Cover Image: The Three of Us

The Three of Us

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Member Reviews

I feel like this book is wasted potential in a big way - i was so interested in the characters and what was going to happen, and nothing ever did. I also didn't particularly like the characters very much? they all brought out the worst in each other and it didn't seem like anyone liked anyone. I wanted more from this book.

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I liked this a lot! A quick interesting read that honestly just left me wanting more. I want to know what happens next! An interesting situation for sure.

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The three of us explores the various dynamics in a different relationship one is a part of. It’s a short book and is super easy to through. We explore a woman and her friend and their relationship; woman and her husbands and the husband and the friends relationship. You know that there is going to be drama, deceit and emotions as you go in. But the story grasps your attention in a weird way leaving you wanting more.

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The Three of Us had a lot going for it in terms of writing and early momentum. I was sucked in and so interested in the characters and what might happen. Then nothing happened. The whole book takes place within an afternoon/evening and features the perspectives of all 3 characters, none of whom I particularly liked. It was rough watching each bring out the worst in each other over and over with no one able to call a stop or set clear boundaries.

While rich in perspective with a wonderful writing style, this didn’t spark joy for me and I was left disappointed by a cliffhanger ending right when any kind of outward conflict made its appearance. Fans of character driven books seeking to better understand cross cultural exploration and family dynamics will still enjoy this! I just need a little more action.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I wanted to like it but couldn’t relate to any of the characters and the repetitive nature of the story.

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I liked the humor, insight, and style of the novel. It was a quick and entertaining read that kept me engaged.
I disliked the lack of closure, depth, and originality of the novel. It felt like the author was trying to shock the reader with a twist that did not make sense.

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This is a delicious book, full of interpersonal drama and the dissonance between expectations and reality. Love the tension between the three characters and learning about their inner worlds. Such dynamics characters!

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This book has definitely gotten some negative reviews but I really thought it was so well done. This may not be something I would normally pick up - it has very little plot and is mostly just a trio of character studies. I found it so interesting how my opinion of all three characters changed consistently while reading each section. I think this is so well done and highly recommend it.

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Thank you, NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons, for this book's gifted e-galley.
This was an interesting look at the dynamics between the husband and the best friend with the wife/friend caught in between. I liked the writing and the idea of the story but the structure of it did not work for me.
All 3 characters are satirically unlikeable to the extreme level; each thinks they are the victim and are right, and everyone is out to get them. I wish there were more of a conclusion at the end, it felt like it suddenly stopped. I liked the way the author presented 3 different POVs and how the book is set over the course of 1 day but still goes back into the past to paint an accurate character representation.
This book will work if you love weird literary fiction.

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2.5 This book wasn’t for me for such a short book it seemed to go on for a while. This story follows three people each from their own perspective the wife the husband and the friend. The husband and the friend don’t get along and the wife is kind of in a position where she is going to have to make a choice. I thought the idea of this story was really interesting and relatable but the writing was a little slow paced for me and was much more of a character study than I usually read but at the same time I felt like the characters were pretty flat. The writing style was unique and I enjoyed the premise but it was just a little too slow for me. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

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What a good debut novel. The cover, the writing, the character development was so well done. I would def read more by the author.

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This was not it for me. None of the characters were likable IMO, and whether that's the point or not I dont care. I will not enjoy a book with unlikable characters. The structure of the book was also just... too much. I couldn't follow it.

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I loved the dark humor in this British novella from 3 perspectives. If you liked My Sister, The Serial Killer, give this one a read!

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When I first started reading The Three of Us, I thought it might be an interesting look into a polyamorous relationship, and the dynamics thereof. That’s not what I got, however. It was an interesting look into the dynamics of a relationship, but not the one I was expecting.

This seems really confusing, and sometimes it is.

So, many times in books, I feel like men who complain about how their wives treat them are being too sensitive. Because, come on, just because the pork chops get burnt, or the meal isn’t on the table right at 7pm, doesn’t mean she’s the worst wife in the world.

In The Three of Us, though, I’m kind of with husband in his points. He doesn’t complain about how his wife treats him, he complains about hos his wife acts when her best friend is around. Best friend makes snide comments about him, and instead of defending him, wife agrees, or laughs along with what is obviously not a joke. To me, and to husband, it’s obvious that best friend is trying to break them up, because she has this odd idea that she and wife aren’t meant to be married to anyone, and are meant to travel the world and be independent women.

While I can’t fault best friend for having this ideal, the fact that she’s held so tightly to it that she is trying to break up what is a happy marriage otherwise, and the fact that wife is so insecure in her own mental health that she allows her best friend to “be who she’s going to be” is really frustrating. So yeah, I’m on husband’s side in this little dysfunctional threesome. Once you read the book, if you have a different idea of what’s going on, and if you’re on a different side, please come back and let me know in the comments. This would be a great book to get a little psychological discussion going about, because of the three separate dynamics presented. It’s really interesting, and I honestly had trouble putting it down, even though parts of it truly frustrated me to the nth degree.

I can’t really say too much about specific parts of the book, and my normal questions I ask myself, such as “who would I invite to a dinner party?” aren’t really going to do much for this particular review. My recommendation is going to be this, however. Read It. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I don’t say this to try to sway your decision one way or another, but it does feature black african characters.

If you’ve been trying to diversify your reading, or if you enjoy books with black or non-white characters, I encourage you to give it a shot. I did notice a few references to African culture points, even though the book is set in England, I believe. If I remember correctly, the wife and her friend are Nigerian, so there were a few references to that particular culture that I found interesting. I grew up with a couple kids from Nigeria, and have always found that part of the world fascinating. If, like me, you do too, this book will add to your repitoire of knowledge, however small it may be.

One more reason to recommend The Three of Us is the psychology of relationships. The three people involved in the story are hugely different, and what they bring to the table is so different. Those differences create a dynamic that’s unique and original, and may cause you to look at your own relationships in a new and different light. If the psychology of friendship and marriage is interesting to you, even in a fictional setting, I encourage you to check out The Three of Us.

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The Three of Us makes us think about something that's a real fear for many women. It's all about a wife whose husband and best friend absolutely hate each other. How is that women supposed to feel when her two worlds can't seem to co-exist? She does pretty well for a while but one day some secrets come out and everything threatens to implode.

This story was told in three parts: the wife, the husband, and the best friend. It's fairly short, which makes it quite readable. It was a little different with it being just three main chapters, but it was kind of interesting to read that way.

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I really felt like this whole book was almost one long run on sentence. There wasn’t much point to the story

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I felt like so much was missing yet there was so much of the same being repeated. I hated all three characters so it was hard to get buy in.

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The three of us by @oreawilliams is the perfect book to read on a flight, on a float in the pool, on top of sand, sitting alone at the bar or commuting. Unfortunately I read this on my couch sober. Such a missed opportunity.

In three parts, the wife, the husband, and the best friend over the course of a day share their perspective and how their past and truths shape the role they have in each other's lives. The story was funny and stretched through the pages. I believed what I was reading. I had favorite characters. I am so toxic I wanted to read a threesum instead what I got to enjoy was how ms.best friend thought she was the best thing to happen to Ms. Wife and Mister husband thought providing as a man was enough. You get to see how they each experienced one evening, they weren't processing it the same way and I think books like this are important. You get to hold room for others and not what's going on in your head.

I read this too fast to annotate my favorite lines so I will be reading again.

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Should have been a one act play or a short story. An overly schematic triangle of unappealing characters locked in a tug of affection and ownership. Silly, superficial, wine-soaked and unappealing.

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I like a few parts of this. I’m just so sad about the not ending. It kept me reading but it took me longer than it should being so short. I will pick up another book from this author. It makes me so sad to say I did not like this one.

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