Circle of Friends [Paperback]

There is much more to the novel than the film ever lets on. It is much more thorough, the characters are even more fully developed---generally, it's a masterpiece. It quickly became one of my favorite books of all time after reading it.

Binchy's talent for writing about Ireland and the Irish people is unmatched. Her understanding of the Catholic faith, and the Catholic guilt that comes hand-in-hand with it is pure. The novel is a wonderful exploration of young people in Ireland, and it is exceedingly successful. The characters in this book will never leave my heart. The sights of Ireland, have been ingrained in my mind. The tales Binchy has woven to create this exquisite novel are unmatched. Having traveled to Ireland, and experienced the culture and sights, I can say with first-hand experience that Maeve Binchy is accurate, and weaves a beautiful tale that anyone who loves Ireland will enjoy.

But the book shows exactly how large the circle of friends actually is. It delves more deeply into the lives of Eve, raised by nuns who love her as a daughter, and Nan, the beautiful friend from a wretched family. Eve is also a shunned relative of the rich family with whom Nan is attempting to affiliate herself.

Benny's relationships with her parents are also more thoroughly examined, as is her growth from child to woman in the face of her father's death, going to college and meeting her first love -- and getting her heart broken.

Also - Jack (O'Donnell in the movie) is not the golden good guy that Hollywood paints him out to be. He willingly and knowingly cheats on Benny with Nan, which is far more realistic than the film version where he is liquored up by Nan who then uses him.

Again, Binchy's lilting writing style brings the little Irish vilage of Knockglen and the bustling city of Dublin to life, and she succeeds in keeping her myriad characters (more than in the movie!) on track, believable and interesting.

I think every woman in the world can identify with Benny when she meets Jack --- can't quite believe such a great guy would look at her, much less make her his girlfriend. And you will feel for her and root for her.

I feel there were many aspects of the relationship between Jack and Benny which could have been more thoroughly and interestingly explored. They never really explain how Jack is feeling or why. It just seems that, at one point, he invites all these women to his home because he can't decide who should be his date, and then, all of a sudden, he is "in love" with Benny. There is very little dialogue between these two characters - no real sense as to why Benny and Jack are in love.

Also, I never quite understood the Simon Westward character. Did he have money or didn't he? Nan seemed to want him for his money, but then at other times in the book it says that he had none.

Well, I enjoyed Tara Road (my first Maeve Binchy novel) a lot more than this one. I think I have now read my last Binchy.