Mary Murphy 

Managing Editor 

mem6812@psu.edu

Sally Rooney’s novels serve a distinct purpose. They speak to a demographic of 20-something, college-going and socially conscious young women. Rooney’s main characters are generally similar in tone–apathetic, witty, intelligent and thoughtful–and her debut novel “Conversations with Friends” certainly set that expectation. 

The novel follows Frances, the main character, and chronicles her various tumultuous relationships. These relationships feel bitterly authentic–mostly in the ways they are imperfect and messy. What’s even more authentic about the story are the vulnerable, insecure and occasionally selfish thoughts Frances shares with the reader. She is certainly a flawed character, exactly as she should be. Thoughts like these are not uncommon, everybody is less than perfect inside their own head, which is exactly why Frances’ flaws make her feel so real. 

Beyond her main characters, Rooney has a talent for making her secondary characters appear intriguing and mysterious. This may be due to the fact that they are viewed only through, in the case of “Conversations with Friends,” Frances’ eyes and she views them as such, but the point stands regardless. Specifically, the characters of Nick and Melissa were quite interesting. Unraveling the mystery of who Nick and Melissa are, generally and to one another, was what kept the story entertaining. 

The deeper themes of the novel certainly speak to the audience Rooney writes for. Feeling less than and searching for validation was an undercurrent of the novel. Though never directly stated, Frances’ relationships often come off as satiating her need for acceptance and validation. The characters she has significant intimate relationships with fill a void in her life, if only for a moment. This doesn’t make the relationships any less real or passionate. It simply shows that they serve a deeper purpose in Frances’ life, and, again, it is the gritty realism of that truth that sets the novel apart from the rest. 

Another subtle theme is that of acknowledging social issues and the role that personal privilege plays in those issues. Rooney’s characters are often socially and class conscious and issues of race, class, education and more frequent the text. Whether these conversations strike a chord or fall flat is up to each individual reader.  

Character driven and episodic, “Conversations with Friends” isn’t for everyone. Some enjoy reading stories in which nothing overly grand or exciting happens, stories where reading between the lines and being invested in the characters is a must. If one such person picks up “Conversations with Friends” they are likely to enjoy it. Otherwise, Rooney’s novel, its niche audience appeals and compelling characters included, may not be the right book to pick up.