Best of Friends

A Novel

By: Kamila Shamsie

Narrated by: Tania Rodrigues

“A profound novel about friendship. I loved it to pieces.” —Madeline Miller

“A shining tour de force about a long friendship’s respects, disrespects, loyalties and moralities.” —Ali Smith

From the acclaimed author of Home Fire, the moving and surprising story of a lifelong friendship and the forces that bring it to the breaking point
Zahra and Maryam have been best friends since childhood in Karachi, even though—or maybe because—they are unlike in nearly every way. Yet they never speak of the differences in their backgrounds or their values, not even after the fateful night when a moment of adolescent impulse upends their plans for the future.

Three decades later, Zahra and Maryam have grown into powerful women who have each cut a distinctive path through London. But when two troubling figures from their past resurface, they must finally confront their bedrock differences—and find out whether their friendship can survive.

Thought-provoking, compassionate, and full of unexpected turns, Best of Friends offers a riveting take on an age-old question: Does principle or loyalty make for the better friend?

Critic reviews

Praise for Best of Friends:

“Rich and deeply personal. . . . In poetic prose, Shamsie details the small ways friends imprint themselves on each other: the secrets shared, the mutual pop-star crushes, the books passed between them, how a best friend can become a fixture in a family home.” —Los Angeles Times

“[A] captivating portrayal of two women trying to learn whether a once-treasured friendship can overcome differences.” —The Washington Post

“Unputdownable.” —Real Simple

“Sophisticated and poignant. . . . [brings] exquisite nuance [to its] depiction of long-lasting friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Shamsie is superb at interweaving personal dilemmas and political realities. . . . Her continually surprising story, in which repercussions have further repercussions, vibrates with contemporary concerns, from social media privacy to immigration. The novel also wisely observes the enigmatic nature of longtime friendships. . . and shows how female power transforms over time. The protagonists will stay in readers’ minds long after this piercingly honest novel concludes.” —Booklist (starred)

Praise for Home Fire:

“Ingenious and love-struck … builds to one of the most memorable final scenes I’ve read in a novel this century.” –The New York Times

“Urgent and explosive. . . near perfect. . . a difficult book to put down.” —NPR

“A haunting novel, full of dazzling moments and not a few surprising turns...Home Fire blazes with the kind of annihilating devastation that transcends grief.” —Washington Post

“Achingly good. . . [and] shrewdly subversive.” —The New York Times Book Review

Just ok - disappointing at times

The story in this book was just ok. The beauty and strength of the friendship gets warped and twisted and seems to become meaningless, which is really disappointing.

Pivotal event causes major changes

There is more tension in this novel than one might expect. At first, it seems like an ordinary friendship, even when a particular event occurs. It is obviously one that shakes the characters, but it is a while before it becomes clear just how much it affects not only the trajectory of their lives, but their frienship. When the timeline shifts to their adulthood, it is a a bit awkward and I found it hard to follow, having to go back and replay parts, but I stuck with it because I was already invested and the author is one of my favorites. It may have been easier to follow if I read it in a different format. Still, I appreciate the story and the complications.

enjoyed the writing and imagery

a very easy book to read, but the story was a little disappointing. I wanted more from it, and the ending didn't really match the effort put into the rest of the book.

the narrator was good, but her voice changed when i guess she started and ended recordings so sometimes it took a second to refocus on the story.