Review : Something Borrowed

Posted by kay on March 29, 2009 12:23 am in 4 stars reads | 5 comments

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin
Pages : 322
Genre : chick lit
My Rating : 4/5

Rachel and Darcy have been friends since their childhood. Of the two, Darcy has always been the star of the story while Rachel watched on the sidelines, always doing the “right” thing. All this changes when, on the night of her thirtieth birthday, Darcy’s fiancé, Dexter, ends up in Rachel’s bed. Rachel, first terrified of their mistake being discovered by Darcy, soon realizes that night might not have been a mistake, after all; her feelings for Dexter are strong, and they then engage in an affair.

While the basics of the story are a little predictable, it is the characters of Something Borrowed that sets this book apart from the others of the genre. Griffin is excellent at making them realistic, loveable but not perfect, putting everything in perspective. You feel sorry for Darcy as much as you are annoyed by her attitude, and you feel sad for Rachel despite knowing what she is doing is wrong. I thought there was a great honesty in Rachel’s conflicted feelings and the way she described them, mostly avoiding self-pity;

Fear must supersede all other emotions – stifling shame or regret – because crazily enough, I do not seem to feel guilty about betraying my best friend. The only real guilt I can muster is guilt over not feeling guilty. But I will repent later, just as soon as I know that I am safe.

Quickly enough, I was rooting for her and Dexter to be together – maybe feeling a little guilty of it at first, feeling as if I was there patting Rachel on the shoulder, encouraging their hidden relationship. As their affair – and their love – evolves, this is also for Rachel the opportunity to re-evaluate her friendship with Darcy. She goes through the memories that link them together, from their childhood to the present, all the while living a double life: sleeping with Dexter on night, dining with Darcy the day after. 

As the reader soon discovers, Darcy’s frienship is as much a gift as it is a burden for Rachel. Darcy is self-centered, capricious and wants all eyes on her. She flirts with other men (but would never accept her man flirting with other girls), decides of everything and has absolutely no empathy for her friends. Not exactly the kind of friend you’d want to have. The more you discover of her temper, the less guilty you feel for rooting for her husband-to-be and his mistress. I won’t say I didn’t feel sorry for her at times though, and I am quite curious to read Something Blue, wich tells the story from her point of view. Can Griffin make her more loveable? Will her friendship with Rachel be repaired? What will she learn from this? Hopefully, the sequel will answer those questions.

Something Borrowed was definitely a fun read; it is fast-paced and real in the details, with great dialogues.  If you’re looking for a great chick lit with interesting characters, this might be just what you need!