their twenties, but in their mid thirties. However, it just was okay for me. I thought the ending made me like even more, but the middle was a bit slow for me. I think many readers will love this, but I'm finding that books about just relationship issues don't always work for me.

🧦 Good Material - Dolly Alderton

4.5 ⭐️- Jenna Bush knew what she was doing when she picked this one for her book club! Talk about real, raw, and relatable. I need every person on this planet to read this book. We have all experienced these events or had a friend experience them and it’s time to normalize that we all go through the same shit at different times in our lives.