Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane #1

by Kristin Hannah

A Conversation with Kristin Hannah

Why did you choose Seattle as the backdrop for Firefly Lane? Is there something unique about growing up in the Northwest that helped you to define the kind of women Kate and Tully become?

[image]Kristin Quite simply, I chose Seattle as the backdrop for Firefly Lane because it's so much a part of who I am. I've lived in the Northwest for most of my life, and obviously, in all those years, I've seen this part of the country evolve from an undiscovered gem into the Emerald City. So many of the places from my youth are gone, or changed, or moved, and I guess I wanted to remember the physical reminders of those bygone days. And while Kate and Tully are absolutely Northwest girls, I like to think their story will speak to women who grew up in vastly different, more populated areas. After all, it's ultimately about friendship, and those seeds can be planted anywhere.

While you were writing, at any point did you find yourself feeling more sympathetic to Kate or to Tully? How did you keep the weight of the plot balanced between them as their stories evolved?

There's no way to avoid the truth that Kate is more than a little like me. Thus, I identified with her from the very beginning--she was the small town girl who had to get up in the pre-dawn hours to feed her horses, and read The Lord of the Rings during every family vacation, and felt lost in the first few months at the sprawling University of Washington. All of that was me, so naturally, the problem was not in feeling sympathetic toward Katie; it was much more about holding her at arm's length, seeing her not as an extension of myself, but as a completely fictional woman. Tully was a different story entirely. While many readers might be surprised by this, I really fell in love with Tully. In the final analysis, she's one of my favorite characters of all time. I know she's bold and selfish and myopic and ambitious to a fault, but she's also terribly broken, wounded by her parents, unable to believe in love, and ultimately very real. I think all of us know a "Tully" in our lives, and they bring a lot of drama...and a lot of fire and sparkle.

You have a beautiful way of showing both the tension and tenderness between mothers and daughters. Was it a challenge to write Tully's painful history with her own mother, and later, the conflict that builds between Kate and her own daughter?

Honestly, I believe that the mother-daughter relationship is magical, complex, potentially dangerous, profoundly powerful, and deeply transformative. To put it simply, all of us have this relationship, and in a very real way, "none of us comes out alive." We are all formed first as daughters and then tested as mothers. There's nothing like motherhood to make us reassess how we were as daughters. One of my favorite parts of Firefly Lane was the circle of Kate's relationship with her mom. First we see her as an angry teen, slamming the door on her mother...and then later her own daughter does the same thing to her. There's a real symmetry in that, a truth that many of us have learned. I have often wished in the past few years that my mom were here to help me as I raised my own teenage son. As a girl, with my own mom, I thought I knew it all; now I know better. Somewhere, I know my mom is smiling.

Throughout the novel, both Kate and Tully question the reliability of love. Is it that question that creates the rift between them and, ultimately, reunites them in friendship?

You're right, they each do continually question the reliability of love. For Kate, it's a self-esteem issue. She absolutely believes in love--she's grown up surrounded by it--but she constantly questions Johnny's commitment to her. I always felt that was largely because she felt like a moon to Tully's bright and shining sun. For Tully, she honestly doesn't believe that true romantic love exists, and for all of her overblown ambition and belief in herself, she has been wounded by her mother's repeated abandonment. The result is that she feels she's unlovable.

Kate and Tully are each big personalities in their own way. Was it hard to create male characters who really understand them?

The challenge with regard to male characters was not so much creating men who understood Kate and Tully, it was rather to create love stories that equaled the power and emotional intensity of the friendship. After all, the men in the story were important--Johnny particularly--but it was really a story about the...

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Friendship

637 pages, Library Binding

First published February 5, 2008

About the author

Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People's Choice award for best fiction in the same year. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week. In 2018,

The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore's bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.

Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.

Her new novel, The Women, about a young woman coming of age during the turbulent 1960's in America, who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam will be published February 6th, 2024.

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Cleo Maranski · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was such a disappointment. The characters were completely one dimensional and not at all interesting. The storyline was filled with cliches from every bad Lifetime movie. About three quarters of the way through, I somehow knew how it would end (because it was the one cliche that hadn't been hit yet). The book itself is primarily dialouge and not good one at that. Avoid.

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love girlhood

[Crumb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh.My.God. This book deserves more than five stars, in fact, it deserves every single star in the sky. This book was phenomenal. It tugged at my heart strings in the best of ways. I laughed and I cried.. Oh, how I cried.
You will need a box of tissues, handy!
This book is about friendship. Although, in my opinion, the word “friendship” doesn’t seem like a big enough word to encapsulate their relationship. They were simply: TullyandKate. Best friends forever.
This book began in the 1970’s and went straight through the Millenium. The reader was able to see both Tully and Kate come of age. Kate had everything Tully wanted: a family. And Tully, had everything Kate wanted: she was drop dead gorgeous and popular. While Tully wanted a family and Kate wanted to have Tully’s charm and good looks, as a duo, they were enough. They completed each other. They made each other whole
In my opinion, what makes a book great is character development. I like to go on a journey with the characters; I like to see them grow, come into their own. Kristen Hannah gave that to me, and more. I also value characters that I can relate to. When I was in high school, I could easily see Kate and Tully walking arm-in-arm down the hallway. In college, I could visualize them walking across my campus.
This book made my heart sing and it made my heart ache.. and yet at the end, I wanted more. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Thankfully, there is a sequel. Thank you Ms. Hannah!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly love this book so much but I want to say one sentence about Netflix adaptation: I hate to see Katherine Heigl playing Tully!

Oh please, what have I done to my face? Those red rimmed eyes looks like bleeding blood emphasizing my ugly vampirella image! My swollen, blotchy cheeks, my running nose ( so many people alarmed and already threw hand sanitizers to my face which gave me opportunity to sell each of them from 3-5K on Amazon!) make you think I wrestled with a hedgehog over a muddy ground and lost the fight!

Yes, these are after effects you have to endure when you read something ten times more effective than the most test jerking movie! I already spent so much napkins and toilet papers I got at the panic-shopping! But it’s worth it because this is such a beautifully poignant, remarkably heartfelt and unforgettable story that I’ve been waiting to read so long!

Kristin Hannah is one of my all time favorite authors. Nightingale and Great Alone are my favorite books so I was so sure I’ll enjoy my reading!

This is impressive, well-developed, captivating story about testing the bond of your friendship throughout the years, mother-daughter, husband- wife relationship, family dramas, betrayal, secrets.

Tully and Kate at 1974 when Tully is waiting at her bus and Kate gets lonely after being abandoned by her friends. They’re polar opposites. Kate is more shy, introverted, responsible girl as Tully is playful, adventurous, straightforward, attention seeker, living with her grandparents. So Kate learns to build her self confidence with the help of her friend as Tully learns how ideal family life could be with the help of Kate’s family. ( She has drug addict mother appears in her life without warning and she disappears back without saying goodbye)

So they resume their relationship throughout the years, growing up, experiencing the life by choosing different paths. Kate dreams of happy family life as Tully dreams more adventures, surprising, whirlwind life journey. Kate always supports her friend, keeps her silence even though she doesn’t approve her friend’s decisions. And Tully was immature, bitchy, selfish and self centered at the most parts which made me hate her (when I saw they chose Katherine Heigl to play her role, I smirked: Yes, they found best unlikeable woman!) Especially her attraction with Kate’s husband made me clench my fists. But thankfully the direction of the story changed and saved me from more anger and heartbreak!

The ending ripped my heart! I know this would happen to me! I never finished any of her books without shedding tears but this really destroyed my mood and I have to binge watch tons of comedy series and gallons of wine to recover!

I’m giving blotchy, depressing, heart wrenching stars! ( Tully ate one of the stars with her inappropriate behaviors) if you are into emotional, poignant, meaningful readings, this one is great fit for your expectations.

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[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t exactly anticipating this book, but I was curious about the series adaptation on Netflix, and after seeing so many rave reviews...I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad that I did.

Firefly Lane tells the story of Kate Mularkey and Tully (Tallulah) Hart. They meet as young women in 8th grade in 1974. Tully is the cool, popular one who everyone wants to be around. Kate is the studious one who doesn’t have friends at the time she meets Tully. Against the odds, they become fast friends. They make a pact to be best friends forever.

Over the next three decades, there are events that pull them apart (sometimes geographically, sometimes personally), but they always make their way back to each other, never forgetting the pact they made to each other. While Tully’s ambitions take her to reporter fame, Kate chooses a different route. Despite their differences, they’ve managed to keep their friendship alive for 30 years...until a breaking point occurs that may end it.

To say that I was hooked on this story is an understatement. At just under 500 pages (and small font), I read it in a day...and loved every part of it. Author Kristin Hannah paints a rich picture of friendship, love, loss, joy, sorrow, highs, lows. There are so many references to songs of each decade and different events that went on in the world during the times. I felt so much nostalgia, even in the decade I didn’t grow up in.

What I also loved was how in-depth I felt like I knew Kate and Tully. There was no stone left unturned. At times, I felt Tully was extremely selfish and only cared about herself, and yet I understood why she behaved the way she sometimes did. She had a way of always redeeming herself. There were moments I was sick of Kate and her pushover/meek attitude. Then, she would do something powerful and brave.

At the end of the day, it’s a very special and realistic depiction of friendship. Fair warning: If you are as invested in this story as I was, you will want to have some Kleenex in the vicinity.

4.5 stars.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75/5

I think I'm going to have to limit myself to 2 Kristin Hannah books a year because her books EMOTIONALLY WRECK ME.
This is the 3rd book I've read by her and the 3rd book to make me sob.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this dreadful book so that you don't have to.

Imagine that you are in a beginning fiction-writing class. Imagine that the instructor teaches you that good writing is in the details - that there is a difference between a character that "has a cup of coffee" and one who "sips hours-old diner coffee from a chipped mug that once, long ago, was white." Imagine that, after this lecture, your first clumsy effort at writing a story causes you to attempt to pack in every imaginable detail that springs into your mind.

That is what this book is like. Just a few pages into this, the author throws describes a girl "building a Lincoln Log Cabin for her Liddle Kiddles, who were asleep on tiny pink Kleenexes. If she were in her bedroom, she would have a Jackson Five forty-five in her Close 'N Play." Okay, we get it. It's the 1970s. Throughout the novel, the author takes every possible opportunity to throw in as many details as possible to, I suppose, establish the time period. She's wearing big shoulder pads! Because - get it? - it's the 1980s!

But it is not simply the clumsy writing style. It is also the trite, cliched characters in a trite, cliched story, using trite, cliched dialogue that no one would ever use in real life. Kate and Tully become friends in junior high and have a friendship that spans the decades. Kate is shy and reserved, while Tully is outgoing and popular. Kate aspires to be nothing more than a housewife, while Tully wants to be a famous news reporter. Something Bad happens, and I won't tell you what, but if you suspect that Tully could fly higher than an eagle because Kate was the wind beneath her wings, you might be on the right track.

Trite and cliched need not be bad. After all, I read and enjoy chick lit. Even mediocre chick lit. But here, to add insult to injury, the book's editor missed several typos (or doesn't understand basic grammar). I probably missed two-thirds of them because I was trying to read this book fast and just get it over with already. Bad editing like:
-"By eighth grade, she was one of the most popular girl in junior high." (p. 14)
-"'We don't have an internship program here.' 'That what your letters said.'" (p. 125)

I disliked this book so much that, not only will I never read another book by this author, but now I hope never to read a book by anyone who provided a blurb of praise for this novel. I disliked this book so much that it made me angry with Goodreads, because as I was reading this novel, Goodreads gave me a recommendation for some other novel by Kristin Hannah.

And I felt bad for disliking this book, because the author notes in a postscript how this novel was such a personal journey for her, how it's the "most personal of [her:] novels," and how her now-deceased mother inspired her to write it. I wish I had enjoyed it. I wish the characters had been at least a little identifiable, instead of insufferable. I wish I could have cared, at least a little. But then I see that Hannah has written 15 other books, and so I can't cut her any slack. She should know how to write by now.

Dreadful.

[chloé ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨now playing:✨

dancing queen - ABBA
1:28 ─〇───── 3:50
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

as a not-so-emotional reader, crying for at least the last 45 pages is absolutely unprecedented for me.

sobbing-like-a-newborn-child type of crying. 🥲

one of the most moving books i’ve ever had the pleasure & heartbreak of reading.

”will you trust me?”
“to my everlasting ruination, yes.”
❤️‍🩹

this was amazing. every single page. TullyandKate forever.

i know im waking up with puffy eyes tomorrow. thanks, kristin hannah. ✨

[Sophie Jayne Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been a 5⭐️ but I stopped at 85% because of the health triggers at the end 😀

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I know I have an unpopular opinion but I didn't love this... I read this after watching and LOVING the Netflix show and I was told the book was so different from the show and that the book was so much better, but I don't know if it's because I watched the show first but, I actually prefer the show. I adore Kate and Tully's friendship in the show, the actresses have really great chemistry and really bring these characters to life, but for some reason it didn't work as well for me in this book. I liked Tully's character in this show, but damn in this book she drove me absolutely nuts. She's so narcissistic and obsessed with fame and she hurts people as a result of that, and just... damn. It was different from the show but I can see why they made a few change because some of the things Tully does in this book is just.... unforgivable?? I don't know I just didn't expect to feel so upset throughout most of this book.

Also the ending... like are you kidding me?? I don't know if I'm heartless, but that felt like the most desperate reach for an author to make the reader cry at the end; it was a Nicholas Sparks-inspired ending for sure. I don't think I have any interest continuing in this book series but I will watch the show if it gets approved for another season. This book was fine... just not nearly on the same level as the show for me.

[Brandice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not ready for Firefly Lane — I got sucked into this story immediately about two young girls, Kate and Tully, who form a lifelong friendship in the suburbs of Seattle in middle school. The story follows the girls as they move through high school, college, then beyond, into the working world as adults. They share some interests but forge increasingly different paths though their bond remains.

Like any strong relationship, Kate and Tully experience highs and lows — Joy, jealousy, resentment and forgiveness are all at play. After weathering several hurdles over many decades, one poor decision threatens to end their friendship for once and for all.

I liked Kate more than Tully but could relate to aspects of both of their lives and their feelings at various points in the book. I loved the theme of the importance of friendship and family.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Firefly Lane is my first book by Kristin Hannah. I’ve wanted to read her for years and finally made time since the show was coming out and I always like to read the book before I watch the show… well, in this case, I kind of wish I would have skipped the book. I know this is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but this wasn’t good for me.

I know this book is loved by many, and I hate that it didn't work for me, but it really, really didn’t. This book follows two main characters, Kate and Tully. Kate was someone I liked a lot and could relate to in some ways. Then there is Tully… She had a rough childhood, and I can be sympathetic to that, but that doesn’t mean you get to treat your best friend like trash. I can’t stand narcissistic characters. From pitting Kate’s daughter against Kate, to being inappropriate to Kate’s husband, to the betrayal on her show… I just can’t. I spent so much of this book feeling angry and full of rage because of Tully.

Even though I’m a bit curious of what will happen next, I can’t imagine picking up the second book. I still want to try out the show, I’ll watch an episode or two and see if it’s any better, but I can’t read the second book. And I will definitely pick up another Kristin Hannah book in the future, because her writing was great, but this book was not for me.

Audio book source: Audible (purchased)
Story Rating: 2.5 stars
Narrator: Susan Ericksen
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Length: 17 hours and 54 minutes

[Paige (on and off) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“That was what a best friend did: hold up a mirror and show you your heart.”

Have you ever read a book that makes you cry so hard your nose is blocked, your head pounds and your heart hurts?! Kristin Hannah never fails to bring the emotions out of me.

Firefly Lane is a story of female friendships, motherhood, career driven women and found family. We follow Tully and Katie, who are inseparable since they found each other when they desperately needed a friend in their early childhood. We watch them grow over three decades as life takes them in different directions. Tully is a career driven TV presenter who has a hard time accepting the love she was never shown. Tully is perfectly complimented by her best friend Katie, who was born to nurture, love and be a mother.

Kristin perfectly captured the many struggles and sacrifices women face and how success is measured by society. By no means are these characters perfect. Katie struggles to value herself and the role she plays in uplifting those around her. Tully desperately needs to be validated and seeks out toxic situations because deep down, she is afraid of being alone. Their friendship was beautiful. I even loved Johnny by the end — he was such a complicated man but he treated Katie with so much tenderness. I felt their love through the pages.

I loved the different timelines, the music, the fashion, hearing about the cultural events that shaped them — it made me feel so nostalgic. Kristin crafted her impactful words to demonstrate how life is made up of an abundance of small moments.

If you've seen the Netflix show, there are some noticeable differences in the book. As expected, I found this more emotional and answers some questions which weren't covered in the show.

By the end of this, your heart is hurting and you realise life is just too precious and the value of a best friend.

*Note: There are trigger warnings which I haven’t listed here as I consider them spoilers*

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Spoiler free quotes

➷“That was the thing about best friends. Like sisters and mothers, they could piss you off and make you cry and break your heart, but in the end, when the chips were down, they were there, making you laugh even in your darkest hours. ”

➷“One thing I can tell you for sure is this: we only regret what we don't do in life.”

➷ “What good did it do to light the world on fire if she had to watch the glow alone?”

➷ “It felt as if she were bleeding - but it wasn't blood that leaked out of her, not something that could be easily transfused. Instead she was losing her dreams.”

➷ “Where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, there is forgiveness.”

➷ “There’s nothing like motherhood to make us reassess how we were as daughters.”

➷ “It would always be a part of her, a scar on her soul, but like all scars, it faded in time from a bright and burning red to a slim, silvery line that could only sometimes be seen.”

➷ “Friendships were like marriages in that way. Routines and patterns were poured early and hardened like cement.”

➷ “Sometimes being a good friend means saying nothing." "I'm supposed to watch her make a mistake?" "Sometimes, yes. And then you stand by to pick up the pieces.”

➷ “It's never good to sit around and wait for someone of something to change your life.”

──── ୨୧ ────

My KH rankings -

╰┈➤ the great alone - 5 stars ✨
╰┈➤ the women - 5 stars ✨
╰┈➤ firefly lane - 5 stars ✨
╰┈➤ the nightingale - 4.5 stars ✨
╰┈➤ four winds - 4.25 stars ✨
╰┈➤ night road - 4 stars ✨
╰┈➤ home front - 4 stars ✨

[Meagan✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m weeping. Tears are streaming down my face. I have snot bubbles. 🤧I went through a box of tissues, not even exaggerating. I haven’t cried this hard in a long time. I’m in disbelief. I’m unwell. I’m at a loss for words right now. This is all just word salad. 🥗

Review to come 😭😭😭

My KH Book Ratings-
✨The Woman- 5 Stars
✨The Great Alone- 5 Stars
✨Firefly Lane- 5 Stars
✨The Nightingale- 4.5 Stars
✨Summer Island- 4 Stars
✨True Colors- 4 Stars

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE…. The Netflix series is FANTASTIC… wonderful cast!
But …. The ending ( season 2 ending) leaves a pit in our stomachs.
Who has seen the series? Thoughts about the ending(

Read years ago when the book was released!
Read Stephanie's review...it's beautiful!!!

I was deeply moved - surprised I liked it so much ---mailed it to my sister. She loved it just as much.
I immediately read one more book, by Kristen Hannah...but when it didn't 'wow' me..
I didn't continuing reading more of Hannah's books - but FIREFLY...has a very authentic feeling to it - not pushed - not overly schmaltzy.

Sincerely touching!

Read Stephanie's great review!!!

[Always Pouting · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Kristen Hannah book I read and it's about two girls who become friends in middle school in the 70's and it follows them through their lives. I really enjoyed the writing, I think Hannah is really good at telling stories because I kept wanting to read on. The characters were all complex and made the book feel real. The ending was not that great though and I can agree that some of the plot was derivative but I don't think there's anything wrong with using things in your book that have been done if you do them well, which I think Hannah does.

[Kail Lowry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love - in friendships & relationships, heartbreak & self reflection. It did take a little longer for me to get through than I would have liked. And although I feel like Tully is me & I am Tully, I still wasn’t eager to keep reading and finish this one. It’s a good story but I wouldn’t tell anyone to put it at the top of their TBR.

[Nikola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odejmują gwiazdkę za ilość tragedii i dramatów rodzinnych.
Druga gwiazdka znika przez lektorkę- Annę Dereszowską, która czasami bardziej odgrywała same dialogi niż je nam czytała, przez co część z nich wybrzmiewa kiczowato.
2,5/5

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who's looking forward to binge watching the Netflix series?!

Quick summary: Two 10-year-old mismatched girls form a friendship in 1974 that spans three decades.

These two flawed characters are easy to get attached to, and the story moves along quickly. The constant ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture references felt a bit heavy handed though, and I was disappointed in the plot device used to bring closure to the novel. No spoilers, but I understand that specific issue was one of Hannah’s motivations for writing this… I just wish I’d known about it before reading 400 pages.

Recommended for women born in the ‘60s, Kristin Hannah fans (obv.), and anyone looking for a tearjerker. Have those tissues close by!

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cried so much throughout the last 20 or so pages of this book that my husband became genuinely concerned for my well-being. The conversation went pretty much like this:

Me: /trying not to sound like I'm crying
Him: "Are you ok?"
Me: "Yes, I'm fine."
Him: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes, it's just sad."

5 minutes later...
Him: "Are you sure you're ok?"
Me: "Yes! Leave me alone!"
Him: "It's just that you're crying really hard."
Me: "I know. I'm just a big sap."

5 minutes later...
Him: "Are you going to be all right?"
Me: "I'll be fine. Quit asking!"
Him: "It's just that you're crying like I died or something."
Me: "Are you kidding? When you die I'll be dancing on your grave." (Don't feel bad; we joke with each other like that all the time.)

Eventually, I went into the bathroom so he'd stop asking me.

At any rate, a lot about this book was extremely cliched, and some of it was rather annoying (i.e. the constant in-your-face cultural references), but I liked it anyway.

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

(audiobook version) I read this at the insistence of a friend. I had a feeling I wouldn’t like it very much; even though she’s a friend we have some very different taste in books. She went on and on and on about how good it was, but it was only so-so for me, as expected. Firefly Lane tells the story of two girls who become best friends at age 14. It follows them for over 30 years, from the 1970s into the 2000s. The book doesn’t break any new ground, really. For instance, did you know that being rich and famous doesn’t guarantee happiness? How about this: Putting your career above all else might ensure that you end up being lonely because you don’t make time in your life for LOVE! Here’s a revelation: Sometimes stay-at-home moms get overwhelmed and depressed. Oh, and I also learned that teenage daughters oftentimes don’t get along with their mothers! The book wasn’t offensive, but it was nothing special.

The blurb says there is a betrayal in the story. At least I didn’t guess what it was; that was one part that wasn’t predictable. It was totally unbelievable, though. I wouldn’t accept in a million years that one of the women does what she does to her best friend in the whole wide world. It did not work for me at all.

At times I felt assaulted by the information the author used to set the time and place. It’s like she had a checklist and had to mention a certain number of phrases, events, clothing styles, etc, from different time periods. Yes, we understand that time is passing. Yes, we get it that now it’s 1974, or 1982, or whatever. Stop hitting me over the head with your historical references. It seemed really forced, awkward, and out of place at times. One part of the story turns into a mini public service announcement. It was kind of jarring. I understand from the author’s notes that a certain cause is important to her, but the preaching seemed kind of out of place.

I wonder if my sister A would like this book, only because the main characters were born the same year she was, and one of them really liked JRR Tolkien as a teen, as did A. I couldn't really recommend it to anyone else.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

when i was 11 years old, this was my favorite book on earth.

while other kids were checking out, like, middle grade adventure stories and the first examples of the coming era of young adult dystopian fiction, me and my best friend were addicted to this 479-paged women's fiction hardcover that weighed approximately 12 pounds and followed the lives of two best friends from the 1970s to the present, including passages on sexual assault, underage drinking, drug use, addiction, eating disorders, cheating, betrayal, sex, parenting, violence, and so on and so forth.

why our moms were okay with us reading this i have no idea, but one thing is certain.

i had absolutely indefensible literary opinions then, and i continue to have them to this day.

i should reread this.

part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago and share any relevant epiphanies i may have

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

I read this book 3 months ago and here I am trying to write a comprehensible review. Let's face it, I can't. I tried refreshing my memory and read a few reviews and like usual, some say one-dimensional characters while others praise the multilayered characterization of Kate and Tully. While many loved the writing style, others found it mediocre. So I think it's one of those books that you won't know for sure what you'll think about unless you read them.

I have read several books by Kristin Hannah and The Great Alone and The Nightingale remain my favorite. I recommend any Hannah newbie to start with one of those two.

So here are the thoughts on this book that stuck with me:

As you know, this book tells the story of two best friends, Kate and Tully, from their teenage years to adulthood and the joys, heartaches, and difficulties they went through.

Character-wise, I sometimes loved Tully and Kate but other times, they simply got on my nerves. I hated how they treated each other sometimes but I also loved their bond. I didn't like Tully's overly narcissistic and "doesn't say sorry" attitude. I liked however how Hannah chose to write a successful woman in her career and seeing how she got there. I rarely come across such ambitious main characters (who are ordinary no magic powers) and see their journey climbing the work ladder. Nonetheless, I hated what she did what she did with Kate when she went live on TV and when she got too "close" to Johnny. I was less invested in Kate's story and wish she stood up more to Tully sometimes. But overall, I liked them both.

The story kept me interested throughout the book but I got tired sometimes of the characters' behaviours and of some needless issues. But I was still invested in the story. I found Hannah's style smooth and her writing easily flows transporting you to another time (and yes we have too many 70s references but I didn't mind, maybe because I'm not that familiar with those times.

The ending was typical Hannah and I saw that twist coming because, you can say, I’m used to her style by now. I wish it was done in another way because I wasn't the biggest fan. I mean when you spend the whole book waiting for the tragedy to happen you end appreciating that plot development less.

I still plan on reading the second book but I don't think it was necessary. I read the synopsis and I'm glad it won't go through a Jhonny/Tully relationship like I originally worried. it might.

Briefly, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, which I recommend, but the book wasn't without its flaws. While I appreciated the imperfect characters, they did annoy me from time to time. Nonetheless, a few months later, I still think positively of this novel. Hannah's fans should definitely give it a go but anyone not familiar with her books should start with another.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A long, tiresome read. The 400-plus-paged novel relies on the characters' relationships to sustain the plot and reader interest, but those relationships, like the characters, are clichéd and two-dimesional and somewhat hard to believe. Also hard to believe are the personal stories of the characters — such as Tallulah Hart, who rises to success as a TV journalist, covering everything from individuals' crises to international affairs... only to host a daytime talk show called "The Girlfriend Hour" to represent the pinnacle of her success as a professional journalist? Right. The book reads as an author's first try, a very rough draft, a story that's readable enough if you have a long train ride and nothing else to do, but certainly not worth your time if you have anything better to do. The story has redeemable qualities, scattered moments in the plot that touch the reader and a few laughs here and there, but the writing is not developed enough to make the novel anything more than mediocre.

Note: I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

[Literally Lesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я не прочитала книжку, а ПРОЖИЛА ще одне життя разом з героїнями цієї історії. Вона неймовірна. Сумна і життєствердна одночасно. Жіноча дружба непроста, але жінка завжди підтримає жінку. Таллі й Кейті назавжди в моєму серці.

[Theresa Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel about two girlfriends spanning from the ‘70s to the early 2000s. It alternates points of view between Kate who, when the novel opens, is 14 years old and closely watched by her mother. Tully, on the other hand, has been abandoned by her drug-addict mother and moves in across the street with her grandmother. Tully is rebellious and ambitious, and Kate longs to be cool like her. Kate is stunned when Tully becomes her best friend, and their friendship lasts 30 years.

They are flawed people with likeable attributes, like everyone I’ve met on planet earth. While Tully is completely focused on launching her career into the stratosphere, Kate has never been as career driven and, when she finds herself accidently pregnant, decides to spend all her time being a mom and giving up her career. She finds both the joys and toils of this choice, just as Tully finds there are joys to having a success career at the expense of nurturing other relationships. You see both of their points of view, and neither is necessarily better than the other (depending on your own point of view about what’s important in life).

There were portions of this book that dragged on longer than necessary. Particularly the issues Kate had with her oldest child when her daughter became a pre-teen and then a teenager. It was important to the story line, but I wish it hadn’t gone on for as long as it did.

But at the end, I found myself teary. I could definitely see this being made into a movie. Also, without giving anything away, I learned about something I had not heard about (and now get to be scared about something new).

It’s an important book about what friendship means—like any relationship, it has its ups and downs. I recommend it.

For more of my reviews, please visit: http://theresaalan.net/blog/

[Brina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chick lit is not my thing. If I feel the need to clear my head after reading a deeper book, I'll pick up a mystery, or maybe a middle grades kids book. Yet I had seen two friends, Elyse and Stephanie, write poignant reviews about Firefly Lane, so I let my curiosity get the better of me, and picked it up.

Firefly Lane is about the 30 year friendship of Kate Mularkey Ryan and Tully Hart. These two girls were brought together at age 14 when they were so vulnerable and needed a friend to help them through the turbulent teen years. The book follows their life journey and included myriad references to the pop culture, news events, and music of the times. Even though the book is nearly 500 pages long, it read quickly because I allowed myself to get emotionally involved in the characters, so of course I could not put the book down.
Kate Mularkey is the serious one. Coming from a stable family, her one desire is to find true love. Tully Hart had been abandoned by her drug addict mother too many times to recall and eventually moved in with the Mularkey family. The last thing she knew about was love, and her only desire was to be a news woman at a time when women were finally beginning to break the glass ceiling. Being the novel that it is, Tully shatters that glass ceiling forgoing family life for stardom while Kate marries Johnny her former boss and settles into not so blissful life as an at-home mom. Yet through thick and thin, the women remained best friends.
What I liked about this book was the musical references, the strength of love between Kate and Johnny, and the layers to Tully's character. I also liked being reminded of a simpler time before computers and Internet and social media where kids could stay out late and parents did not need to worry much about where their kids were. After reading this, I realize why I do not read much chick lit: my life like Kate's is that of a busy at-home mom and I don't have the time to get too emotionally involved in the books that I read. As poignant as this story is, I am happier with my mysteries and detective novels.

I noticed that Kristin Hannah wrote a sequel that I am interested in reading as well as The Nightingale which brought her many accolades. I recommend this to those looking for a read about friendship, and perhaps those people who enjoy the chick lit genre more than I do will enjoy it even more than I did.

2.75-3 stars. Book served its purpose as a filler.

[kimera · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book insults my intelligence.

[lauren‎♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧ (semi-ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5💫

i love women. i love friendship. i love girlhood. this was so beautiful.

following them along for 30 years of their lives together was a wonderful story to read. tully and katie are also my besties and you cant tell me otherwise.

it was sweet to see how inseparable these girls became with one another, but also be able to see them grow into their own person. tully was a dreamer and motivated by success, whereas katie wishes to be a mom. i loved see them grow individually and achieve what they wanted in life. they were just the perfect pair. friendship is a beautiful and a magical thing.

johnny made me nervous the whole time. i thought something was going to happen between him and tully, and wholeheartedly believed that it would be initiated by tully because if she sees something she wants, she will try and take it. fortunately for us (and for katie), johnny loved and adored katie with his whole heart until the very end, and it was sweet to see the love they shared and the family created.

marah made we want to call my mom and apologize for how i behaved as a kid. i hope i was never as horrible as marah (i cannot remember my childhood days), and tully was the worst for choosing marah over katie in those situations. katie didnt deserve that.

i cant wrap my head around how the book ended. that was cruel ms kristin hannah. i cried myself to sleep. what was that. (im not sure i can forgive you but im addicted to your writing so i will read another one of your books)

has anyone watched the show? i want to watch it so im curious as to what your opinions are:)

[Ashley Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like this book wasn't really about anything. I kept waiting for a plot but three-fourths of the way through I realized there wasn't one. It was very cliche in the sense that it read like a Lifetime Original movie. I predicted that the least-hated girl would die right around the time I realized there was no plot. The so-called friendship that this book was about was so unrealistic that I found myself wanting to tell the sheepish, pathetic, mousy girl (she was so unmemorable that I can't remember her name) that she needed to set some major boundaries with her brash, narcissistic, over-bearing friend. I hated both main characters for dramatically different reasons. I think Hannah was trying to paint the picture of the life choices and paths of two different women. However the portrayals of both were so extreme I think most women live somewhere in the middle.