FEBRUARY 2026 WOMEN'S FRIENDSHIPS

 

We enjoyed a very mixed selection of books this month – the topic being Female Friendships.

Theresa – WEEKENDS WITH THE SUNSHINE GARDEN SOCIETY. Sophie Green.

A lovely story with much humour and positivity. 4 women come together, each with their own ‘baggage’, and work to build a community garden. As their relationships develop, they find comfort, support and a community.

Pat – Elizabeth is Missing. Emma Healey. A woman, Maud, with increasing dementia is searching for her friend – Elizabeth.  Maud continues to ask where she is, they shared a special friendship with gardening as the connector. Maud is sure Elizabeth would never just disappear. The story provides insights into those with dementia and those who witness its progress. Very enjoyable.

Joan – Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Lisa See. Meticulously researched novel detailing the intense lifelong friendship between 2 women in 19^th century China. The women found comfort and support together as they experienced the brutality of foot binding and used a ‘secret language’ that men could not understand which gave them a sense of power in a male dominated society.  Highly recommended.

Val – Cold Enough for Snow. Jessica Oh. Novella of the friendship between a mother and daughter, living in different countries, sharing their life’s experiences. Sometimes the prose was dull.

Rosemary W – The Winter Dress. Lauren Chater. Historical fiction. The author (a textile researcher) creates a story about a beautiful silk gown, 17th-century, that has been rediscovered and recreates the possible ‘life’ of the gown. Well written but a little wordy.

Jo – Gang of Four – Liz Byrski. 4 women, friends all in their 50’s, see their lives in crisis and want it to change. Different lives and different futures.

Kerry – The Sealed Letter. Emma Donoghue. 2 women from different social classes, become unlikely friends. Emily (a faithful friend) moves into the home a couple shared and befriends both Helen and Harry. But Helen wants a divorce. In England in 1864 divorce was not common and due to the high social profile of the couple the divorce became highly publicised. The book highlights London society, the Legal system, social mores, friendships gone wrong and how Helen cruelly gaslighted and manipulated Emily to obtain a divorce on her terms.

Debra – One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot. Marianne Cronin. 2 women are in a terminal care ward in a Glasgow hospital. Lenni is 17, Margot 83. Both learn of each other’s lives through a painting class offered to patients. Friendship blooms, life’s stories swapped, the young Lenni’s view of life changes. They plan to create 100 paintings showing the lives they have lived. Debra loved the book.

Cindy – The Book Club for Troublesome Women. Marie Bostwick. Historical fiction. 4 disgruntled women form a book club. A new member encourages them to read the Feminine Mystique – Betty Friedan. They begin to challenge social rules and expectations, friendships develop, they firm their views and take charge of their lives.

Dimity - Maggsie McNaughton’s Second Chance. Frances Maynard. A year in the life of a female prisoner living in supported housing. The woman comes from a very disadvantaged background. She finds friendships developing, gains positive life skills and develops an interest in life. Smart and funny.

Margaret – Lady Tans Circle of Women. Lisa See. Chinese culture and history are highlighted when, in 15^th China, a young woman raised by her grandparents becomes a doctor. She not only is formally educated, but she also witnesses and learns how to be heard and accepted as an intelligent, active woman. Interesting characters and friendships across different classes. Very good.

Judy A. – Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Fannie Flagg. Two different friendships are told in this book. Evelyn, in the 1980s, whilst visiting her cranky mother-in-law meets 80-year-old Ninny Threadgoode – a strong, talkative, outgoing woman with plenty of life’s experiences to share. She grew up at the Whistle Stop Café Alabama. The 2nd friendship, set in the 1930’s, is about Ruth Jamison and Idgie Threadgoode who run the Whistle Stop Café. Ruth faced much adversity during her early time at the café but the growing friendship with Idgie helped her overcome. Judy has very fond memories of reading this book with her family over the years.

Tam – Secrets between Friends. Fiona Palmer. Friends on a cruise, everyone has secrets, friends nurture and encourage each other. Tam enjoyed the book.

Judy J. – The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane. Dee MacDonald. Friends Tess and Orla run a dress shop called Curvaceous. Both single and with an upcoming wedding they both decide to lose weight. Tess wants s suitable partner to take to the wedding to show off to her ex. Many exploits happen, the book is funny in parts, light-hearted and an easy read.

Rosemary S – We All Want Impossible Things. Katharine Newman. Best friends, one is dying, the other goes to stay with her. Whilst a bleak topic there’s funny moments, mostly the women just talk and reflect. It deals with dying and just being there for your friends. Quite moving.

Lyn – The Chocolate Factory. Mary Lou Stephens. Historical fiction. The Cadbury Factory based in Tasmania in 1921 saw many workers migrate from Bourneville England. They brought their skills and knowledge of chocolate making to Australia. The story looks at the lives of many of the workers – there’s jealousy, ambition, recipe stealing and secrets. Lyn found it enthralling.

 

Judy D – Best of Friends. Kamila Shamsie. Set in Karachi Pakistan, an unusual friendship develops between 2 young girls. One is academically brilliant whilst the other will inherit a fortune. Different lives, different personalities. Years later they both live in London and are still best friends, formed through their dreadful, secret past.  A good read.

Kris – A Month of Sundays. Liz Byrski. 4 women start a book club, online by zoom. Years later they decide to spend a weekend together and must choose a favourite book to discuss. Lives change. An easy read.

Ed – Firefly Lane. Kristin Hannah. About Kate a schoolteacher and her friend Tully. They are inseparable but have very different views on what they want from life.

Pamela – Mistress Branigan. Jules Verne. Set in 1891, the world was not yet fully explored or understood. A wealthy woman travels the world looking for her ‘missing’ husband. Australia is a destination full of mystery and danger, and she thinks her missing husband is there. Mistress Branigan travels take her to Australia where she discovers many wonders. The details are fanciful and fulsome.

Sheila – The God of No Good. Sita Walker. The Ba’hai faith is about being a good person. This book is an intergenerational, cross-continent story about 6 women as they try to live their lives according to their faith. Over time the main character questions her faith as values, beliefs and experiences change her.

Our reading for the month of March is a book that has been translated into English.

Happy reading all.  Lesley.