This is a book that was gifted to me by a close friend over a year ago and in recent weeks I finally sat down and devoted myself to reading it after, admittedly, not having picked up a book in near enough probably two years (life always finds a way to take up time). Having never read anything by de Beauvoir before but hearing high praise of her work I was very excited and intrigued to dive into this book and oh my goodness it did not dissapoint!

Just from the introduction and foreword alone I was immediately captivated and steamrolling through the book, unable to remember the last time a piece of literature had captivated me so quickly. The story of two girls growing up and growing apart is one that is such a monumental experience, I believe, in any young persons life as it serves almost like a rite of passage into adulthood; a reminder that the people who you were once so devoted to will always be loved by you but it's okay to let go of that devotion and let life happen without completely abandoning the other person.

What made the book so enjoyable and easy for me to read was how real it felt and how I felt so involved in the storyline; I myself have, in my life, been in friendships where I felt utterly devoted to the other person, so much so that it pained me when something would happen to them, both good and bad, that was out of my control and that I couldn't participate in or remedy. I believe this is what made the character of Sylvie so real to me as I understood her yearning but also connected with her post outburst in Andree's kitchen when it seemed like a weight had lifted off her shoulders and she was able to continue with her life still being Andree's friend but not being weighed down by the devotion she had previously felt.

Even though it was told from Sylvie's POV and her POV was basically all Andree and how she was, how she looked, what she said etc etc now that I sit down to write this post, I genuinely can't come up with much to say about Andree, other than how sorry I felt for her and how I feel she died prematurely because she was just crushed by social expectation, her complicated relationship with her faith and those around her, particularly her mother, and of course the see-saw of her relationship with Pascal.

All in all, throughout the novel, both girls were constantly on a journey of self discovery or as much self discovery as they were able to do given the time in which they lived and for that I admire them. They lived in a difficult time and I truly believe they did the best with what they had and while life grew more difficult as they got older that is simply the way things are, both in this novel and in real life and ultimately the best we can do is our best, and we should never forget the importance of having someone to lean on rather than trying to shoulder all the burden ourselves.

The Inseparables

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