There are TWO many characters in this story. Full stop. Clocking in at an overwhelming 46, it is impossible to connect to or care for people on such a broad scale. I applaud the author for the breadth of their creativity, but I really could not engage with so many perspectives at once. I really struggled with the prose, which is heavy on dialogue and light on description. Overall, this book had a really cool premise, but the execution tripped over itself and lost me about half way through. Also, TW for fatphobia :(

Really disappointing. Didn't like the tone, couldn't care about the characters or the story and it felt way too long

I loved so much about this cast of characters and their various mishaps. I did find it hard to keep track of everyone at first, but once I was in the groove of things I just fell in love with the story.

Publication date: April 15,2025

Friends of the Museum is a beautifully written and introspective novel with poetic prose and a deep exploration of art, memory, and human connection. Heather McGowan crafts a quiet yet powerful story that lingers long after reading.

Thank you netgalley and Atria Books

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Engaging story. Was pulled in from the beginning. Relatable characters. Would definitely pick up other works by this author!

3.75 Stars

Friends of the Museum is a slice of life following 24 hours in the lives of employees of a museum. In a minute-by-minute play of the day, we learn of the personal and professional struggles of these employees as they attempt to host their annual fundraising gala.

Based on the Goodreads description of this book mentioning "in the morning someone will be dead", I expected this to be a more mystery/thriller plot driven novel than it actually was. Instead, Friends of the Museum is a character study of the various ways one may be unsatisfied in the personal or professional life and how their perspectives can shift over a 24 hour period. The characters are the strength of the novel, as each was written so distinctly and realistically. The unique format of a minute-by-minute day led to an incredible flowing pace, making the character and setting seem interconnected.

While I had different expectations for this book, I think it was masterfully written and will be a great fit for fans of Fredrick Backman and Sally Rooney.

This book had so much promise. I started reading this and got confused. I could not keep track of who was who. DNF.

This book was not for me. I didn’t realize there was going to be so many different points of view. The synopsis sounded so interesting, but unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with the handful of characters. I liked that the story takes place in a museum. The museum setting gave off this dark and moody vibe, but I didn’t like where the storyline ended up going. I wanted to love it but I was too distracted by this messy dark comedy.

This book caught my eye because I saw Mona Awad had reviewed it, and unfortunately this one wasn’t quite what I was expecting! It was also a lot more disturbing than I thought it would be and there are definitely some trigger warnings to keep in mind. I did not mind this book but will probably forget about it.

I was unable to finish this and thus will not be posting a full review. I wasn't engaged and this book just wasn't for me. I was so confused by how the dialog was written and it gave me a headache. Thank you for the opportunity.

First of all I have to commend the author for creating this book and effectively telling a story that involved a large cast of characters, a very live action feeling timeline and a lot of plot points that interwove with one another. There was a lot going on in this book and a lot of characters to keep track of but I do think that it was a very interesting sort of literary fiction. Because it followed nearly every minute of a day at a New York City museum it almost felt like you were in the moment living it in live action which was really interesting. Also I have to say that I love the cover and think that that dichotomy of harsh classical art mixed with the modern bright font really captures the heart of the book.

Friends of the Museum is an almost minute-by-minute tale of 24 hours at an art museum in New York City. As the museum is on the verge of collapse, we meet a massive cast of characters, all with their jobs, secrets, a case of rampant food poisoning, and personal turmoils.

What Heather McGowan has done could be considered a massive undertaking. All of the moving parts, keeping various character voices consistent, as well as the multi-storylines, weaving them in and around each other, is masterful. This is a bit difficult to read if you aren't paying close attention. Internal thoughts and feelings are not separated from outside conversations. Multiple characters can be talking and thinking at the same time. However, this is the natural way of life, isn't it? We are all having conversations, while thinking about a million other things, with people we are loosely connected to who are also connected to others.

While the overall plots of stolen artifacts, budgets, death, relationships, and the future all combine, it's genuinely the people - Diane, Shay, Henry, Chad, everyone - that make this a readable story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The description of this book was up my alley. I was very excited to read this. However, I couldn’t get through past 30%. This book was written in a way that had me confused. The dialogue between people was not clear, I couldn’t tell what was inner monologue or what was spoken by who.
I do appreciate being chosen for my first ARC but this one was not for me.

If the first season of The White Lotus were set in a fading New York City museum, it would look a lot like Friends of the Museum. This darkly funny, chaotic novel drops readers into a single extraordinary day, weaving together the stories of an ensemble cast as they hurtle toward an inevitable disaster.

I’ll admit, it took me a few starts and stops to find my rhythm with this one. The sheer number of characters—while well-drawn and compelling—can be a lot to juggle. (Thankfully, the book provides a handy reference list at the beginning!) But once I settled into the groove, I found myself captivated by the way the narrative continuously unfolds, rather than following a traditional chapter-by-chapter structure. The novel starts at 4:30 a.m. and keeps moving forward in real time, layering perspectives and tension as the museum’s annual gala looms ever closer.

While this won’t be a book for everyone, I think some of the harsher reviews have been unfair. If the premise intrigues you, I’d encourage you to give it time—this is a novel that rewards patience. It’s a hefty read, but one best approached the way you would your favorite Sunday night drama: sit back, settle in, and let the chaos unfold.

I was initially drawn to Friends of the Museum because of its stunning cover (guilty) and the premise—I love both The White Lotus and art museums. But what really sold me was the five-star endorsement from Mona Awad. If an author known for writing brilliantly unhinged characters loved this, I knew I was in for a treat.

Final Verdict: A sharp, ambitious tragicomedy that might not be for everyone but is absolutely worth the ride for those who enjoy messy, character-driven stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books | Washington Square Press for the eARC.

I was excited and intrigued by the premise of this novel and was not disappointed. One thing I particularly enjoyed about "Friends of the Museum" was the unusual formatting. As other reviewers have mentioned, the way the dialogue is presented makes it appear as lines in a play, which was so interesting to me. However, I sometimes struggled with the large cast of characters, although it would make sense for all of them to be involved in the event. At times the pacing felt a bit slow, but more often than not, the story moved quickly enough for me.

Set over a 24-hour period, a large cast of characters working at a museum in New York City prepare for their annual gala.

I struggled through the first 10% of this book just trying to keep track of who the heck anyone was (a LOT of characters are thrown at you). I started a list just to keep track of how everyone knew each other, which actually became so fun after a bit—the gossip that was revealed about everyone's personal lives bleeding into their professional lives was *chef's kiss*. The writing was witty and fast-paced (but lost me a bit by the end unfortunately, I wanted everything to truly blow up in a bigger way).

I used to work big gala events at one of my previous jobs, and it was fun to feel that last minute frenzy of it all—everyone scrambling around to get their shit together while simultaneously running into hurdle after hurdle, etc. etc. Also, reading this in the dead of winter in the suburbs of Boston made me soooo homesick for New York. A character had a whole monologue on loving being young and feeling alive in the city and I NEED to be young and alive in New York.

Thank you to Heather McGowan, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

As an arts administration student and someone who used to work for a museum (albeit much smaller than the one in the book), I had been eager to read "Friends of the Museum" ever since I came across it on a list of anticipated 2025 releases. I am happy to say it lived up to my expectations.

The book follows a large cast of characters over one 24-hour period at a museum in New York City. Though much of the book is centered on the characters' work at the Museum leading up to their annual gala, it also delves into their personal lives and explores their shared history. I found myself most drawn to the stories of Diane, the Museum's Director, and her assistant Chris; and Shay, the Museum's Chief Security Officer. While the comparison to White Lotus is apt, I would compare it more to Veep if it had been set in an art museum—especially the relationship between Diane and Chris. The writing was witty and fast-paced, and despite all the hurdles the staff had to overcome, it made me want to work in a Museum of this stature. If you've ever worked a major fundraising event, you'll find the depiction of the Museum's donors and gala guests to be especially realistic.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it may not be for everyone. The writing style and sheer volume of characters takes some getting used to. The author does not use quotation marks, instead opting for dashes to indicate dialogue, which makes it read almost more like a play. The list of characters provided at the beginning is helpful, although it is not inclusive of everyone who appears throughout the book's 500 pages. I found myself referencing it frequently for about the first 30% of the book before I felt as if I had a good enough grasp on who was who to go without it. If you have the patience to get acquainted with the characters, this book is worth sticking with!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book!

Friends of the Museum sounded fun, intriguing, and dynamic and the synopsis was compelling. It was the opposite for me - boring. I may not be the target audience and encourage readers to look at other reviews.

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Employees at a NYC museum had so much more on their minds – besides art. This book was packed with all sorts of reflections from a list of 46 high-level employees, Board members and donors. They had a lot to say regarding their relationships, food and fashion. My favorite part was when opinions were shared about current political views.

Just like the cover with someone scratching his head, I felt the same way when I started reading. It took some time to adjust to the author’s free-style writing with dashes rather than quotes.

There was something different also with chapter headings. It started at 5:30 a.m. and ended 24 hours later. The parts jumped from one person to another with advanced time slots. I felt like I was the new employee trying to keep everyone’s names straight in my head. Fortunately, a list was provided.

The staff was gearing up for a gala later in the day. They talked about art and donors but not enough. I wanted to know more about the exhibits. I noticed that on the list of key positions, there wasn't a Development Officer which I found to be odd with major fundraising objectives.

Remarks were made about diversity, women’s sizes, and women’s ages. It showed the typical flattering sales approach with a donor to get support. Were the wealthy patrons even thinking about art? It was a long book much like some days at work when the clock is ticking.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 15, 2025.

The blurb makes this book sound fast paced and full of antics, but it's just...not. The pacing is off, and for something that's supposed to happen across 24 hours, it just drags. You'd think it was weeks and weeks.