Something Borrowed

by Emily Giffin

The premise of Giffin's book Something Borrowed put me off for quite a while. A story where the heroine is the "other woman"?! But I heard so many positive reviews, I thought it was time to pick it up... I also can't say that seeing the preview for the movie coming out was not a factor in my motivation to get it read. Despite my inital concern about a cheating heroine, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Giffin somehow makes it work! Rachel (the heroine) is the girl next door, with low self-esteem, no relationship, and an unsatisfying job. Darcy is her best friend, with a job she loves, extreme self-confidence (seemingly narcissistic), and the perfect fiancee Dex. The central three characters are joined by a surrounding cast of friends who lighten the mood, support the female leads, and offer perspective.

*Minor Spoiler Alert* After hearing so many great things about Something Borrowed, I expected the character of Darcy to be extremely unlikable... so that it would be easier to cheer Rachel on. Instead, they were both complex characters with their own strengths and flaws. While Darcy is self-centered and steamrolls over Rachel, she is also has a dynamic personality that draws you (and Rachel) in. As Rachel's relationship with Dex continues to develop, Rachel begins to draw away from simply being "Darcy's friend" and developing her own strength and character by balancing friendship, love, and betrayal. The two women have a complex relationship, which is demonstrated by Darcy's continually trying to "up" Rachel in elementary school boyfriends, college admissions, and finally with Dex (who Rachel had a friendship with prior to his relationship with Darcy). So although Darcy is magnetic, you cannot entirely support her. Their past and Darcy's recent actions in her own relationship with Dex, appear to validate Dex and Rachel's affair. Yet, even though I felt happy for Rachel and Dex being together in the end, my heart was still a little sore for Darcy and the loss of their friendship. This probably stems from the fact that I do not believe an affair can ever be truly justified, and that you are always responsible for your own actions. In my opinion, your own behavior should never be dictated by the way that someone else acts. Despite my own beliefs, Giffin made this story not only readable, but truly enjoyable by creating multi-dimensional characters. Although I may not believe that the characters actions were right, I was drawn in and was able to understand their motivations. I am looking forward to reading her follow-up novel (Something Blue) that focuses on Darcy's character.